Often, the research phase of writing demands interviews with hard-to-reach folks, high-ranking officials, or famous individuals where making the initial connection can be full of hurdles. Sometimes we must with tread carefully, probing tender-hearted people who may have suffered, where we are required to manage the emotional minefield when asking them to relive difficult experiences. Perhaps the most challenging interviews are those with our friends and family, where we must push the buttons we usually avoid while keeping the relationship safe from long-term harm. How do we come out of these conversations with clear and truthful answers to the hard questions? This is the art of the intimate interview. Unlike tradition journalistic interviews, where an adversarial tone, and “gotcha” moments make the conversations interesting or explosive, the intimate interview is a private conversation meant to inform the public-facing story, where the interview itself is not the story. We’ll discuss how to find and approach interview subjects, how to set the tone at the beginning of the exchange, tools for documenting and introduction of those tools to ensure comfort, posing questions in a way that is non-combative, and using your own vulnerability to create a safe space for your subject. We will role play a few quick interviews with participants so you can practice the techniques and leave ready to approach the unapproachable and ask the tricky questions with confidence and compassion.
A Zoom link will be provided via email one day before the event.
