5 Tips for a Successful Interview

When I interviewed Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages and a bazillion other books, I prayed for a unique interview question to set the tone for our time together. As Linda Gilden shared in last month’s post, “Interviewing – An Article Writer’s Best Tool,” one of the greatest tools we have as writers is the interview. “Quotes from individuals strengthen your point,” Gilden wrote, “and let your readers know that even if you are not an expert on the subject, you know people who are well-versed, and you work hard to make the connection.”

Whether you’re writing an informational article that includes quotes from an expert or a profile piece using original quotes, you want to be sure to handle your interview well. Here are a few tips for a successful conversation:

1 Do your homework.

Research your subject well. Learn everything you can about your subject/ministry/product/service before the interview so you won’t waste your (or their) time by asking for information you can easily find on the internet. Take notes and use your notes to craft your questions.

Sometimes you’ll discover unusual or intriguing information your subject might be too modest to share. These facts can chart the course of your interview and help you deepen and flesh out your article.

Often you may have only ten or 15 minutes to talk with your subject. You’ll want to spend these valuable minutes asking questions to unearth unique quotes and information, not rehash stuff someone else has already covered.

2 Create interview questions that deliver a new twist to who, what, when, where, why and how.

Don’t be afraid to dig deeper, but respect your subject’s privacy. Ask questions your readers might be wondering about.

As I prepared for my in-person interview with Gary Chapman, I asked his assistant what his love language was. She said, “Acts of service.” I used this information in an unusual way when we finally met in person.

Finally, conclude by giving your subject the chance to talk about something they consider important that you may not have thought of. Ask, “Is there anything you’d like our readers to know that we haven’t covered yet?” or “Is there a question you’ve always wished someone would ask you, but they never have?”

3 Ask permission to use a digital recorder, especially on a phone interview.

After a little small talk, I usually say something like, “I want to be sure I quote you accurately. Would you mind if I recorded our interview?” I’ve never had a subject refuse.

Once you have their permission, put your phone on speaker, turn on your digital recorder, and place it near the phone. If I’m interviewing in person, I use an inexpensive app called JustPressRecord, which allows me to record, transcribe, and email the conversation to myself later.

Occasionally someone will want to say something “off the record.” When this happens, I pause the recorder until we’ve moved beyond the subject in question.

4 Honor your subject’s time by sticking to the agreed-upon time limit.

Set a timer, and when you’re a few minutes away from the end of the interview, acknowledge this by saying something like, “Our time is almost up, and I want to respect your time. May I ask one final question?” Sometimes your subject will be willing to talk longer, but if they don’t offer, don’t presume. Wrap up the interview as soon as they’ve finished their answer by thanking them for talking with you.

5 If you know the date, tell them when you expect the article to be published and offer to send them a few copies or a link.

Ask for their address, and follow up with a hand-written thank you note. If you worked with a publicist or personal assistant to set up the interview, send them a note as well. Always leave a trail of gratitude and professionalism behind you.

Interviews can be scary, but they don’t have to be. If you do your homework, write clever questions, use a voice recorder, honor your subject’s time, and follow up with a thank you note, you’ll maximize your interview and further establish yourself as a writing professional.

On the day I interviewed Dr. Chapman, I baked a batch of cookies, packaged them up, and brought them to the interview. After I introduced myself to Dr. Chapman and Debbie, his assistant, I handed them both a box of cookies.

“I heard your love language is Acts of Service, Dr. Chapman,” I said, “so I wanted to do something special for you. These are homemade oatmeal pecan cookies. I hope you enjoy them.” He laughed, thanked me, and we sat down to one of the best interviews of my career. Several weeks later I received an email from Debbie thanking me for the cookies and asking for the recipe. Now how’s that for a surprise twist?

Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of several devotional books. Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women won the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award. Her most recent book, Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible is due out in the spring of 2020. A blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker, her goal is to help women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).