“The Things People Say” Interviewing to Develop the Story

“The Things People Say”Interviewingto Develop the Story ASNE-Kent State University July 2013

Interviewing “ A good interview feels like a conversation but moves relentlessly toward the relevant truth.” --Eric Nadler, SJMN -- Interview may affect the outcome, tone of the story -- Make it a conversation, but never forget it’s an interview

Interviewing Most students are uncomfortable talking to strangers (Adults are, too!) -- Stranger danger -- Intimidation -- Unprepared **

Interviewing Think of a four-letter word that describes you today -- No obscenities -- No foreign words -- Can be any part of speech N – ball, full ADJ – blue, warm V – know, jump ADV – still, just PRN – mine, what PREP – with, over INTER – Ouch! Yeah!

Interviewing My word is … happy

Interviewing Ready? Set? Go! Interview someone you don’t know. First question about his/her four-letter word.

Interviewing The Basics (Being Prepared) Finding People to Interview Preparing for the Interview Questions: Tools of the Trade

Interviewing Preparing for the lnterview Do your homework Remember your manners Take the right “equipment” Pick the right place Dress appropriately Explain the purpose of the interview Understand limitations

Interviewing Questions (Don’t leave home without them!) Write them down in advance, in order Ask open-ended questions Get background first Ask…Stop…Listen Don’t apologize, ask again if necessary One at a time please and no speeches

Interviewing Questions Let the questions do the work Resist temptation to editorialize Tape record your next interview and transcribe your questions -- How many double-barreled? -- How many closed-ended? -- How many argumentative? -- How many statements of fact? Become a student of the good interview

Interviewing Questions (The Best) How do you know that? What makes you say that? What happened next? What does that mean? Can you give me an example? Has that ever happened before? How often does that happen?

Interviewing Questions (The Worst) Two-part questions Whether or not questions Questions more than three sentences Unfocused questions Question that begin with an apology Cliché questions Leading questions

Interviewing Questions (Evergreen) What was the best day of your life? What did you dislike? Who most influenced you? How? Tell me a story from your childhood? (High school? First job?) If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? Where do you see yourself in _____ years?

Interviewing Questions (Follow-Up) Ask for an example Ask for a chronology Reflect the person’s answer or feelings Display your ignorance Repeat the question *Maintain skepticism *Show a reaction (but be careful)

Interviewing Questions (Throw-Away) Ask these when you need a break Ask these when you need to write or catch up Keep listening; there’s often buried treasure in the cast-off answer

Interviewing Questions (Beware the No-Answer Answer) Answering a question you didn’t ask Asking you a question Giving a vague response Faking it Telling a joke, anecdote or story Telling you to check back later Questioning your competence Rejecting the question Using “no comment”

Interviewing Questions (Closers) Who else should I be talking to? Is there anything else? Do you have anything you’d like to add to what you’ve told me? Don’t forget to say “Thank you”

Interviewing Questions (One Last Thing) When afraid to ask a question, just go ahead and ask. Be gentle, but ask. You’re always better asking one question too many than one question too few. -- Terry Pluto The Plain Dealer

“A reporter's job is to get the newsworthy truth…. Towards that end, the journalist not only brings a pad and paper to each interview, but an arsenal of techniques designed to get even the most reluctant interviewee to spill the beans.” --Bill Stoller, The Publicity Insider

Interviewing Getting It Down Listening Taking Notes Observing

Interviewing Listening Shut up and listen (the “hear” and now) Watch the head-bobbing Tape record one interview and listen to yourself Be patient. Get comfortable with long silences

Interviewing Listening Be curious. Pay attention Watch your attitude. If you seem bored, your subject will notice Listen with all your senses

“Somebody once wrote that there’s no more seductive sentence in the English language than, ‘I want to hear your story.’ Often you don’t have to do any more than just say that.” --Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press Tuesdays With Morrie

Interviewing Taking Notes Take copious notes (Practice Makes Perfect) Develop your own shorthand Recognize good quotes -- Take them down verbatim Detailed quotes usually yield vivid stories.

Interviewing Taking Notes Ask your subject to repeat important info or quotes Always take notes even if using an audio recorder or videotaping Bring pens and pencils,batteries, chargers

“While writing the book, In Cold Blood, author Truman Capote was afraid that a tape recorder would inhibit the people he wanted to interview. So Capote trained himself to remember everything they said. Capote did this by talking to a friend or reading for a while, then writing down everything he heard or read. Later, he would compare his record (with the actual material). Capote said, ‘Finally, when I got to be about 97 percent accurate, I felt ready to take on this book.’ ”

Interviewing Observing Watch, record non-verbal actions, behaviors -- coughs, grins, raised eyebrows -- rapid speech, sudden stutter -- repeated words, unfinished sentences -- gesticulations Record when in the interview these happen Look for patterns

Interviewing After … Later Afterward -- Review your notes ASAP -- Number or order or color code important points -- Mark areas to verify or double-check -- Ask yourself, “What’s my lede?” -- Outline your story The “Notebook Dump” is a No-No

Interviewing After … Later Accuracy and Credibility -- Set ground rules on anonymity, off-the-record and background-only information -- Do not allow , agree to pre-publication review -- Seek and listen to all sides -- Get the little things right (or readers won’t believe what you report about the big things) -- Check the details -- Does your source have a bias, agenda, ax to grind? Be sensitive to the consequences stories will have on people

“I don’t mind being interviewed any more than I mind Viennese waltzing…My response will depend on the agility and grace and attitude and intelligence of the other person. Some do it well, some clumsily, some step on your toes by accident, and some aim for them.” --Margaret Atwood Novelist

References • Mitch Albom, Detroit Free Press • Truman Capote • Wendell Cochran, American University • Fred Fedler, Reporting for the Print Media • Google and YouTube • Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) • Eric Nadler, San Jose Mercury News • Terry Pluto, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer • Chip Scanlon, The Poynter Institute • Bill Stoller, The Publicity Insider

“The Things People Say” Interviewing to Develop the Story