Begging the Question

Continuing on our interviewing path, we come to the part where you’ve done your homework. That’s right – you have to know a little bit about what you’re talking about, too. See, it’s not enough to go into an interview and say “Tell me about quantum physics.” Somewhere you should have at least a cursory intro to the topic. Read an article or two. Look on this person’s website (or company website). Really read. Then jot down questions that come to mind. Remember to keep them relevant to your slant. The questions should be a bit more focused than just the preliminary “What is it?” “Where do we apply it?” kinds of questions.

A recent interview I conducted was for an article on a specific glaucoma drug and its cosmetic affects on the eye (it made the eyelashes grow to ridiculously lush and gorgeous lengths). The audience was pharmacy professionals. So the questions had to be focused more on the affects of a drug becoming a cosmetically applied drug instead of for its intended purpose. The questions were centered around that. Can one obtain this drug without a prescription? If so, what happens to prescriptive authority? Is the FDA concerned? What precedent would be set, if any? Are pharmacists concerned? How have pharmacists helped discover off-label uses in the past? What negative side effects exist?

You get the picture. Get curious. Oh, and get a tape recorder. Not all writers enjoy taping interviews, but I do because it keeps my mind from being too focused on what was said. Often, I would miss a prime opportunity for a follow-up question. I take notes, as well (tape recorders do fail), and I tape. It’s up to you, but I can tell you from experience it works very well for me.

Make about seven questions. I say that because five is never enough to get to the meat of any topic, and seven makes you think a bit harder to come up with them. Sure, if you want, do the who/what/when/where/how/why questions you learned in J school, but don’t be afraid to ask the beginner question or the tough question. If you’re writing about a topic that’s brand new to you, don’t pretend to know everything about the subject. Instead, say this: “This is all new to me. Can you explain it, please?” You’d be surprised how many interviewees are dying to enlighten people on what they think is a very exciting topic. I have asked this question numerous times and have never been turned down or treated like an idiot for it. It’s a common-sense approach for writers like us who have to be 5-minute scholars on an unfamiliar topic.

Also, remember that your experts know people. If you’re looking for another expert or a place to locate statistics, ask. Some will volunteer the information, but you’re well within the interview protocol to ask. Some will point you to people with firsthand experience in the topic.