I'm interested in doing author interviews for my site and want them to be different from the standard "When did you start writing, what do you like best about writing" type questions. I'll have a few like that but overall would like them to be better and different. I want to put together as the title says a collection of questions that never get asked of authors and should!

Any ideas on what could be asked that's going to provide more interesting answers? I just know there must be questions that readers would rather hear answered than just the mundane kinds.

They should also be open questions, ie not ones that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Open questions often begin with who, what, where, when, how. "Tell us about..." or "Please share with us" is another great option.  A question that encourages more lengthy answers is a good one.

At the same time, we need to be respectful of the author's time and not ask something so complex that it will take them forever to answer. If it can be answered in a couple of sentences or a short paragraph, it's about right. Of course some enjoy talking at length and that's great but we can't presume they'll want to. So no asking for a month to month breakdown of what they did between the ages of 18 and 30. ;)

The authors will all have a newly published or soon to be published book. I'll also ask questions related to the book itself too. Some are fiction writers, some factual, some reference, some philosophers, and more. Because the books and authors are an eclectic mix, there will never be a "one size fits all" set of questions, which is why I'd like a pool of them to dip into and mix and match.

Your question need not be one that would suit all genres, so don't worry about that. If you have a question particularly suited only to a horror writer for example, a motivational speaker or a nutritionist, that's fine.

Please give me at least five ideas (more would be even better!) for thoughtful, creative and intelligent questions. They can be anything related to being an author from writing that first word, the editing and publishing side, right up to getting their book into print and beyond into the marketing and promotional side.

Let's face it, the authors must get bored too answering the same things over and over! I'd love to make it more enjoyable for them too. So please think about what you'd like to really know from an author that you don't normally hear being asked.

Thanks!