Nail That Interview! 30 Writer Interview Questions to Know
Interviews are nerve-wracking! Stay cool and familiarize yourself with the questions ahead of time.
It’s okay to be nervous before an interview for a writing job - in fact, it’s normal - but let’s make the best of that wound up energy. Instead of fretting, boost your confidence with adequate preparation.
In this post, let’s go over 30 writer interview questions that may come up during an interview with an agency, content head or recruiter. And with today’s freelance gig economy, you will also likely hear these questions during a discovery call with a client!
30 Writer Interview Questions to Prepare for
Here is a list of common questions that are asked during an interview for a writing position. In most writer interviews, you won’t be asked all of these questions, but it’s good to be prepared.
I’ll also give you an explanation as to why these questions are being asked so you have more insight before responding with the perfect answer! For insights about how to answer these questions, click here.
#1 What experience do you have that is similar to this project or role?
This is a really common one. While you may get writer interview questions about your experience overall, clients, recruiters and content managers want to know how experienced you are with the projects they need.
#2 How are you different from other writers?
Really, this question should say “How are you better than other writers?” But the interviewer may not want to ask you that straight out…
Always think about what the interviewer is looking for, as long as it’s indeed authentic to you.
#3 What are your strengths?
Aside from writing skill strengths, the person interviewing you may be open to hearing about your strengths related to how you work with others, how fast you turn in projects and other non-writing things.
#4 What are your weaknesses?
A dreaded writer interview question that always needs to be spun into something positive… This question can help the interviewer gauge your honesty, integrity and willingness to improve (if applicable).
Since company culture is very important for many businesses, they want to make sure the writer they hire is someone they actually want to work with.
#5 Why are you interested in this position or project?
This writer interview question is super common as well. While you could answer this question at face value, the interviewer may also want indication that you know the ins and outs of this position and/or company - or at least, read the job description.
#6 What has made your work successful?
First, this writer interview question helps someone understand if you’ve had successful writing work in the past. But also, if you understand why your work was successful, you can probably use those same strategies in the work you do for them.
For example: If you write SEO blogs, you should have a clear understanding how and why a piece will or will not rank well on search engines.
Interested in a lucrative career as an SEO writer? Watch our free SEO training video!
#7 How do you measure success in your work?
Not to be confused with writer interview question #6, this question is best answered with specifics. The interviewer wants to gauge your ability to analyze the success of your work. That way, they know you understand how to improve your writing.
#8 What skills does a strong writer possess?
While this writer interview question asks about a writer in general, they really want to know if you also possess those same qualities. It’s okay if you don’t possess all of the qualities, as long as you have a willingness to learn and improve.
#9 How do you stay up to date with writing practices?
Whether you’re a copywriter, SEO writer, authority writer or something else, most clients and people who hire you will want to know that your tactics are up to date with current best practices.
#10 What writer do you idolize and why?
You could also be asked “What marketing professional/industry leader do you idolize?” Just recognize that the main reason they ask this question is to see if you are constantly engaging with and learning from other people in the industry.
They want to know that you are active in the writing community (or marketing community, professional community, etc.)
#11 What books on writing have you read, and which was the most helpful?
I’ve actually been asked this writer interview question several times before, so I keep a list of books I’ve read on copywriting. Nowadays, you could also probably get away with talking about writing training podcasts too.
#12 Why do you think you are a good fit for our company?
A very common writer interview question! Yes, what you say is important, but your response also helps the interviewer gauge if you did your homework.
While you won’t have a lot of insight in the company’s inner workings, interviewers like to hear specifics in your answer.
#13 How do you work best?
With this writer interview question, the interviewer is trying to understand your ability to work with a team and on your own. Most of the time, you’ll need to be able to do both, especially if you work for medium to large companies.
#14 Who do you follow in the industry?
Similar to some previous writer interview questions, but the interviewer may want to know what industry leaders and brands you follow. These may be actual writers or other brands like SEO/SEM companies, national organizations and more.
#15 What are some of your favorite ads, campaigns, books, etc?
The specifics of this writer interview question will depend on your writing niche. For copywriters, think about your favorite ad campaigns of all time. For fiction ghostwriters, think about your favorite fictional books.
The interviewer probably wants to know why you appreciate these pieces and what insight you pull from them in your own work.
#16 What is your ideal work environment?
When getting hired by a company or client, they want to make sure the way you work fits into what they already do. While you can definitely tell them some of your ideals, emphasize your willingness to adapt.
#17 What information do you need to know before starting a project?
Not only does the interviewer need to know what you need, but they need to see that you understand what you need. Nothing gives away an inexperienced writer more than not knowing what you need to do the work!
#18 What are your turnaround times?
When hiring a writer, clients and interviewers need to know that a new writer is efficient (enough). In most cases, if two writers offer similar skills and rates - but one is drastically faster - they’ll hire the faster writer.
After all, time is money, so knowing your personal turnaround times is extremely important! For a guide on reasonable project deadlines, check out this post.
#19 Can you explain your writing process from start to finish?
This information is not only helpful to understand how you work, but also to make sure you know what you’re doing. Inexperienced writers may not be able to fully describe how the process works, which is a red flag to interviewers.
#20 What is your editing process?
People who hire you want to know that the editing process will be as painless as possible. If they have to hand-hold you through edits, or you aren’t good at getting them done, it will cause a lot of wasted time and effort. So, those with a clear and seemingly easy editing process will definitely earn extra points!
#21 How do you find credible information?
This is especially important for authority writers in the health, medical and wellness realm. For those specialties, you obviously need to know the difference between high quality and poor quality information.
Outside of the health and medical writing world, interviewers ask this writer interview question to make sure you can use your head when presented with information. Even SEO writers need to get their information from trusted sources. Your answer will be highly dependent on your niche or specialty.
#22 How do you know how to resonate with the right audience?
Regardless of what kind of writing job this interview is for, every writer has a target audience.
Being able to answer this writer interview question intelligently really puts you ahead of the rest. It shows you are well-versed in tactics that work and that you are constantly tailoring your writing to your reader.
#23 How much work are you able to take on at one time?
While you should never overload yourself to the point of burnout, it is very appealing to an interviewer or client if you can handle more work than the average writer.
In fact, taking on a bigger workload can be a key determinant of landing the job. But again, you have to be honest with yourself as to what you can really handle.
#24 What writing training, education or certifications do you have?
Not all writing specialties require certifications or college degrees, but many clients and managers find comfort if someone has had a structured education.
As you become more experienced, you may get away with letting your writing track record do the talking.
#25 How do you ensure your work is error-free?
If someone asks you this question during an interview for a writing job, it’s because they want to make sure your work is spotless.
They either have dealt with lazy writers or they want to avoid having to proofread a writer’s work - especially since they’re paying a professional.
#26 How do you juggle simultaneous projects?
The interviewer wants to know that multiple projects won’t lessen the quality of your writing. Especially when working with clients on an ongoing basis, you'll likely get assigned the next project before you finish the previous one. They need to know you can stay organized.
#27 How do you incorporate feedback into your work?
Even if you are an amazing and experienced writer, there will be feedback. Many clients and managers don’t want to deal with a writer who pushes back on their feedback. In the end, the work is most likely the property of the company, so the client has the final say.
Now, that’s not to say you can’t explain your rationale or why you disagree with their feedback. But you don’t want the feedback phase to become an argument or discussion that takes forever to resolve.
#28 What happens if you don’t agree with certain feedback?
To piggyback off of writer interview question #27, the interviewer is really trying to steer clear of any writer who will be a pain in the neck to work with. With the right answer, you can really impress the interviewer with this one!
#29 How do you capture a brand’s tone or voice in your writing?
Regardless of what kind of writing you do, your writing will most likely have to mesh well with all existing company work.
Being able to eloquently explain your process will signal to the interviewer that you know what you’re doing.
#30 How do you keep a reader engaged with your writing?
Whether you’re writing a 5-word banner ad or a 200-page whitepaper, you have to keep the writing engaging from start to finish.
After all, the client or interviewer wants to know that the work you do is effective and something they can use for their audience.
Your Strategy Behind Writer Interview Questions
In the moment, you’re nervous and on-edge. It can be really hard to think through your answers so that they touch on the right points. However, try your best to understand why the interviewer is asking those questions.
Sometimes, answering the questions in a way that resonates with the interviewer is more important than the content of what you say. Here is the answer key to successfully responding to these 30 questions.
I hope this list of writer interview questions helps prepare you for your next interview!
