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Step 1
Determine the purpose of the interview. What do you want/need to know? What information will be the most helpful and relevant to your writing.
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Step 2
Choose your interviewee. Make sure that you find someone that is knowledgeable and has credentials in their field. You also need to consider how open a person is to being interviewed. The number of people you need to interview should also be determined.
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Step 3
Do a little research about the person, what they do, and any other important information that might come up. Find out as much as you can. Know the jargon and terms that are used most often.
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Step 4
Record your interview. This is a good idea in case you miss something or you want an exact quote. You should take notes as well. Don't leave everything up the the recording.
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Step 5
Prepare plenty of questions ahead of time. You don't want to go in there and forget everything you want to ask. Write down plenty of questions, but remember your time limit. Feel free to add any questions that pop into your head as you conduct the interview.
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Step 6
Be organized for your interview. Don't ask a bunch of random questions. Try to create a flow for your interview so you can get the information you need without sounding completely random.
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Step 7
Be attentive when the interviewee is speaking. If you don't seem interested, they might get angry or stop the interview early.
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Step 8
Contact your interviewee if you have any follow-up questions after you review your notes and recording. Ask for clarification soon after the interview so that the interviewee remembers what they have said to you.
