blueprints

266 | toolkit: sandpaper, wallpaper, and paint
nervous about your ability to think on your feet—and who isn’t, especially
at first—jot down some notes that will help you recall your own thoughts
about the poets and about the program. If you are prepared and interesting,
the interviewer will be more likely to invite you back in the future.
Radio interviews require only that you dress neatly and reasonably
professionally to help the interviewer take you seriously—unless you’re
doing the interview by phone, in which case nobody can see that you’re
still in your pajamas. (According to one school of thought, you’ll always be
too lackadaisical during a phone interview if you’re in your pajamas, but we
think this is very person dependent. Some are lackadaisical no matter what
they have on; others are energetic even in their jammies.)
If you’re asked to do an interview for television, consider carefully what
to wear. Some arts lovers think this sort of concern is beneath them, but the
attention of the interviewer and the viewer should be on your program or
event, not on your clothes. Your outfit should be becoming according to
your own lights, and it absolutely should reflect who you are. You don’t
need to wear a suit if you wouldn’t in “real life,” but your clothing should
reflect the best, most public version of who you are, as if, for example, you
were interviewing for your dream job, presumably with like-minded people
you want to impress.
Too much skin, whether you are a woman or a man, is distracting, as is
underwear that shows, even if in a hip and trendy way. If you’re not sure
you can walk confidently, perhaps even up and down a few flights of stairs,
in whatever shoes and skirt or pants you plan to wear, test drive them in
advance. If you plan to wear a skirt, put it on beforehand and sit down on
chairs of several heights in front of a mirror, looking at views from the side
and the front to make sure you won’t reveal more than you mean to if
there’s no table between you and the camera. The same goes for low-cut
shirts and pants that ride low. You don’t want to spend the whole interview
tugging at your clothing—or, worse, see the segment later and discover you
were overexposed. If you wear makeup, a light touch is best.
Finally, practice talking in front of a few friends who can tell you about
any physical and verbal tics that might be annoying on camera—slouching,
shrugging, scratching, biting your nails or chewing your hair, saying “you
know” a lot, whatever. You want to be, and look, alert, composed, and interested
in what is happening. Ask only people you trust to be honest and
kind—and if you do ask for advice, listen to what your advisors say, even (or
especially) if they’re your friends. Don’t get defensive or upset.