Here are my best -- and most contradictory tips -- for conducting journalistic interviews. They boil down to this: 1.) Play smart. 2.) Play dumb. But before we even get to any of that there is one other essential rule you must follow: Never begin a journalistic interview without being properly caffeinated. Understood? Good. Now let's get to it. A good lawyer never asks a question she doesn't already know the answer to. That's not true for journalists, but there is a lesson in that for us. My takeaway from that is that with a new source you should know the answers to the first few questions already. This helps you gauge credibility, gives you an idea of how your subject is going to spin the information, and also gives you a chance to divide your attention so you can notice things in the room -- photos on the desk, books on the shelf -- that could spark insightful questions or become revealing details in your piece. Appear as if you know more than you do. In a tough interview, if you're trying to confirm information, ask your questions presumptively. Don't ask, "Did you shred the documents?" Instead ask, "Why did you shred the documents?" But don't be afraid to look dumb in front of a source. It's much better to ask a stupid question in front of one person (or even in a room full of reporters) than to make an error that will be seen by thousands of readers who depend on you for accurate information. Go ahead and ask the dumb question. If you still don't understand, ask it again. "Can you explain that again another way?" Even if you do understand, it can be helpful to repeat the answer back intentionally incorrectly so the source will explain again. Shut up. Silence is your friend. Be quiet and let your source talk. Don't telegraph the big one. Don't say "I hate to ask you this, but . . ." Just ask your question. Please add your own thoughts about interviewing in the comment section.
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Tracie MaurielloConverting caffeine into sentences since 1994. Archives
November 2019
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