One of the most terrifying words in a beginning-writer’s vocabulary, and one that’s responsible for striking fear into many a learner-writer’s heart is… interview.
Interview is such an emotive word.
We all hate job interviews. School leavers are put through the wringer by mock interview sessions. How to sit. How to speak. Maintain eye contact. Ask the right questions. Know something about the company. Don’t fidget. Portray confidence. There are so many rules that it’s almost a science in it’s own right.
Going for an interview is horrible.
What is it that’s scary? I’ll place my money on the word itself. Interview.
Okay, so how about if we remove the word. Don’t interview people. But, I hear you say, if I don’t interview them how am I going to get them to talk to me?
Easy. Instead of interviewing them, you’re going to have a little chat with them.
I know a man who made a very good living as a salesman. He loved his job and was very successful. What was his secret? It could be summed up in one simple sentence that he used when describing his job: “I drive around, go and see people, and have a little chat with them.”
So, as a writer, instead of getting bogged down in the whole heavy interview syndrome, you ditch the word interview from your vocabulary completely. You don’t interview, you have little chats.
It makes the whole process so much more accessible and friendly.
Look at it this way, forget for a moment that you’re a writer who needs some information for a piece you’re trying to sell. Instead, you’re a private individual who simply needs to know more about a subject.
Supposing you’re writing a piece on the latest developments in the diagnosing and treatment of dyslexia.
If your child was dyslexic, where would you start to get her some help? Your doctor? Yes, you might start there. What about her school? That would also be a good starting place.
If you chose the school, you’d ring up the switchboard and ask who you needed to speak to. Then you’d contact that person, explain what you wanted and who you were, and ask for advice.
The thought of going in there and ‘interviewing’ the people who could help you wouldn’t even cross your mind.
You need some information and are asking for it. That’s reasonable, isn’t it?
Of course, as a writer working on an article you won’t pretend it’s your child who’s dyslexic, you’ll just say you’re “writing a piece on dyslexia and need to find out how schools deal with the problem. Can you have a chat with someone who knows?”
Believe me, it works.
For instance, I was once working on a piece and really needed to speak to the fiction editor at a major UK magazine. I really needed a direct quote from her for my article. No one else would do.
I was terrified. Me, a beginner, totally unknown, interview an editor at one of the top mags? My initial reaction was, ‘get real, why would she speak to me?’
I somehow imagined that she would bite my head off and give me a good lecture about how busy she was and how dared I disturb her with my petty requests? And that was even supposing I managed to get her attention in the first place.
But I needed her, so I tackled it this way: First I phoned the switchboard and said, “I’m writing an article and need to speak briefly to the fiction editor (I did mention her name but I’m not saying here). When would be the best time for me to phone to have a quick chat with her?” (I also said what the piece was about and why she was the only person who could help)
The receptionist was very pleasant. She told me which days the editor was in the office and suggested I phone back then.
So far so good. At least the receptionist hadn’t scolded me for being so presumptuous.
I phoned back on the suggested day, again frightened half out of my wits. But I kept the ‘chat’ idea firmly in mind.
In the end it took a few phone calls before I got to the lady herself. The first time she was busy, but I was encouraged to ring back. The second time she was on the other phone, but my number was taken and, amazingly to my novice mind, she actually phoned me!
Stunned that she’d bother, I quickly pulled myself together and explained who I was and what I was doing, and asked if she could spare a few minutes for a quick chat to give me her opinion on the topic.
She gave me roughly ten minutes (far longer than I hoped for) and was more than helpful. She offered information I hadn’t even thought to ask for, and was free with her opinions. The whole ‘chat’ was relaxed, friendly and informal, although I have to say professional and to the point.
One important thing to bear in mind when adopting this ‘chat’ route, is that it’s not like chatting with friends. You need to stick to the point, ask your questions, (yes, you do still need to know what information you want and how best to ask for it), listen carefully to the answer, then move on.
It was still nerve wracking, but the sting was taken out of the experience because I had previously convinced myself that all I wanted was a little talk with her. What did she think? Could she explain?
It was so easy, and she was so helpful, that I really kicked myself for being so scared about it.
Next time you need an ‘expert’, try it for yourself.
Forget interviewing. It’s a horrible, scary, thing. Instead just phone up and ask for a quick chat. It’s so much more friendly.
