| janfields |
Join us today in the
AUDITORIUM-Scheduled Events Room for open forum. Today's topic for
pontification is "The Art of Interviewing." Come and join in five
minutes from now.
|
| janfields |
Today's Open Forum on
"The Art of Interviewing" will begin shortly. While you wait for
chat to begin, feel free to use your ASK A QUESTION button RIGHT
BETWEEN THE YELLOW “MAP” AND THE RED QUESTION MARK IN ICHAT to post
some questions or comments on interviewing -- finding experts,
preparing for the interview, different types of interviews! Chat
will begin two minutes from now.
|
| janfields |
Hi, and welcome to open
forum on "The Art of Interviewing". I'm your host/moderator, Jan
Fields -- and over the years I've interviewed countless people for
newspaper articles, profiles, as-told-to pieces and round up
features. So, feel free to ask questions about any element of the
process. If you want to ask a question and be sure I get a chance to
see it you'll need to use either the "ask a question" button on the
bar across the middle of your screen. OR type /ask...then space once
and type your question. That passes the question to me and I can
post it for answer.
|
| janfields |
Some folks thinking
interviewing is just for fiction, but I have also contacted experts
to learn more about real-life situations that impact my
fiction.
|
| janfields |
In fact, fiction --
especially real life fiction often includes quite a bit of
research.
|
| janfields |
And the quickest way to
*do* the research is usually to ask an expert.
|
| janfields |
For example, for a
story I was writing about a mom who runs away to avoid having social
services take her children, I had to contact social service
departments in several states...
|
| janfields |
to find out how likely
it would be that a mom could successfully do what the mom in my
story did.
|
| janfields |
Since I don't have to
create a bibliography for fiction...
|
| janfields |
it was much easier for
me to simply ask people in that line of work...
|
| janfields |
and trust that the
answer they gave me reflected "real life"
|
| janfields |
In fact, often asking
workers in the field will reflect real life more...
|
| janfields |
than reading about it
in books -- books can tell you how something "ought" to work but not
always how it does.
|
| janfields |
So...interviewing
becomes important for fiction and nonfiction.
|
| janfields |
And I'm primed to
pontificate...BUT first.
|
| janfields |
I get to do GOOD
NEWS!!!!
|
| janfields |
Cause we got
some.
|
| janfields |
GOOD NEWS SHANNON: My
article "A Pirate's Life For Me," was accepted by Deborah Vetter at
CRICKET.
|
| janfields |
Congratulations
Shannon...AND just in case anyone doesn't know...Deborah Vetter is
going to be a guest speaker at the Thursday night chat NEXT
week.
|
| janfields |
And it's really nice to
know people are getting acceptances again from
Cricket.
|
| janfields |
It was a dry spell
there for a while...so good news for Shannon and for those of us
poised to mail something to the Cricket group.
|
| janfields |
Ahhh..this next one was
in the Monday newsletter but I wanna cheer again
so....
|
| janfields |
GOOD NEWS: STEPHANIE --
I thought I'd share some recent good news. I just received word
|
| my story "A Pig
with a Problem" will |
|
| issue. Although I
had a craft accepted to Wee Ones recently, the Dragonfly Spirit
piece will appear first and it will be my first byline! I also
received an honorable mention in a Byline character sketch contest,
my first contest entr |
|
| janfields |
Two sales AND a contest
honorable mention...wow.
|
| janfields |
GOOD NEWS: MARION:
After reading Kid Magazine Writers, I queried Nancy Cavanaugh at
Fandangle Magazine about an article. She accepted and "The Birth of
the Ice Cream Sundae" will be in the July issue.
|
| janfields |
Congratulations
Marion!
|
| janfields |
Three good news
announcements at once....I'm positively giddy. Yea
team.
|
| janfields |
Okay...now, back to
pontification...interviews. Many people think of interviews as long
and difficult, but most of the interviews we do as freelance writers
are focused and consist of only a few questions.
|
| janfields |
Most of the time when I
contact someone for an interview...it's in order to get someone to
explain a point, or give examples.
|
| janfields |
Or to increase
credibility.
|
| janfields |
For example, I can
pontificate all day...but if I'm doing an article for Children's
Writer
|
| janfields |
I need to get writers
people will recognize
|
| janfields |
and get them to say
what I need said in the article.
|
| janfields |
For example, in a
recent article I contacted Rick Walton -- very successful picture
book writer & illustrator.
|
| janfields |
And it gave the piece
more punch for the reader.
|
| janfields |
Often when we're
writing nonfiction for adults -- we need that punch
|
| janfields |
Because adults are
tough when it comes to credibility.
|
| janfields |
Another group that
doesn't give out credibility lightly is teens.
|
| janfields |
That's why you often
see "round up" articles in teen magazines...
|
| janfields |
where a number of
celebrities or a number of teens are asked a single
question...
|
| janfields |
Readers will accept the
word of celebrities or peers over us...sad but
true.
|
| janfields |
In middle grade
nonfiction, the use of quotes is usually to bring in a human
element.
|
| janfields |
Highlights for example,
likes to tell stories THROUGH people.
|
| janfields |
So if you were writing
about South American poison frogs, you would do it by focusing on a
researcher on South American poison frogs.
|
| janfields |
But not every magazine
likes that style.
|
| janfields |
The Cricket group (for
example) or Kid Zone (as another example) don't actually like
nonfiction told that way.
|
| janfields |
So interviews are to
glean information -- not quotes.
|
| janfields |
Why I need the
interview OFTEN colors how I conduct it.
|
| janfields |
As well as simple
logistics.
|
| janfields |
If an interview is
simply informational...email is a great interview
medium.
|
| janfields |
You can get exact
quotes and the expert has time to check his facts before
responding.
|
| janfields |
If an interview is for
personality -- phone is better than email, and face-to-face is best
of all.
|
| janfields |
Most profile articles
involve at least SOME phone interviewing.
|
| janfields |
It's hard to capture
the personality of a person from "emailed quotes" since so few
people are totally "natural" in email.
|
| janfields |
I have a quick tip to
slip in about phone interviews.
|
| janfields |
TIP FROM CAQ: Always
ask before taping a telephone interview.
|
| janfields |
In the United States,
it's actually against the law to record a conversation held by phone
without consent.
|
| janfields |
So...it really doesn't
take a second to ask and most people actually like the idea that
you're being totally careful about accurate quotes.
|
| janfields |
Okay...so far, I have
like zero questions...am I putting folks to sleep or do you just
love my pontificating?? :-)
|
| janfields |
Hmmm...omalizzie says
she likes my pontificating...I want that on record.
|
| janfields |
And gonewest says she's
a good listener...actually, I knew that since she was one of my
students ;-)
|
| janfields |
Oh...another thing to
go on record...coloradokate implies I am worthy of
applause.
|
| janfields |
It's good to have these
things down...ya know, in case I need a raise down the
road.
|
| omalizzie |
Jan, how do we cite an
interview?
|
| janfields |
Yea!! a
question.
|
| janfields |
Okay you site it by
name of expert.
|
| janfields |
Then "in private
interview with"
|
| janfields |
conducted via -- phone,
email, in person...whatever.
|
| janfields |
And the date you
conducted the interview.
|
| janfields |
If you did follow up
questions, you can make a second citation or just tuck it in...I've
done it both ways.
|
| janfields |
Mostly we cite sources
for the sake of the fact-checkers so they just need to know...they
aren't picky about form.
|
| janfields |
You need to give
contact information on the interview subject so that fact checkers
can follow up if necessary -- I usually give email address EVEN IF I
conducted the interview via phone or in person.
|
| janfields |
Unless email isn't
available, then I give the phone number.
|
| janfields |
Oh...after the person's
name -- you need to list the person's credentials.
|
| janfields |
So....Debby Vetter,
editor of Cricket Magazine, private interview conducted via email,
deb@email.com
|
| janfields |
And then the
date.
|
| coloradokate |
Where do you find
experts' email addresses? How do you find the experts in the first
place?
|
| janfields |
Experts tend to pop up
while I'm doing research.
|
| janfields |
And really expert
experts are almost always easy to track down because they are backed
by some institute with a vested interest in pr
|
| janfields |
So, when I was
researching carnivorous caterpillars...I looked
online
|
| janfields |
Found the genus and
species
|
| janfields |
searched on
that.
|
| janfields |
Found press releases
from colleges that names specific researchers studying the
butterfly.
|
| janfields |
And then search for
that person by name, title, and college.
|
| janfields |
And *bang* got the
email.
|
| janfields |
But you can also stop
at the press release step and just call the person listed as contact
on the press release.
|
| janfields |
That person will then
put you in contact with the expert.
|
| janfields |
When I was researching
about social services...I looked for "child protection agencies" and
hit social services sites...with emails.
|
| janfields |
So...my search usually
starts online...then moves to email or phone.
|
| gonewest |
How do you know who to
call for some subjects?
|
| janfields |
Assuming it's not a
subject about which I already know a lot.
|
| janfields |
I always start with an
online search.
|
| janfields |
But I also ask myself
-- who would be interested in this subject?
|
| janfields |
Because sometimes
brainstorming about tangents will bring up a memory of someone I
know with an interest in the area.
|
| janfields |
And sometimes THAT
person can help guide me to the very top person in the
field.
|
| janfields |
So...suppose I decided
to do an earth science topic...
|
| janfields |
because editors keep
asking me why doesn't anyone ever write about earth
science.
|
| janfields |
So I look up Earth
Science in encyclopedia and such -- just to get a feel for my
options (because I know jack about earth science)
|
| janfields |
I may discover
something I didn't know...maybe something about the use of minerals
in folk medicine.
|
| janfields |
That strikes me as
interesting.
|
| janfields |
So I start looking into
folk medicine...and I might check the yellow pages too for holistic
healing...maybe it's too far afield, maybe not.
|
| janfields |
But any tentative step
I take MIGHT put me on the trail of a realy interesting
idea.
|
| janfields |
When I get an idea that
makes me say WOW!! then I know I have a seller.
|
| janfields |
So I start
brainstorming who might know about the topic.
|
| janfields |
And I google or use
ask.com to find out more.
|
| janfields |
Eventually experts
almost always start popping up and you can search on them...contact
them...and you're in business for the article.
|
| dawnlee71 |
If NF needs good
sources-how do you know your
|
| dawnlee71 |
interviwee is a good
source?
|
| janfields |
Look into the person's
credentials.
|
| janfields |
AND also...ask
yourself...where am I selling this?
|
| janfields |
For example, suppose I
want to do an article on the increase in fatal fool allergy
events.
|
| janfields |
If I decide to do the
piece for a family magazine in CT...I should contact sources in CT
whenever possible.
|
| janfields |
Because regional
publications like regional sources.
|
| janfields |
If I'm doing it for a
national...I'm going to look into what group is tracking this
problem.
|
| janfields |
And from them -- I'm
going to connect with someone and find out the expert
experts.
|
| janfields |
And I'm going to check
THEIR credentials.
|
| janfields |
Good experts are almost
always backed by someone impressive.
|
| janfields |
Major research
hospitals.
|
| janfields |
Universities.
|
| janfields |
Museums.
|
| janfields |
And always ask the
person you contact, who THEY consider the foremost
expert.
|
| janfields |
Sometimes an expert
might be one of a handful of folks interested in a
subject.
|
| janfields |
Cryptozoology, for
example, doesn't have a huge pool of experts.
|
| janfields |
And sometimes their
credentials are a little shakey.
|
| janfields |
But in an event like
that...sometimes the "experts" personality can become part of the
story.
|
| janfields |
And you can contact
someone outside the exact field but related who does have creds to
"comment" on your expert's view.
|
| omalizzie |
The person I interviewed
did not speak English...
|
| omalizzie |
her answers were
translated by her daughter for me...
|
| omalizzie |
do I explain that also in
the citation?
|
| janfields |
Right, you would put it
in after the name of the contact subject.
|
| janfields |
So something
like:
|
| janfields |
Jan Fields, witness to
the event, in face-to-face interview. Translated from Russian by the
subject's daughter. Date.
|
| janfields |
Oh, and you would give
the daughter's name.
|
| janfields |
And contact information
for both...since the fact checker would be unlikely to contact the
subject directly.
|
| janfields |
Sometimes one of the
hardest "experts" to find in a kid/teen
|
| janfields |
You always need
permission from their parent/guardian to use their quotes and
name.
|
| janfields |
And it can be hard to
find a kid in the situation you want to cover.
|
| janfields |
Again, finding
organizations related to the situation can help.
|
| janfields |
And so can discussion
boards.
|
| janfields |
For example, suppose I
want to talk about food allergies and how it effects the life of a
teen.
|
| janfields |
I would look at food
allergy websites.
|
| janfields |
Some of which will have
forums.
|
| janfields |
Forums are usually
visited by parents talking about their concerns for their
kids.
|
| janfields |
If you read the forums,
you can find parents who mention their "9th grade daughter" or
whatever.
|
| janfields |
And you can simply
respond, telling your interest in an article on the
subject.
|
| janfields |
And asking for
permission to email them off list.
|
| janfields |
Then OFF list you can
ask about interviewing the daughter.
|
| janfields |
And that would probably
be done by phone.
|
| janfields |
Another option would be
to contact schools...find out if they have allergic kids...talk to
the school nurse and see if she'll send home a note for the parents
of the allergic child to contact you for an interview fr a magazine
article.
|
| janfields |
But you usually have to
find teen subjects in a much more round about manner than
adults.
|
| janfields |
Unless you stumbled
across the article idea by meeting a teen in that
situation.
|
| janfields |
A lof of writers get
interested in a topic for teens and want to do a "helpful"
piece
|
| janfields |
But don't know ANY
teens in that situation
|
| janfields |
That can make an
article a very tough sell.
|
| janfields |
For example, if you
wanted to do nonfiction on cutting...a hot topic.
|
| janfields |
And you want to give
"tips" for what to do if you find out your friend is a
cutter.
|
| janfields |
It's a great article
idea...but basically won't sell with anecdotal
incidents.
|
| janfields |
So...at the VERY
least...you're going to have to talk with experts.
|
| janfields |
But you'll sell much
quicker if you can include quotes from teens to
cut.
|
| janfields |
Teen fiction is all
about talking to the teens.
|
| janfields |
teen
nonfiction
|
| janfields |
Not
fiction.
|
| janfields |
Typing
blunder
|
| janfields |
Now, prepping for an
interview always involves entering the interview as informed as
humanly possible.
|
| janfields |
Interviews are not
media for starting to learn about a subject
|
| janfields |
They are for fine
tuning your knowledge and gaining credibility with the
audience.
|
| janfields |
So you need to research
before you ask...and ask from as informed a position as
possible.
|
| dawnlee71 |
If I saw a biograpghy
show that contaitned info about
|
| dawnlee71 |
cutting can I just cite
their credentials?
|
| janfields |
You could use the
biography for a remark like "Few people know that Girlie Gumdrop,
teen pop idol, was a cutter until her autobiography was
released."
|
| janfields |
But that's about
all...you can pick a fact out of the biography.
|
| janfields |
But you can't reuse
info as if you did fresh interviews.
|
| janfields |
Though I have pulled
quotes from speeches.
|
| janfields |
But then I said
something like: In her Newbery award speech, Linda Sue Park
said...blah, blah blah.
|
| omalizzie |
Up to what age do you
need permission?
|
| janfields |
Hmmm...18 I
think.
|
| janfields |
I have this nagging
thing at the back of my skull saying 16
|
| janfields |
But I would go with 18
for safe.
|
| janfields |
ASSUMING the child is
identifiable.
|
| janfields |
If the kid is NOT
identifiable, you don't need parental permission.
|
| janfields |
So you could do
something like: "I didn't think I knew anyone who cut," Julie said.
"But I did...lots of kids."
|
| janfields |
Since tons of kids
could be named Julie...and she isn't identifiable...you would be
safe using her quote.
|
| gonewest |
What about documentary
shows on Public Broadcast
|
| gonewest |
can you use
them?
|
| janfields |
You can use them as a
jump off point to begin your research.
|
| janfields |
But editors really
don't like to see them in source lists...at all.
|
| caq |
A fellow ICL student
wanted to interview my niece for an aritlce and she was 16, but I
spoke to her parents first for permission.
|
| janfields |
Yeah...if the kid is
identifiable in the piece, you got to have
permission.
|
| janfields |
Now you don't have to
have permission to email a kid who is posting on a public discussion
board.
|
| janfields |
But you have to have
permission to USE what you learn.
|
| janfields |
It's a permission to
broad cast personal information really that you're
seeking.
|
| janfields |
Kids can't sign away
their right to privacy -- it takes an adult to do
that.
|
| janfields |
So, technically, you
need someone old enough to enter into a contract situation...in the
US, that's gonna be 18.
|
| caq |
Since discussion boards
are basically people hiding behind screens, much like chatlines, how
can you be sure the person is on the up and up. I would be very
leery using that. Don't you think?
|
| janfields |
If I were just looking
for an interesting quote to set the mood -- n
|
| janfields |
I might use something
like
|
| janfields |
On a popular discussion
board for teen cutters, a girl known only as rosethorn said,
"Cutting was how I knew I was still alive -- if I bleed, then I must
be alive, right?"
|
| janfields |
That's technically not
"fact" so is a little looser in interpretation.
|
| janfields |
Now if I want to use
rosethorn as an example...I would need to chat her up on the
phone...
|
| janfields |
and I would need her
parent's permission if she's going to be cited in an identifiable
way.
|
| janfields |
So if I want to ask
rosethorn how she started cutting...how long til it was something
she did a lot of...blah blah.
|
| janfields |
Then I need to go
further than a discussion board...or email. I need to make sure
she's real.
|
| caq |
Most discussion boards
are not checked for legitamacy so I don't understand why you would
even try one of those. I am just confused by that because all other
info has to be from such legitamate sources.
|
| janfields |
In something as
"trendy" as cutting...you can use anonymous remarks as "background"
-- as atmosphere.
|
| janfields |
You cannot use them as
FACTS.
|
| janfields |
FACTS need to be
verifiable and backed up by good sources.
|
| janfields |
But something like
"Breastfeeding make me feel so close to my kids," according to one
mom. That's less needful for sourcing.
|
| janfields |
Anyway...we're at the
post 3pm mark.
|
| janfields |
Time to collect my
underager from the school bus.
|
| janfields |
If you have any other
quesitons on this...feel free to email them
|
| janfields |
And I'll catch them in
the Monday Newsletter.
|
| janfields |
Oh...want to add one
quick one.
|
| omalizzie |
It is 18 in Canada too
Jan.
|
| janfields |
Always good to
know.
|
| janfields |
Ta
writerfolk.
|