I apologize for the lateness of this response. I was like "No class today? I'll immediately forget about all assignments!"
Telling True Stories turned out to be a fountain of valuable advice. In fact, there was so much information that I felt somewhat like a cracker on the business end of a sandblaster. Every author has so many little "tricks" and piercingly insightful points that it's difficult to keep track of them all. Often, the various authors are in conflict with one another, ie:
"Use a tape recorder!"
"Don't use a tape recorder!"
"Become broskis with the subject!"
"Remain as aloof and mysterious as you possibly can!"
This problem is compounded by the fact that all the authors make their points in a compelling way. Over the course of the reading, I found myself nodding with one author, then swinging to another point of view a few pages later. Who do I believe?
Ordinarily, this would be maddening. However, instead of reacting by screaming "NOOOOOOOOO!" at my book until I cry (like I normally do), I was instead overcome with a strange sense of peace. If I've learned anything about journalism from this book, it's that there are a multitude of ways to report and interview correctly. Two different reporters with different styles can interview the same person and write totally different pieces that are equally successful. No particular style is "right" or "wrong;" it's largely up to the individual.
Of course this isn't to suggest that you can just do whatever and be fine, because you're just "doing you," as the kids say. Even though each person's method of approaching their craft is different, they still have to work to perfect that craft, and be open to other methods of doing things.
Questions of discussion: Am I right in the assertion I made above? If so, what is your style as an interviewer/reporter?
Trevor,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assertion that there is no "right" way to interview. I too was comforted by the fact that reporters have different styles and it's just a matter of figuring out what is best for you as an individual.
Personally, I always use a tape recorder. That way I can jot down observations or highlight important quotes without having to worry about missing anything. I don't try to remain "aloof" with my subjects; I think that it's important to be friendly and approachable, but unless I feel like it applies to the subject or interview, I don't normally share a lot of personal details.
To turn it back to you, what's your preferred interview style?
Suzanne,
ReplyDeleteI'm honestly not very experienced at interviewing people, so I'm really still trying to figure it out. I do know that I'm pretty chatty, and I actually tend to offer up a lot of personal information. For whatever reason, this seems to make the interviewee a lot more open and ready to share. Let's hope it keeps working, haha.
I definitely agree with both you and Suzanne about there being no right way to interview. I was reading this section of the book hoping to come across something that would tell me just how to run the interview for my profile. I think every situation is different though, and subjects require various forms of communication in order to get them to open up. The fact that they had so many different opinions about one subject, the tape-recorder thing, implies that there definitely multiple ways to successfully run an interview.
ReplyDeleteI am super shy and so my interview style has been just to ask a few questions and try and laugh a lot so I seem really silly and non-threatening. I don't think this is the best way to go in the future and I definitely appreciated there being a wide variety of options for me to think about.
Yes.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I use tape; most often I don't. I have my notetaking down to a science.
I tend to reveal enough about myself to make me vulnerable enough to put my subject at ease, or at least to trust me. I tend to identify deeply with whomever I'm writing about, so I need to make sure not to get so close and wrapped up that I'm seeing my own story and not theirs. Not broskis, but not aloof.