TIPS TO INTERVIEW & WRITE LIKE A PRO

INTERVIEWING BASICS  When you’re interviewing someone, what’s your most important skill?  Listening.  Do your homework before going to an interview.  Try to make it a conversation and not a cross examination.  When you’re interviewing someone, what’s your most important skill?  Listening.  Do your homework before going to an interview.  Try to make it a conversation and not a cross examination.

GET MOVIN’  Ask politely for interview time. What time works best? Office? Home? Coffee shop?  You’re busy, they’re busy, so don’t put it off. Rush jobs are obvious and stink.  Please and thank you go a long way.  Ask politely for interview time. What time works best? Office? Home? Coffee shop?  You’re busy, they’re busy, so don’t put it off. Rush jobs are obvious and stink.  Please and thank you go a long way.

LITTLE THINGS ARE BIG  Show up 10 minutes early.  Make sure you know where you’re going.  Make sure you have a notebook, plenty of WORKING pens.  Should you record it? Yes, but take notes. Check the machine during the interview to see whether it’s working.  Carry extra batteries/tapes.  Show up 10 minutes early.  Make sure you know where you’re going.  Make sure you have a notebook, plenty of WORKING pens.  Should you record it? Yes, but take notes. Check the machine during the interview to see whether it’s working.  Carry extra batteries/tapes.

LITTLE BIG THINGS  Dress appropriately; “young professional” and not “some kid with holes in my pants, my butt hanging out and my hat on backward.”  Put your source at ease; get him/her talking by mentioning something on the news or the weather or soccer.  Dress appropriately; “young professional” and not “some kid with holes in my pants, my butt hanging out and my hat on backward.”  Put your source at ease; get him/her talking by mentioning something on the news or the weather or soccer.

WHOM TO INTERVIEW  Friends  Family  Respected people in community  Professionals  Teachers  Foreigners  Ministers  Anyone who you find interesting.  Friends  Family  Respected people in community  Professionals  Teachers  Foreigners  Ministers  Anyone who you find interesting.

ONCE YOU GET GOING  Give the source an overview of what you plan to talk about.  Start with open-ended questions; listen, listen, listen.  Be prepared to change directions if the source says something that dictates it.  Observe your surroundings/take notes that help give the story flavor.  Give the source an overview of what you plan to talk about.  Start with open-ended questions; listen, listen, listen.  Be prepared to change directions if the source says something that dictates it.  Observe your surroundings/take notes that help give the story flavor.

FIRST THINGS FIRST  First question to ask... “May I have the correct spelling of your first and last names?”  People will like that you’re trying to be accurate.  First question to ask... “May I have the correct spelling of your first and last names?”  People will like that you’re trying to be accurate.

NOW WE’RE ROLLIN’  Ask the easy questions first to get the source talking.  Open-ended questions are good. (not yes or no questions or ones with short answers)  Save the tough stuff for the end.  Ask the easy questions first to get the source talking.  Open-ended questions are good. (not yes or no questions or ones with short answers)  Save the tough stuff for the end.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN  Don’t be afraid of silence. It can help the source get organized.  Keep questions short; let the source do most of the talking.  Take notes on the good stuff for you to remember to listen to again later.  Don’t be afraid of silence. It can help the source get organized.  Keep questions short; let the source do most of the talking.  Take notes on the good stuff for you to remember to listen to again later.

FAVORITE QUESTIONS  Why?  What makes you say that?  How do you know?  How am I going to explain that to people in … El Salvador, high school, the church?  Explain this to me as if I’m a third-grader.  Why?  What makes you say that?  How do you know?  How am I going to explain that to people in … El Salvador, high school, the church?  Explain this to me as if I’m a third-grader.

WRAP IT UP  “Is there anything else you think we need to discuss?”  “Is there anything else you would like to add?”  Let the source get the last word.  “Is there anything else you think we need to discuss?”  “Is there anything else you would like to add?”  Let the source get the last word.

AFTERWARD  Tell the source you will call back if you have any questions or need clarification on anything.  Review your notes quickly; don’t wait three days and then you can’t read your handwriting.  Transcribe/listen to the tape soon so the interview is fresh in your mind.  Tell the source you will call back if you have any questions or need clarification on anything.  Review your notes quickly; don’t wait three days and then you can’t read your handwriting.  Transcribe/listen to the tape soon so the interview is fresh in your mind.

10 tips to interviewing 1.Cultivate a relaxed atmosphere. Be gracious and make someone feel relaxed. 2.Be professional but warm and welcoming in your body language. 3.Begin with non-threatening, non-emotional topics, such as their life background. 4.Don’t conduct an interview, have a conversation. Questions are only for you to construct a conversation. 1.Cultivate a relaxed atmosphere. Be gracious and make someone feel relaxed. 2.Be professional but warm and welcoming in your body language. 3.Begin with non-threatening, non-emotional topics, such as their life background. 4.Don’t conduct an interview, have a conversation. Questions are only for you to construct a conversation.

10 tips to interviewing 5.Before the interview, know as much as possible about the subject/person and what the public would want to know. 6.Don’t be married to your questions and read them one by one. Be ready to follow the flow of conversation and go off topic. 7.Open ended questions, ask “why” and “how”, not yes or no questions. 5.Before the interview, know as much as possible about the subject/person and what the public would want to know. 6.Don’t be married to your questions and read them one by one. Be ready to follow the flow of conversation and go off topic. 7.Open ended questions, ask “why” and “how”, not yes or no questions.

10 tips to interviewing 8.Wait after each question, give them time to answer. Let each silence last at least 5 seconds, they might need that time to think. 9.Don’t try to argue with the person or prove them wrong. 10.Form your questions so they’re more relational, example: “Did you ever..” “How did you feel when..” or “Tell me about” 8.Wait after each question, give them time to answer. Let each silence last at least 5 seconds, they might need that time to think. 9.Don’t try to argue with the person or prove them wrong. 10.Form your questions so they’re more relational, example: “Did you ever..” “How did you feel when..” or “Tell me about”

Now let’s get to work  Choose a person you would like to interview.  Choose a place where you will conduct the interview.  Write a list of questions you would like to ask that person to show me before you leave class.  Choose a person you would like to interview.  Choose a place where you will conduct the interview.  Write a list of questions you would like to ask that person to show me before you leave class.

Next step, writing!

Interview Article

GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL

 An 87 Year Old College Student Named Rose The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned round to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, “Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I’m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?” I laughed and enthusiastically responded, “Of course you may!” and she gave me a giant squeeze. “Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?” I asked. She jokingly replied, “I’m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids…” “No seriously,” I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. “I always dreamed of having a college education and now I’m getting one!” she told me.

 After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this “time machine” as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up. At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I’ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, “I’m sorry I’m so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I’ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.”

 As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, “We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You’ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don’t even know it!There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don’t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn’t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change.

 Have no regrets. The elderly usually don’t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.” She concluded her speech by courageously singing “The Rose.” She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year’s end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it’s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

NOW WHAT?  Writing is easy.  As Red Smith said, “You sit down and open up your wrists.”  Writing is easy.  As Red Smith said, “You sit down and open up your wrists.”

WRITING AS A JOURNALIST What are some keys to good journalistic writing? Short paragraphs Short sentences Short words Be objective What are some keys to good journalistic writing? Short paragraphs Short sentences Short words Be objective

Give some background  Write about your reason for interviewing this person.  Introduce the person with a background history.  Write about your reason for interviewing this person.  Introduce the person with a background history.

 Write up your notes in full immediately after the interview. You don't have the luxury of writing everything down in detail during the interview so make sure that you complete this task before you forget key aspects of what was said.

 What is your main hook for the article? What's the juicy sound-bite that will have your readers salivating to read on? 2.How are you going to introduce the article? 3.How are you going to structure the body of the article, so that you get all your key elements in? 4.How are you going to end the article? What is the last thing that you want to leave readers with? 5.What title are you going to give the article? It should tie in with your main hook, and be something that is likely to draw readers to your article.  What is your main hook for the article? What's the juicy sound-bite that will have your readers salivating to read on? 2.How are you going to introduce the article? 3.How are you going to structure the body of the article, so that you get all your key elements in? 4.How are you going to end the article? What is the last thing that you want to leave readers with? 5.What title are you going to give the article? It should tie in with your main hook, and be something that is likely to draw readers to your article.

Narrative articles Describe what the interviewee says in third person  I ask John about his job and he tells me he likes truck driving. Instead of:  “I like truck driving.” Describe what the interviewee says in third person  I ask John about his job and he tells me he likes truck driving. Instead of:  “I like truck driving.”

Introductions An interesting quote is a good way to start the article, if you get one. It's surprising how dull many successful or talented people can be in person. I've read straight question/response interviews and find them repetitive and boring in many cases. Again, it depends on the person and the topic. Record everything because you may have a word-count quota and have to stretch a limited amount of information.

Introductions The introduction should reflect on the article in general, and also frame the interviewee in some way. Many writers will avoid giving boring facts in the first paragraph. "Mr. Blank was born in..." likely won't hook a reader as well as an astonishing story, quote or fact from Mr. Blank's life. The conclusion often refers back to the introduction, or to some interesting part of the interview, and sometimes gives a look ahead to the interviewee's future plans.

 written in the present tense.  Feel free to be creative in writing your interview, but always make sure that you’ve quoted only what your interview subject has actually said, and only in the context of how they meant it.  written in the present tense.  Feel free to be creative in writing your interview, but always make sure that you’ve quoted only what your interview subject has actually said, and only in the context of how they meant it.

 Narrative interviews have the advantage of being more creative than your basic Q&A interview. While they don’t necessarily need to tell a story, the author has much more freedom to present the ideas and angles as they see fit. Still, the narrative interview is a chance for the interviewer to switch into story-telling mode.  The questions and responses can be integrated into different events during the interview. If you are talking over dinner you can give details about the meal, receiving your drinks, placing your order, paying the bill etc.  Narrative interviews have the advantage of being more creative than your basic Q&A interview. While they don’t necessarily need to tell a story, the author has much more freedom to present the ideas and angles as they see fit. Still, the narrative interview is a chance for the interviewer to switch into story-telling mode.  The questions and responses can be integrated into different events during the interview. If you are talking over dinner you can give details about the meal, receiving your drinks, placing your order, paying the bill etc.

 Remember, not every thought in your narrative interview needs to be recorded chronologically.  Your interview subject might express a thought at the beginning, middle or end of the interview, that you might want to use at a point that is better suited for it.  Remember, not every thought in your narrative interview needs to be recorded chronologically.  Your interview subject might express a thought at the beginning, middle or end of the interview, that you might want to use at a point that is better suited for it.

 Conversation is full of half sentences, gestures, unspoken words and sudden changes of topic. To make the interview readable, you’ll have to rephrase most sentences. There’s a simple rule of thumb concerning rephrasing.  Rephrase as much as you like, but don’t change the message.  So, you might rephrase every sentence in order to make it fit your preferred style of writing, as long as the interviewee can find no reason to complain about his or her message being changed.  Conversation is full of half sentences, gestures, unspoken words and sudden changes of topic. To make the interview readable, you’ll have to rephrase most sentences. There’s a simple rule of thumb concerning rephrasing.  Rephrase as much as you like, but don’t change the message.  So, you might rephrase every sentence in order to make it fit your preferred style of writing, as long as the interviewee can find no reason to complain about his or her message being changed.

Assignment  Type a transcript of your interview  (Questions with answers)  Highlight the material you are going to use  Bold the direct quotes you will use in your article  Type a transcript of your interview  (Questions with answers)  Highlight the material you are going to use  Bold the direct quotes you will use in your article