Does nausea engulf you when you read the writer's guidelines of your target magazine and see "authors are encouraged to use primary sources or interviews?" If so, fear not! All you need to conduct a flawless interview are the following 7 tips.

Before the Interview: Preparation

1. Research relevant information about your topic: If your subject is goldfish farming, stop by the library, surf the internet, and if there's time, tour a local gold-fish farm before you get to the interview with the "expert." You'll want to know the most basic aspects (who, what, when, where, why and how) of goldfish farming before the interview. Your interviewee will breathe easier knowing you cared enough about your topic to study it ahead of time, and did not expect the interviewee to tell you everything you need to know.

An example: Before interviewing a NASA Scientist I studied up on her target planet, read the two most recent papers she's written on her research, and perused the NASA website about her "mission." Thus, though not a rocket-scientist, I could effectively discuss the basics.

2. Research background information about your interviewee: What makes this person an expert on your topic? What related hobbies, training or experiences has she had?

The general goal here is to know enough about the person you're interviewing to have an intelligent conversation with her about your topic. You'll also build rapport with the interviewee by showing that you were interested enough to learn about her ahead of time.

Whether your interviewee is an adult or a child, one easy way to find background information is through an internet search, or a library review of local newspaper archives. Search for her name. Check out the website of his workplace or school. Whether she has written a doctorate on astrophysics, or excelled as a high school soccer captain, searching under her name, workplace or school should produce results. Another way to find out information is by talking to people who know the interviewee, including the person who put you in contact with her in the first place.

Example: When I searched the website of an interviewee teen's school, I unexpectedly discovered that he was the president of several school clubs related to the planned interview topic. This provided a new angle for the interview and information for the article.

3. Prepare your questions ahead of time: Use the knowledge gained from your research to write down 7-10 intelligent questions that will give you the additional information you need for your article. More than ten is too many.

All questions should be open-ended, meaning that they cannot be answered by a simple "yes" or "no."

Example:
Open-ended question: In what ways has having your leg bitten off by a crocodile changed your life?
Closed-ended question: Did having your leg bitten off by a crocodile change your life?

You'll get much more information from the open-ended question than from the closed one. Open-ended questions are important for phone and in-person interviews, and particularly vital for email interviews where you won't be present to add follow-up questions.

During the Interview Process: Presentation

4. Be professional: If communicating by e-mail during, before, or after the interview, use a professional email address (rksmith@juno.com) versus (harrypotterfan5@juno.com). In e-mails, be friendly but professional. This is a business note you are sending to a person who you want to respect you as a writer. If the note begins to look like friendly banter you'd send to your sister, rewrite it. The same "professionalism" rule applies to phone calls and face-to-face visits.

Additionally, give a professional business card detailing your name and contact information to the interviewee at the end of the session. Encourage her to contact you with additional thoughts or questions. Business cards can be made on your home computer, or ordered from local printers or on-line business card companies.

Always remember the follow-up! After the interview, send a thank you card or email.

5. Be Engaging and Interested: Remember, your interviewee is talking about something he finds important. He needs to know that you find the topic important and interesting too. So, appear relaxed (even if you don't feel that way).

If you're conducting an in-person interview, wear clothes that are both professional-looking and make you feel comfortable and confident. Leaning in slightly toward the person and making eye contact shows the interviewee that you are listening to him.

When conducting a phone interview, acknowledge that you have heard the person by making appropriate comments such as "wow," "oh, I see," or "that's interesting…" before transitioning into your next question. Never say "uh huh" or "dude."

6. Conduct the interview at the interviewee's convenience: She won't get paid for this, but you will. The interviewee is doing you a favor, fitting you into her busy life. Find ways to make the process time well-spent for her.

Consider taking professional persons you're interviewing out to lunch or to a coffee shop for the interview. Pay for their food as a thank you for their time. If interviewing children, conduct the interview at their guardian's convenience, and in the location of their choice where the adult guardian can be present and the child will feel comfortable.

After the Interview: Personalization

7. Help the interviewee understand the publication process: take him or her on the journey with you to some extent:

Most interviewees will be more invested in the publication of the article they are quoted in, than you will. Famous or professional people will want to be sure they are quoted accurately, and featured in a positive light. The "average-Joe interviewee," may be hoping for his lifelong 15 minutes of fame -- an article to show Aunt Sophie at Thanksgiving dinner and to say "look, I'm famous!"

The writer's motive is to maintain a positive relationship with these interviewees, keeping in mind that the 17 year-old high school soccer star you're interviewing today may later be an Olympic athlete or a college coach who will grant you another interview. With the interviewee's needs and your own future in mind it's important to help the interviewee feel like an important part of the publication process.

Let the interviewee know that it often takes 6-12 months or more from the time of interview to publication. E-mail the interviewee occasionally with brief updates on the progress of publishing the article or story. This is also a good time to ask any necessary follow-up questions - killing two birds with one stone. With this technique, the interviewee feels involved and respected, and the writer gets additional information needed for the piece.

It's also wise to let the interviewee proof-read and "approve" the quotes you plan to use in the article if he wishes. Also, send him a copy of the article when it's published so that he can show off his fame, and your writing, to Aunt Sophie, and everyone else he knows. Later, if a book is published, acknowledge the interviewee somewhere between it's covers.