A few more additions to an interviewer's tool kit
Published: December 30, 2011
Melissa Hart, a contributing editor at The Writer and a veteran freelance writer, wrote an article titled “The interviewer’s tool kit: From waterproof pens and a cheap digital camera to breath mints and pregnant pauses, these tips will keep things running smoothly” for the magazine’s February 2012 issue. Following is her sidebar offering additional tips.
A few of their favorite things
I asked a few experienced interviewers what they couldn’t do without in making an interview work. Their answers touched on a variety of tangible and intangible aids.
“My little phone mic to feed the conversation into my voice recorder, and a keen interest in what the source has to say. Showing real interest in the material in a way that comes through over the phone or in person leads to the source telling you their story in a much more engaged and engaging way than if you come at the source like Sgt. Joe Friday—‘Just the facts, ma’am.’ ”
—Thom Brekke, freelance journalist
“Hands down, my Sony IC Recorder, ICD-MX20. Had it for years and still count on it.”
—Trinda Latherow, author of Pieces of the Puzzle
“While my address book is not crucial for an initial interview, it’s become one of my most valuable tools. I actually use a web application called Gist (gist.com) to manage my contacts. Its CRM [customer relationship management] software pulls in news about your contacts, making it easier to find new stories to pitch to editors.”
—Thursday Bram, writer and online-content developer
“I find that if I tell a few offensive jokes to the person I'm interviewing right away, it either puts them at ease or makes them think they’re better than me. Either way, I'm going to get some good quotes.”
—Adam Hurlburt, freelance journalist
“When in doubt, make them laugh. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but in general, if you can make your subject laugh, you can open the door to so many possibilities … and you might even have fun.”
—Cali Bagby, reporter for Journal of the San Juan Islands and The Islands' Weekly
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