Whether it’s for a post on your blog, or a conversation with an expert you need to write up for a content client, here’s how to get an interview written up with speed and impact…

Don’t do an interview! 

We’re not talking hard-hitting news here. We’re talking about a conversation between two people with mutually agreed goals. Actual interviews are very time-consuming all round, so if both parties are happy to find a quicker way, go for it.

Write the interview for them

What you can do instead is email the subject some questions they can answer with a few bullets, which you then work up. Or you might even agree to just write up the article in interview format and get the subject to review afterward. Content writers frequently ‘ghost-scribe’ for their clients like this, especially if they work together regularly.

Send questions in advance

If you do need to do an interview, always send over some questions in advance detailing points to cover. This will help the subject to organise their thoughts and make for a more efficient exchange.

Record the conversation 

Recording the interview allows you to focus on the conversation rather than type furiously and will save time as you can get it transcribed automatically. In person, you could use a Dictaphone or a simple smartphone app. On the phone, there are various platforms and tools that allow you to record, though it’s important to check out technicalities and costs beforehand. At work, I’ve used Zoom and Powwownow, which, while very good, are not free. The Google Voice app can record incoming calls and turn them into transcripts too. There are lots of other tools and apps which can transcribe for you.   If you do a lot of this, you might consider paying a small monthly fee, as we’ve found paid ones tend to be better.

Check how long you have 

Recorder working? Good. Now check how long you have. The shorter, the better – knowing you both only have 25 minutes will actually help you both get the priority messages out. An hour of interview might generate 5,000 words of transcript, most of which you won’t be able to use.

Ask open questions 

To get fuller answers, ask open questions, which – unlike closed questions – cannot simply be answered with a Yes or No. So, don’t ask, ‘I bet this was a really challenging book to write?’ Ask ‘What was the toughest thing about writing this book?’ (If need be, follow up with ‘Why?’) Don’t worry that you know half the answers already: you are asking for your readers, and you want the subject to explain things in their own words.

Pretend to be ignorant 

Sometimes, you may interview a client who does something very technical, and you barely understand what they do. Don’t be afraid to frame some very basic questions, e.g. ‘Just for the benefit of people who are new to this area, can you just summarise for us how cloud-based logistics works?’

Couch objections with care 

If you need to ask a difficult question, frame it as if you’re asking for someone else. For example: ‘What would you say to people who argue that it’s not appropriate for someone who doesn’t have ASD to write about this?’

Read the transcript ruthlessly 

Once you have turned your audio file into a transcript, go through it fast and delete all the obvious filler. If you are simply doing a linear Q&A, you can start editing down from here, but if you need to shape your interview at all, with some narrative and additional material, print the transcript off and read the whole way through, highlighting sections you can use and looking for connections. Then, when you come to write, don’t slavishly follow the transcript from start to finish – just dip into and quote from it as needed.

BIO: Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is author of a collection of short stories, Hotel du Jack, and co-author of a new comic novel about an eccentric writers’ group, Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound). For 10% off your order, quote KITTEN10