How important interviews are? “}
I met a reader and she was discussing with me an article she had just read in a Spanish magazine about me. She told me that she kept on reading the same things in my interviews. Of course, she has read all of my books and follows my career. Yet, she’s right to have this feeling given that journalists always repeat the same questions, over and over again.
So here is my question of the week for you: How important interviews are?
Interviews give the public a perspective on whats happening behind a particular project or even an insight into someone else’s way of thinking.
This is is evident in the media as we often see people being interviews to give opinions and feedback, in the case of vox-pops.
In a sense, yes, Interviews are essential but this is clearly subjective as in the case above, interviews with repeated content will fail in interest the public; they’re constantly on the prowl for newer information.
So as to the issue pertaining to the importance of interviews, it is clearly situational especially in the media, where people are subjected to different magnitudes of exposure.
Kenji
For the journalists to be paid at the end of the month? I’m joking of course.
But this reader is true, journalists are always asking you the same questions. Maybe they have not read your books: I’m wondering sometimes… Or they read them in first degree…
They are better willing to sell papers than to study art in artist’s work. They pretend that people are waiting for this: rumour and low intelligence, and that helps their matters.
Because if they always ask the same questions, what about the reader’s interest?
At the less, regards to your Oeuvre, I think they could make a comparative study about your characters, your lexical and symbol fields… But they are more interested in the artist nowadays, than in his creation. Going forward would tend to be qualified as pedantic, because it arranges to think that people are not so educated, and it permits their brain not to think too far.
In my life I met some journalists from the Associated Press, and work near them, but not for the same aim. I can say they were great with me, but between them they were wolves. It was to the one that would get the first paper even if it was bad.
As the journalist says below, (in today’s interview), they could go and see the “entourage”. But in that way, what could they search for, but gossips? He seems so proud to say that, moreover.
There is a great difference we could do before, between journalists and critics, but today, they are the same, or if there are critics still, they are missing wisdom to talk to all the people.
Indeed, it’s not given to all to be wise and intelligent at the same time. Nor to be intelligent and swelled at the same time.
Today, journalists and critics are not judging the “oeuvre”, but judging what they think about. That is peculiarly not the same act.
But that’s true that when a young journalist arrive in his enterprise, he’s not free to write whatever he wants. Moreover today. Or he creates himself his papers, but with a big chance to be shadowed by the new’s monster.
From afar, I prefer read your book.
Love.
I do not like to generalize but…. I personally have never had good experiences with journalists, and generally ;) it is a crazy hard world out there with all of them trying to make a “buck” or 2. The quality suffers terribly as a result and I especially hate Media Sensationalism (gory details of road accidents & other disasters etc) but of course it is all part of the big money business of “making news”! Yes you heard me, making news, and I am sick & tired of hearing the same thing over & over again, on the hour, every hour! So my answer to your question dear Paulo is, NO it is not necessary, and as you rightfully suggested, it should be the responsibility of the publishing houses to organize qualitative Marketing & PR Events, where ALL the Press are invited. That way, you are then free to do what you do best…..
write books ;) and after all, the publishers make good money from that. A good journalist should read ALL your books, read this Blog every day and if he or she still has an unanswered question, they could receive an answer here… ;-)
I wish you lots of “quality” free time to do what you enjoy and do best…. following your dream, Love Paul
are you really HIM?? sorry if that sounds a bit stupid. i dont want to sound like a very big fan of yours but i have read 8 of ur books and own the same. each book teaches me something, not a moral, just a way to appreciate myself, a way to exercise more interaction with my soul.
interviews?? i think they are important, i love reading them. but yes, the media doesnt do much homework on the questions.
I’m impressed by your interviews.
Heart
An interview is a selling tool, sometimes of the magazine or newspaper only, sometimes also a promotion tool for the one who´s interviewed. The motivation behind the interview has so much to say in the perspective or view that is put forward in the interview.
If you like to give interviews, by all means give them. If you´re sick and tired of them, promote your work thru other channels.
I don´t think interviews are that important if I want information about someone. Quite often I get tired that interviews so very often are about the very same issues over and over and over again.
At the same time,
I´m asking myself here to be sincere here the whole way round. I´m at a point with some of my work where it actually could be a great help to get an interview or two published about what I´m creating together with my working partner so we can get information about it out in circulation. Here it´s important for us to get an interview or article out in an appropriate magazine and have someone interview us who understand what we´re up to and who lets us review the article or interview afterwards…
I typically do not like interviews for this very reason, the questions are for the most part generic, and either asked becuase they need to fill paper space or because they are trying to provoke a controversial response.
If the interview is regarding something very specific, a new book, a certain event or political issue, then it can be very interesting and fun to read. If it is just a general interview, I tend to just quickly read each question and only read the response if the question seems interesting.
Don´t be used by the Sword. But use it. For what is it ment to…….
till the message is received by the last receipient ( which going by expereince ! will never be ) interviews help to keep the message alive, while throwing some new perspective mostly. hence they are important, i feel !
love
aditya
Bom dia!
Servem para manter as pessoas na midia!
abraços
Las entrevistas deben ser ocasionales porque nos permiten conocer en determinado hecho de la vida una acción o sensación del entrevistado, al parecer el periodismo se ha convertido en perseguir a los famosos y repetir las noticias una y otra vez. Para mi un buen documental o mejor aún un libro, puede hacer que la persona no se limite solo a responder las preguntas (muchas veces frivolas y poco profundas), sino que pueda ser mas espontaneo al expresarse.
I feel the same about what Paul mentions “it should be the responsibility of the publishing houses to organize qualitative Marketing & PR Events”…for general questions of the interviewers…
Still an interview can be a good vibe to spread the word of your heart. As I could hear in one of your videos an interviewer never asks the first question so maybe you have to take this in your hands and give them a little text that tells about the book and you in general…which can be spread by the publishing house to the interviewers…in that way they can’t ask you that anymore.
Then you can give a little conference for all interviewers and share what lays deeper then the surface. …afterwards you still can give them the possibility to ask questions and related to what you feel you answer them or not.
In this way you share that what you want to share which will give more strength for both teams…they can’t ask you the same questions anymore because they had the answer already from an earlier question…
An interviewer who wants to write an original text shall be obliged to ask questions coming from another direction then they heared in the conference…of course he needs to have a private conversation with you. The ball is in your camp again.
I’m sending you good vibes and energy.
Love
All ways
Hildegarde
Querido Paulo,
mientras el periodista deje hablar al entrevistado, me parece bien, yo he leido todos tus libros y desde luego nada lo sustituye, pero verte hablar en este caso en mi idioma, pues claro que me gusta, lo que ya no me gusta es que acosen al entrevistado, el periodismo no es lo que era antes, opino como Paola, a veces las entrevistas son frivolas y poco profundas, (la de Avilés me encanto) :))) estuviste genial!!
un beso
Pilar
Erfahrung bleibt des Lebens Meisterin!
…you will know, is it right or wrong. Give them for the next interview one job: to find new questinons about u and ur life!
Sandra, Switzerland
wow Paulo,
very deep question! Interviews are nice for the readers out there that would like to get to know the author more personal. I remember when I use to search the internet back in 2005/2006 to get more information on you, but I didn’t realize was that I knew everything about you that I needed to know from reading your books. I guess I wanted to know more about you because i wanted to know who is this man that writes these books that touch my soul that makes me look deeper into myself at myself, who makes me ask questions that feel taboo that makes me go futher than I ever thought I could go in life…..
So by reading the interviews that are out here in cyber space it gave me some comfort of knowing you better, once I met you in person I realized I knew you already! we are all connected.
but all in all interviews are important as for the ones who have read your books and for those who have never read any of your books; I think it would make them want to find out what you write about. :D
I love the saying “whats all the fuss about”.
Got to be something GOOD! :)
Dear All,
In my opinion a successful interview has to reveal something new otherwise it becomes useless and a waste of time. When I worked as a journalist I always wanted news (meaning something new) which could make headlines…so I never asked questions but rather left it open to the interviewee to reveal the news…then it was up to me to turn that info into a news story…
thanks
J
There are different layers to this subject:
Yes, interviews are important (or, rather, useful) to some extent. the fact that people ask the same questions over and over again is annoying to those who watch. However, let’s keep in mind that not everyone watches and reads from the same sources, so SOME repetition isn’t necessarily bad.
That said, I feel like most interviews lack in depth. More often than not they are simply about newspapers and TV networks doing their job in putting the news out there. So Paulo Coelho is releasing a new book? That’s what they need to print or communicate at the most basic level. In depth information is left out. That’s why the same questions pop up over and over again, it’s about communicating the basics: what’s the book about, what inspired it and so on and so forth.
There’s something else that bothers me about some types of interviews: sometimes the person being interviewed is given as little as 30 seconds to answer a question that can’t really be answered in 30 seconds. On top of that, depending on the topic and where the network stands, manipulating the interview according to their bias is very annoying and borders the ridiculous. Somehow the media became all about their agendas instead of really communicating the news and the truth.
I agree that interviews introduce new readers to your work. And they are also interesting to those who are already familiar with it. But I would concentrate on interviews that allow for more in depth information. The connection between a writer and a reader is in the subtleties. Writing is very personal, there’s the writer’s soul inside each one of his/her books. Reaching out to these subtleties in the writer’s soul is what these interviews should be about. That’s what will create a deeper connection with readers.
I would love to see, for instance, interviews done by readers and fans alike themselves in a less mainstream environment. You are active on the internet, why not arrange interviews that could be made by bloggers? These will be indexed by Google and provide a fresh and renewed perspective that mainstream media simply can’t produce. I’m sure the usual frequently asked questions would have to be a part of it for the sake of context, as an introduction. But bloggers aren’t tied to editorial needs and demands, so the result has potential for much more interesting information.
Just my 2 cents.
Olá Paulo Coelho!
Os fãs precisam saber notícias suas… e aqueles que ainda não te conhecem, terão a oportunidade de saber mais sobre você!
Continue com as entrevistas! Seu público agradece!
Saber de você nunca é demais!!!
Beijossss!!!
Camila
Brasil
I think seeing a magazine interview or a television interview about the writer behind the book, I like, is interesting. I will read it faster if there is nothing new. But all artists should decide for him/herself which interviews to do. Do 2? Do 10? The writer probably has a sense of where s/he is with the readers and public.
I have a couple of your books published by Harper Perennials that have a Q&A section at the back, and thought that was great. The questions were good and it seemed more personal and direct coming from your book.
Thanks.
Dear Paulo,
I have always enjoyed having the lovely surprise of when one day opening a newspaper or magazine and finding an interview with my favourite personality.
As a teenager I would collect all the possible articles I could found about my most favourite pop group. I would read the interviews all over again and let myself be inspired by my idols’ visions of life, their philosophy, their favourite book writers…
I would never found the articles same. Some basic information perhaps were but the rest of it were not. They were done by different journalists, my adored ones spoke from different phases of their lifes. They were musicians and to read their spoken words would always be a special occasion for me.
You, Paulo, are a book writer who is already giving me unique experiences every time I hold your book and find treasures inside, inspirational stories about how to reach happy life and when I know that it can be my own life and every person at this planet’s life.
We live in the world of internet. I sit in our living room and I can see you sitting in your house asking questions in such a nice way that it’s making me wanting to answer your though I am struggling with these lines.
As your reader I think I get the maximum of the possibility of having contact with my most favourite author. The cold computer has its ways of how to fill one’s heart with warmth.
To give a direct answer I would like to say that for me the interviews with you are not important because there are your books.
To find an interview with you on a randomly found newspaper does bring a smile on my face; it’s much nicer, perhaps more simple, to smile together with you in a bookshop while your are meeting the readers.
Imagine your most favourite writer and ask yourself how much important are the interviews with him/her to you. Maybe you already met with his/her soul there in the story being told.
Good night,
Dita
Dear S Coelho
Your books have had a profound effect on my life and I thank you for that.
I feel that your message is so important in today’s world where the spirit is crushed by materialism and mindless busyness that you must use every means available to share your message and contact people who need to hear it.
Could your publishers use the media more imaginatively? Could the usual promotional activities be made more fun for all involved? Life is short etc etc
To your friend and reader, I would say treat the interviews with love and patience as you would a family story recounted again and again. You might stifle a little yawn but then you may hear something juicy that you hadn’t heard before!!
Slan from Ireland
Hmm I personally think that interviews are good -as it promotes a writer or artist -but they should be more creative some of these journalists in there questions ..but also the publishing houses should be responsible for the promotion plus interviews and book signings etc..a writer is that a writer -unless your a marketing Guru or you have experience in Marketing /promoting or you can build yourself a platform and use your talents like Paulo to make good use of the Internet and vidoes then ..you have no choice but to go with the interviews and same questions that are at hand ..but a person does like to respect their privacy as well so I can understand that its all to a certain point ..
Blessings Tania
To be perfectly honest, I’ve never seen you in an interview or read an interview with you or your work as the topic. I don’t honestly know if it’s because they weren’t available to me or if I just wasn’t looking. I will say, however, that Oprah has mentioned you and “The Alchemist” a couple of times…and I must say that in itself is good publicity.
I think interviews are all part of the game when one is in the public eye. I also think that if the questions are repetitious, it could be for various reasons, such as those stated in other responses already given. I’m sure that interviews help to keep the artist in the public eye.
That said, I would also say that you are very generous with your time and your committment to your readers and it feels to me that by putting yourself on the internet in this blog, as well as various other spots like MySpace, you allow yourself to be more accessible to your readers. I find that this, more than probably interviews which I haven’t seen, makes you become more endearing and personable, at least to my way of thinking. You are able to allow us a bit more insight into your world through this sort of medium.
I just appreciate this more than anything, that you allow the reader to be part of the process.
Paulo, what shall I say? If you really are into the work of an artist every new interview will be an old one because one time the point will come when there is nothing more to tell or better there is nothing more new to tell. Not because there is nothing new anymore but because there need to be some privacy and some mysteries. One day every question that the artist wants to answer has been asked - what shall a journalist then ask? If the journalist is really deep into the artists work he knows “everything” about him and what shall he ask except the old questions? If a journalist is not very much into the work he will ask old questions because he does not know the answers. So what is better?
Interviews with established artists are normally - sorry - boring to read or listen to and I normally avoid them. I read them but I don’t read them, hope you know what I mean.
But sometimes there are those great interviews with popular artists which make you smile…because the atmosphere between the artist and the journalist was right. I just think of one of your interviews this year - can’t remember where it was, maybe it was in Focus, this was great and I really read it :) The other one was an interview with my favorite band, that was the best interview I have read in years.
What I have to add not only as journalist but as someone who reads interviews of artists and politicians is, that people often don’t want to answer the new questions of the journalists.
I believe for established artists interviews are not so important as for young artists but a must every now end then - no matter if something new is said.
Dear Paulo:
I am Cecilia and I am peruvian. I have to tell you how much your books have influenced my life. I have read “La Quinta Montaña”, “El Alquimista”, “Veronika decide morir”, “Tras el rio piedra me senté y llore”, “El Zahir” and I just finished “El Peregrino”. I have so many questions for you; but I am sure you received plenty of these questions. I just would like to tell me if you are going to have any conferences this year. Because I would love to attend. I will be in the United Stated between 22 September and 22 November this year, so if you , by chance, are going to give a seminar or conference, please let me know. I really really admire you and thank you for giving such positive messages for the humankind. Since I started reading your books I try to follow my dreams, because I know my happiness depends on myself. I am struggling to fight my fear to fail sometimes, but I push myself to take risks and to undertand the signals of the universe. Thanks!!!
As a future journalist I, of course, think interviews are essential. The interaction an artist (of any kind) has with the media humanizes their work. They no longer become a voice, a group of words, an instrument, or a painting. They become a human being with flesh and blood that boils with anger or flows faster through the heart when that person is in love. And every single reader not only of your books but of any publication wants to see that and the only way to do so is by interviews. Unfortunately advertising has been so deceiving that alone it could never create enough impact for any of your books to succeed because, specially the Hispanic market, consumes based on emotions and they want to FEEL connected to both your work and you as a person. They want to know how your family is doing, they want to know if you had the flu this past winter season, and if the tea you had at the coffee shop was too hot.
Another thing is that many times publications ask same questions because press managers, publicists, or anyone in charge of media from your team (or any other author or artist) sometimes limit the area in which a journalist can enter. There’s also the case that the publication may be interviewing you for the first time and may feel the need to “introduce you” to readers who may not be familiar with your work, as you suggested in the video.
In conclusion, I think interviews are an extremely important outlet for the interviewee to reach the readers of such publication or viewers of that particular media.
hola paulo, I used to be a showbiz reporter, i got sick of it, of coursse, if julio iglesias was giving an interview everything is about a new record a new song etc. if jhon travolta is “giving” an interview of course it is about he’s new movie, there is no secret, what i like about all the interviews i have read and seen about you my dear paulo, is that you talk about life, not only your life, you talk about life it self, I love it, i wish some day i can interview you, but i am lucky enough to be one of your many lucky readers, ABRAZOS!!!!
I often think “Gosh what a lack of imagination this people have”. Add to it the lack of interest in the subject and very limited research ,often appears to me that it’s more about the interviewer then the interviewed, purely self promotion exercises in most cases. Ends up frustrating me immensely because I think I always have the best questions to ask.
♡
Milou
I don’t know if I am going to say anything different than what has already been said, it seems like everyone is more or less thinking the same… perhaps we are all the journalists here ;) No, seriously, I think interviews are important more for the up-and-coming writers, actors,businesses etc. They don’t have the exposure that more publicly known entities have, and like it or not that is the way the world is today: fame will get you everywhere. For this reason I try not to watch TV or read interviews, I prefer more “direct” contact, and now thanks to technology (and a genuine interest on the “celebrity’s” part to connect with their public) I can: FB, myspace, blogs, etc. I think this is where you can really make a connection and impact. I don’t know of any other writer who really takes an interest in their fan base and works hard at incluiding them. So thank you for not losing site of “us, the little people” ;) I agree with what was said earlier, perhaps a PR/ marketing brief for all the typical questions (important for creating new fan interest) and then in depth questions specific for the occasion either questions posed by the media, by fans, or questions you asked yourself during the process.
Thank you for being so humble that you want to connect with your fans on a more personal level: that is more valuable than any interview you could possibly give. best of luck in all that you do.
Beijos, Shay.
(estou estudiando português por poder “falar” contigo algum dia no teu idioma)
interviews are as simple as a marketing tool.
no matter how wonderful the ‘product’ is…it can t sell it self. so we need marketing. i just wish they would make the marketing ( interviews) more interesting…try a new gimmick ( for lack of a btr word) to introduce more ppl to paulo…..
I guess we will always be interested in people, particularly if they have inspired us in some way. Our curiosity becomes spiked and we want to know more.
Perhaps there are only so many questions that can be asked and I have noticed that even on this blog the question of the day often receives a different permutation of the same answer, to the point where I can almost predict your answer just by reading the question.
As a therapist I interview people every day in order to encourage them to open up about their issues and help them see them in a different way. I have found listening to the answer every bit as important as asking the question. If the answers do not reveal anything new then I know that it is time to change the question otherwise the interview ceases to serve any purpose.
Love and blessings
Rebecca
I think that interviews are imperative, and the reason that the questions may seem similar or phrased in a similar way is that there is a question underneath the question. For example, if a journalist asked you “If you had failed at becoming a writer, what would you do? There are three underlying questions here: What emotions would you feel? What motivates you to become a writer? and What are some of your other interests? This way a journalist can better asses your characteristics and desires.
I do think it is very important to do the interviews. Of course i also think that there are not too many questions you can ask somebody…
The most interesting interviews are those where you don’t ask any questions, but where it is more like having a talk with each other. I think that is the problem. But we also don’t take the time to have talk and get to know the other person better.
I also just wanted to use this chance and say thank you for all the wonderful books you wrote. I did read everyone i could get here in Switzerland.
Love
Marcel
Hi,
I think no matter how many timesyou repeat your answer or how many times the journalist asks you the same questions, there’s always be someone who hears it for the first time. Therefore I think thats okay to repeat the same question and the same answer again and again.
Perhaps it’s kind of that the journalist didn’t even pay attention to what you’re saying, but still I think it’s important to keep repeat it.
The more we repeat something, we’ll remember it better and better, and it’s going to linger deep in our soul.
love,
Amanda
Great Idea Patricia Müller !!!
Dear Paulo,
I’m from spain, and i’m a ‘young’ reader of your incredible beauty books,how you can see, my english it’s not perfect, but i’ll try to explain my opinion with all of my heart.
The interviews are good for promote yourself and your books when you do a new one, but are good to be ‘in contact’ with your readers/fans when you are not writing… i explain… when you admire and respect and follow a person, you, just for admiration, just for want to know a bit more of that ”public character” just to feel it closer than us (i’m not talking about of be completely inside of your private life).
Things like this blog, facebook etc make you so close of your fans, and i love that you do this, because with this, i can see how are you (a bit, always a bit). But people that doesn’t have internet, have with the interviews (personal or profesional ones) that ”conection” that we (your blog readers) have with you with this blog, your videos and your facebook…
is just my opinion, a opinion from a young girl that wants discover the world and life a lot of things… thank you so much for your books, because thanks them, i had been capable of dream more than my frontiers… the las one was ”once minutos” and what can i say? your words make a special and unforgetable mark in my heart and my feelings about a lot of things.
thank you so much paulo.
Con mucho cariño y el mayor de los respetos
Rocio
Are there questions you would always like to be asked, but no one ever asked you?
Are there questions you will not be asked at all?
To know this questions (and get an answer!?) would become a really interesting interview with you!
To the question how important interviews are:
I think they cannot be important enough to rob your energy and exhaust you, especially if you are bored by the questions.
Las entrevistas son necesarias, para aquellos que seguimos tu carrera es tenerte mas cerca y para aquellos que no te siguen tanto, poco a poco aprenden algo que no sabían sobre ti.
Un beso.
A question will give you the very simple answer-Yes. It can also be said-No. Let me first define why I would say yes for the interview. It is because it depends upon the personality of a person. A person like Paulo Coelho who is famous writer needs lot of public hearing and every body who is interested to know more about him or his book should be given an opportunity to know more about him. A truly inspirational stuffs are lacking in the world. To inspire those all humans who are hungry for the knowledge it is good to give an interview.
The best thing about the interview is that it will help a reader to know get more out of the upcoming project or work that a writer is been preparing or carrying out for the people.
A reader of Paulo Coelho is depressed by reading the same stuff of answer that was the result of question asked by journalist. But one thing both Paulo and reader should understand that- It is Paulo who knows the Journalist is asking the same question to him time and time again. How would a Journalist would know, the same question have been asked to Paulo or not ? I think Journalist is barely doing his job nothing else. A reader of Paulo Coelho will definitely know more about him only because they are readers and they read all great books from the writer.
To answer the other way around why interviews are not important. A writer who is famous world wide likes of Paulo should not go for the interview simply because it is just like Marketing the product or work. A writer who spends most of the time in isolation during the work should most of time focus on doing what he is doing at his best. Therefore, An interview is not necessary for the product campaign together with that more publicity can result some times in boring the readers with the same stuff appearing all the time anywhere they go or visit. A reader reading either it is Brazil or in Spain will read the same stuff time and time again and get bored with first the person who gave the interview and second with the person who takes the interview.
However, It is always good to maintain some kind of balance between the two.
Sempre achei as entrevistas interessantes. É uma rara oportunidade de conhecer o ser humano que existe por trás do mito. Claro, vai depender muito das perguntas do entrevistador.
i think that interviews are a part of famous people..
but in case of you paulo i think that we don’t know you in your interview we know you when we read your books…
that is different in case of writers and for excample actors…we know you feelings when we read your books..
and for myself i think that is more important that every interview…and also i am one of the lucky person who met you already…
with every hug i think i know you more than every journalist in a 20 minutes interview…..
big hug
jaqueline
president paulo coelho fanclub switzerland
i think interviews tell you about how the person is in his views and how he will react towards different questions besides some people are not wiiling to reveal themselves so they never speak waht they want in an interview so they are neither very important nor totally useless
Hola!!!!
Antes que nada debo decir que me emociona mucho escribirte por primera vez… Tengo ya varios años de leerte y pues hasta nerviosa me encuentro, jajajajajaja!
Soy mexicana y tengo casi 32 años… aunque esto no es lo que me motivo a escribirte es una pequeña presentación.
El motivo por el cual me permito hacerlo es para manifestar mi inconformidad del artículo que escribe Julia y en el cual expresa SU idea de por que los hombres nos aman…. No me gusto, a lo mejor eso le ha dicho su o sus parejas y piensa que así son todos los hombres… no lo sé.
Me gustaría la opinión de un hombre, aunque al final le agregas la frase “nosotros, los hombres, las amamos porque son mujeres. Así de fácil.” Eso es… El hombre no es tan complicado como nosotras. Quiero leer a un hombre hablando de mujeres, no a una mujer hablando de su hombre ideal…Además no todas las mujeres somos tan “rosas” como la autora del artículo.
En fin, jajajajajajaja, ya expresé mi inconformidad y aprovecho para mencionarte que me encantan tus libros, que me han hecho renacer en varias etapas de mi vida, que perdones el tono igualado de mi correo pero no te puedo escribir de usted, has llegado tan profundamente a mi corazón en repetidas ocasiones que no sería honesto hablarte de “usted”.
Saludos desde mi DF amado y querido,
Atentamente la que firma abajo.
Michelle Begue
In much the same manner as a particular singer might sell a song otherwise ignored by music lovers or a possibly forgetable movie will bring fans through the turnstiles if a particular celebrity stars in it, a book written by a well-known author like yourself is likely to be a better seller than the same book issued by a lesser-known author. It is therefore to the author’s advantage to be as available to the readers as possible.
Therefore, in this media-dominated world, I see nothing wrong with someone taking advantage of the potential exposure afforded by some type of interview - preferrably not only in print, but via some type of visual/audio media, as well. It not only allows people to better know the man or woman behind the book, but humanizes that author in a manner not possible otherwise. Those seeing the interview can thus put a face and personality to the book, and new interest is generated.
In purely business-like terms, an interesting, informative interview will bring your present fan base closer, and at the same time create new fans and friends from those previously unfamiliar with you. An interview goes well beyond the pages of the book; it can indeed be a very powerful tool!
It can be important to some extent, because it gets you closer to your fans or to the one who reads or hear the interview. But sometimes people from the media forget to remember that before they were part of the media they were a person with compassion. They fire questions beyond the limits, they sometimes intimidate people. They sometimes create war because of the interview they made. (I am speaking here not only your interviews but all interviews). They should have compassion always in their mind and in their heart.
I am left wondering whether the relevant question would be ‘how important is the interviewer?’ In asking this question I would assume the competence of both the interviewer and the audience to learn the answers to basic questions by referring to a biography or other legitimate reference. The word interview suggests viewing or seeing by both parties involved and this leads me to think that a good interviewer has the ability both to see clearly what is relevant and also the ability to bring this information to light. A good interviewer has an understanding of what is on the minds of their audience as well as a sensibility to what kinds of questions are pertinent to what lies between what people really have a need or a right to know and what people really want to hear and the good interviewer can approach these questions tacitly and scrupulously at the same time.
i think so long as things are not edited to suit the interviewer then a interview can be important.
Dear Paulo,with the risk to seem conceited,I can be sure that if I make the questions ,it will be new and interesting.Journalist are following a sort of pattern,thats why all result in a “boring ” magazine.And thats why news papers lose readers.Fortunately,you are not that kind .In your books is always room for the unexpected,magic,phantasie,dare for more.I feel you are open minded and you have strong base in culutral things.Journalists should take example in a certain way,from you.Bye,hope I will have the honour of asking you some really interesting questions
Mr.Coelho
Interviews are not so important for the author by himself,because he is having his own satisfaction by his books best sellers all over the world.
In my opinion,as an addict of Paulo Coelho,I am searching more and more over the net or in every phrase or passage that he writes just to know more this man and to know everything about what he thinks apart from his novels ;during his lifetime.
I will be glad if I watch or hear or read an interview about Paulo Coelho.
Well, I´ve been thinking about one of the parts of your blog, the questions posed by Aart Hilal - whoever he is.
Through my eyes it seems that the answers you give to his questions are filled with some of what I guess you want to share through an interview that meets you at a level where you find it interesting, worthwhile, maybe even sometimes challenging sharing your experiences and wisdom.
For me an exciting point in how important interviews are is: what kind of questions are asked? Which view of life and this world is emphasized by for instance the kinds of questions in interviews….
John & Lyn St.Lair Thomas put it this way in
“Eyes of the Beholder”
Your questions
indicate the depth
of your belief.
Look at the depth
of your questions.
Olá Paulo!
Tenho uma observação a fazer…
Porque seu Blog é em Inglês?
Gostaria de visitá-lo com + frequência, porém, não entendo nada
do que diz ou quer dizer.
E seus conterrâneos pobres mortais q ñ sabem a língua, ñ terão o
prazer de digerir suas mensagens?
Ora, ora… pois… pois…
Parabéns pelo projeto “Bruxa experimental”
*.*
Very, esp if it’s a prelude to sth you want to get into.
Dear Sibila, beautiful, thank you.
By the way, and if I understand it correctly, Aart Hilal is a lovely woman who works on this Blog for Paulo and I believe she lives in Vladivostok. Perhaps Paulo met her at the end of his Journey to celebrate 20 years of his book, The Pilgrimage? She does present some very good questions, doesn’t she?
Please correct me dear Aart if I am wrong ;)
Love, Paul
Dear Paul,
You´re welcome! And thanks for enlightning me on who Aart is. I really enjoy her questions. I thought it was a man´s name. Or a cover name for Paulo´s alter ego. Everytime I see your name here, I remember the help you gave Annie here a while ago. I found it very caring of you.
Sibila
ASSALAM O ALIEKUM,,
well.interviews,,,lets c..inter view is a decnt way of knowing about oneself…nd another thing interview is not all about being famous and popular,,an inetrview can also be of the most poorest person living in ur town..about whose existance u never knew!!so i think that an interview cn promote healthy relations amng all sorts of people!
ALLAH HAFIZ
Ola Paulo,
sou um grande fã seu, tenho quase todos os seus livros…
bem acredito que vc deva continuar as entrevistas sim, embora sejam cansativas, repetem sempre as mesmas perguntas, pode ser sacal pra voce, mas pelo menos em meu caso, mantem meu espirito renovadop relembrando os seus pensamentos, os aprendizados que consegui em seus livros, enfim…
O trabalho no dia a dia… no meu caso o stress de ter cirurgias quase todos os dias, vida agitada acaba fazendo adormecer os ensinamentos e te vendo falar resgata um pouco de mim mesmo.
Sou médico e sou grato a voce por isso, era meu sonho seguir essa profissão, lutei com todas as forças e armas que tinha para conseguir passar no vestibular, a faculdade foi dificil, teve momentos em que quase desisti… momentos em q quase perdi a fé, ou mesmo a perdi, mas continuei em frente e consegui, a fe reapareceu. Obrigado por tudo meu amigo!
Dear Paulo,
You should do whatever your heart tells you. If you do not want to give interviews, why should you? You are the arranger of your life and if you really want to do interviews then you should deside what the information is that you want to sent out. It’s a way to send a message not to answer the silly questions taht most of them ask. Do your own interview in a video blog.
Nick Zwart
Dear Paulo,even if is the same sentence you say to a same question,I like to hear it,or read it.Maybe there are things we forget,so,we remember by reading it again.I hope jounalists use little more phantasie while interviewing you.But,anyway,I think is important giving interviews.I remember when I had not net,and I saw you in TV,during an inteview.I was very happy,glad to see the writer which I consider very great.I listened every your word with great emotion.
Just finished Like the Flowing River and decided to drop by.
Regarding interviews, I’d see they can aid readers in discovering new engrossing books. And of course, authors have an opportunity to tell about their latest work. This interview of James Gleick from 1999 is a good example:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.08/gleick.html
And it is always interesting to know more about the author’s background, current projects, childhood, etc. That info somehow complements the experience related to the author’s works.
Estamos muito gratos em participar do projeto bruxa experimental!!!
A entrevista só terá serventia se o entrevistado tiver algo de bom…de útil…ou divertido para repassar…
X
I can’t speak for anyone else. Interviews really important to me. I do admire compassionate writers,like Mr. Coelho, who write from the heart and speak a language the aids others on their journey. But it is the message and not the messenger that I look to understand. The messengers are one in the same,they just wear different suits!
Significant interviews and reviews are crucial. The books, however worthwhile, of any author without the kind of marketing platform and publicity that provides for these, simply die on the vine. Large enough numbers of people are not aware that the book exists although it’s available.
Aren’t they a nice way of saying “Hi Again!” ???