I'm an introvert.

I'd much rather be behind my computer screen creating worlds, developing characters, and getting lost in a story than standing in front of a group of people talking about myself. Public speaking makes me nervous. Interviews make me nervous. And that little voice in my head always seems to ask the same question beforehand:

What if I don't know what to say?

Of course, as a writer, I should know better.

I have plenty to say. I just don't always realize it until someone starts asking the questions.

In previous posts, I told you that I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Robert Batista of The Funky Writer Show, and once again, I discovered that my nervousness beforehand was unnecessary.

Two Interviews for the Price of One

The first interview went well. We talked about my fantasy books, my creative process, my background, and some of the experiences that have shaped me as a writer, and even stories from my past.

Then we discovered a problem.

The sound on Robert's end was too quiet.

So...we did it again.

It was such a good exprience the first time, I had no qualms about repeating the interview. But something interesting happened. The second conversation wasn't simply a duplicate of the first. While the two interviews covered much of the same ground, each had its own moments and personality.

And both were good experiences. (If you'd like to hear the first interview, too, email me and I'll send you a copy).

In fact, having already gone through the first interview took away some of the nervousness the second time around. I knew what to expect, and once the conversation got rolling, I was able to relax and simply talk.

That's the funny thing about being an introvert. Getting started can be the hardest part.

Once I start talking, I usually have plenty to say.

Talking About the Stories Behind the Stories

Robert and I talked about my fantasy books and the creative process behind them, but we also wandered into some of the personal experiences that have influenced my writing journey.

One topic we discussed was something that has always seemed almost ironic to me: I was labeled a slow reader growing up, and for a long time I hardly read at all.

Now I'm an author—and this year alone I've read more than 80 books.

Life has a sense of humor sometimes.

We also talked about the journey that brought me to where I am today as a writer. Those personal stories are sometimes harder for me to talk about than my fictional characters. I can spend hours discussing something that happened to a character, but put the spotlight on me and suddenly I have to remind myself that I actually have a story worth telling, too.

Hearing Myself Talk Is...Different

There's another strange part of being interviewed: hearing your own voice.

I don't sound the same to myself when I'm speaking as I do when I hear a recording.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who experiences this, but it always catches me off guard. There's something strangely surreal about listening to yourself and thinking, Is that really what I sound like?

Still, hearing the finished interview was worth getting past that awkwardness.

A Host Who Understands Writers

I'd also recommend Robert to other writers who are considering an interview.

Robert has been doing this since 2008, and he's a writer himself. That makes a difference. He understands writers and the creative process, and he knows how to keep a conversation moving.

For someone like me—someone who would much rather be behind the screen than in front of a microphone—that matters.

Robert made it easy to relax and talk about the things I love: stories, creativity, characters, and the journey of being a writer.

And somewhere along the way, I stopped worrying about what I was going to say.

I simply talked.

And Then Something Unexpected Happened

The biggest surprise came after the interview.

I'd spent the days leading up to it worrying about it. Imposter syndrome had gotten a pretty good grip on me, and I was convinced I wouldn't know what to say.

Then the interview was over.

And I felt...euphoric.

Not because I'd given some perfect interview. I hadn't. I was simply relieved, energized, and reminded that I actually do have a lot to talk about when it comes to writing.

Even better, my creativity started flowing again.

Sometimes we spend so much energy worrying about doing something that we forget how good it can feel to simply step through the fear and do it.

For this introvert, stepping out from behind the screen turned out to be a pretty good experience.

Listen to the Interview

If you'd like to hear our conversation and get to know the author behind the stories a little better, you can listen to my interview with Robert Batista on The Funky Writer Show on Spotify.

🎧 Listen to the interview:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3A4ffSE8GEMD72dpQcb0zh

And if you're a writer looking for a host who understands the creative process, I encourage you to check out Robert's work.

Sometimes getting out from behind the screen is exactly what we need—even when we'd rather not.