13 simple journalist techniques for effective interviews
- Find a good location. Avoid Starbucks!
- Prepare your goals ahead of time. Know what questions you’re going to ask and why you’re going to ask them.
- Write down your questions. Be sure and bring prepared questions with you.
- Work on your flow.
- Think about the medium.
- Bring a buddy.
- Avoid obsessing.
- Be a little annoying.
What questions should I ask in a journalism interview?
Journalist Interview Questions:
- How would you manage the stress of tight deadlines?
- How do you ensure your work is accurate and factual?
- Can you list three current stories that impact our publication?
- Can you describe the three best qualities of your writing style?
- How would you handle a hostile or uncooperative interviewee?
How do you ask a journalist question?
We know the basic questions that journalists strive to answer when chasing a news story — questions starting with “who,” “what,” “where,” when,” “why” and “how.” Here are a few other questions I like to ask writers — usually right before they start their reporting, and then right before they sit down to write.
How should a journalist prepare for an interview?
Here are some tips to help you do that.
- Have your story ready.
- Research the publication.
- Research the journalist.
- Get context.
- Ask for questions in advance even though you won’t always get them.
- Ask how much time the interview will take.
- Prepare your key points — but be ready for anything.
- Use conversational language.
How do you write good interview questions?
Here are six pieces of expert advice:
- Ask about the person’s actions.
- Ask “forward” questions.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Ask dumb questions.
- Ask pointed questions and light-hearted questions.
- Ask short questions and then follow up.