Well I think it is odd that the author would decline to answer a few questions, after all, it helps place the author in the position of "expert." As you said, it also helps to publicize them and their product. I think there is nothing wrong with asking the questions, the problem seems to be with certain authors that you have encountered.

Well, that's fascinating!
Any chance you can tell us what these 3-4 questions were?

I'm on the road this week and part of my assignment is to do interview gardeners, growers, and writers. I've done three interviews over the weekend, and I have four more to do before I can head home. I've never had any problems setting up interviews. In fact, I've found writers and others falling over backwards to make an interview worth my while. But perhaps that's the difference between the West Coast and the Midwest? (Folks are really friendly out here.)

Maybe you got people on a bad day... my septic system flooded my basement two days ago, and if anyone had called me over the past couple of days I probably would have told them to take a leap. You never know what is going on in people's lives at any given moment.

Also, I think many writers feel very vulnerable and somehow in competition with other writers. ItÂs a shame, but making a living from writing or art is difficult, and the situation just doesnÂt bring out the best in some folks.

Hmmm....I've been interviewed by several large newspapers and it's been either really good or horrid. It depends not just on the who's doing the byline, it also is effected by the department editor. Newsday did a smashing interview, the writer had total control, they sent one of their best photographers....but this was here on LI and so the staff could come and interview me in person.

I had a very long phone interview last year with a writer for a large chain of hometown papers in New England. That went well.

And I have had some email interviews that have been subjected to editorial slashing and so the end product was not the same as what it was supposed/promised to be.

I've been interviewed in person by a reporter for USO publications and that was very nice, the lady was quite warm and I was happy to talk with her.

I think that you have to, as the article writer, assure the interviewee (is that a word?) that you will give them a copy of the article as it is supposed to be before it is printed and then send the tear sheet. If the interviewee has been stung badly you may have your work cut out for you. Offering lunch in a nice-nice place is a fair enticement to an interview, lol.

T

"I recently asked a garden book author to answer 3-4 simple interview questions for an article. "

Were these questions something you could have found out by reading their book?

And what DID you ask?

Yes, I'm sure the answers could've been found by reading the book, but that's not the point. When you write an article, you can't just quote from a book or say "Jane Doe's book says...." I wish it was that easy. But editors, and readers, love quotes. Sometimes I feel like I'm "quote fishing".

And I know not every writer's scrupulous about using quotes correctly and in context. I personally know someone in the insurance industry who was burned by an unscrupulous writer with an agenda. I hate people like that; they make every other writer's job even harder.

But we can't do as Trudi suggested and provide the article for review before it's printed. That leads to more trouble than it's worth, it's unprofessional, and can be unethical. I'm not a well-known writer, but I know that prospective sources have Googled me to find out if I can be trusted to do quality work with their precious words and reputation.

The questions themselves, since you're so curious, were nothing big. The article in question was about landscape trees, so I wanted to know things like "biggest mistakes you see", "trees you'd like to see used more often", etc. A landscaper, an arborist, and a nature activist gave me all I needed.

I don't think it's unscrupulous. I think it's a sanity saver and removes misquotes and misrepresentaions before they happen. If I had seen a copy of one of the articles that went into a PNW paper before it was published I would have said "NO WAY" because it was full of vagueries and inaccuracies. True, it's not a book or magazine where there is time to make corrections, but a botch job, which hurt the by-line and not me, could have been prevented if the data had been corrected.

Perhaps the right word is conferring.

CLFO writes:

>>>Maybe you got people on a bad day... my septic system flooded my basement two days ago, and if anyone had called me over the past couple of days I probably would have told them to take a leap. You never know what is going on in people's lives at any given moment.Hi CL ~

Sorry to hear about the flood. Hope all is better/fixed now.

You make a very good point. I find that, in general, most of the people whom I interview are very nice. One of the worst was so rude I cut it short and excused myself. Later I found out that he had indeed had a *bad* experience (in his mind at least). He is world famous and I recently saw a TV documentary in which he was featured. Everyone commented on how wonderful and thoughtful he is -- a real gentleman. I'm glad I never wrote about my experience with him, although I must admit, I was tempted.

Here are two excellent interviews of garden writers. I wish I good find more of this stuff. If I had not read books by these authors, reading interviews of this sort could certainly compel me to do so now.

An Interview with Lauren Springer about her newest book, "Passionate Gardening"

http://www.frontrangeliving.com/bookshelf/LaurenSpringer.htm

ON A GREEN MOUNTAIN
With Masanobu Fukuoka
Sensei of Natural Farming
Copyright (c)1995 Jim Bones
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops,
but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."( 1 )
Masanobu Fukuoka

http://www.seedballs.com/gmmfpa.html