How to Interview someone before Writing a Profile
People love to read interviews with famous or interesting people in magazines and newspapers. I'll give you some "how to" advice on asking the right questions with a person of interest so you'll be prepared when you set down to write and meet a deadline.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Someone to interview
- Pen or pencil
- Tape recorder (optional)
- List of questions
Instructions
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The first thing you should do is to learn about your subject before the actual interview. That way you'll be able to better write questions that better apply to them. For example: if your subject has recently finished a book or movie, you know that you should address this issue with them. If you're interviewing someone no one's ever heard of, their love life is a non-issue. However, if your subject happens to be a famous female actress whose legs could melt steel wool, that's another story.
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When you do meet with them, do your best to relax. Depending on the person or persons you're meeting, it's important to stay focused. Some people can get easily 'star struck' and lose all sense of professionalism when meeting a big name star or band. This is not a good thing! Remember that you're there to conduct an interview. After all, they're only people.
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Ask interesting questions that will keep the reader interested and want to continue to read your article. Boring questions lead to boring answers and can kill a potentially great article. Make sure to ask open-ended questions. Or, questions that make the subject answer the question with more detail than just a "yes" or "no" answer. An example of an open-ended question would be: "What have you accomplished that makes you most proud?" Open-ended questions may often lead to 'anecdotes'. These are short narratives that give the reader a revealing, oftentimes humorous, insight about the person being interviewed. Think of them as jokes that have really happened to the person.
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Tips & Warnings
Keep relaxed and confident but NEVER cocky. Keep your composure no matter what. It's ALWAYS important to "feel" the person your interviewing. If they are the 'get down to business' type, leave the chit-chat to a minimum. On the other hand, if they're the gossipy type you may miss your deadline.
Try to stay away from too many closed-ended, or "yes no" type questions. These make for a boring interview that will make the reader drop your article like a Shannen Doherty sitcom.
