An introverted, shy writer – am I a walking cliché? Possibly. Do I enjoy writing in the comfort of my own home, with a cup (or two) of coffee, and limited communication with the outside world for long periods of time? Absolutely.
However, in this industry, working in that way is not always possible. Interacting with others, generating conversations, and stepping out of your comfort zone is, more often than not, a necessary requirement for writers. Communication that resides outside of writing either comes naturally or it’s a learned trait. Since I particularly identify to the latter, it has been a journey and is something I continually work on improving. In my role as a content writer, I have to interview professionals and industry experts in-person and over the phone. You would think that after the second or third time it would become easier, but in my case, my nerves skyrocket right before I conduct an interview, no matter how many I’ve successfully done. Over the years I have developed some tips that help my nerves dissipate as soon as I say “hello”. You can’t always prevent awkward pauses, but it is very possible to have a successful interview and retrieve the necessary information for the content you’re writing.
Of course, planning for your interview is a given. However, you’d be surprised to know that many people don’t spend time coming up with questions beforehand or researching the individual they are interviewing. To make an interview interesting (which helps with writing an interesting article), knowing some background information on the individual will allow you to ask engaging questions. Zoning in on exactly what their job entails, or asking about one of their specific accomplishments, will show them that you’re interested and will help to alleviate your stress a bit, as it makes your interviewee seem like less of a stranger. Preparing thoughtful questions will give direction and purpose to your interview, which again, will help ease any nerves you may have. You would never go into an exam without studying (at least, I certainly hope not) so never go into an interview without prior knowledge and interesting questions in your back pocket.
When you’re interviewing someone, you may feel the need to plan out what your next question will be, especially when your nerves are high. However, by not actively listening to the individual you are interviewing, you raise the risk of missing out on a great follow-up question to their answer, or worse, a joke they made that you didn’t laugh at. To avoid any embarrassment on your end, always listen to what they have to say! Your prepared questions will always be there, but a new perspective on your story or some key information may go over your head if you’re not listening. Plus, the more “in the moment” you are, the more you’ll notice your nerves will start to pass.
Even though the previous tip detailed why it’s so important to listen, a way to alleviate any stress about missing key information is to record the interview (with the interviewee’s permission, of course). I like to use my phone’s voice notes app when interviewing in person, and a voice recording app on my computer for phone interviews. Including direct quotes in your article is much easier to do when you can listen to the interview back. Taking notes is another option, but I find I tend to be too busy scribbling down in my notebook, rather than listening to the individual I’m interviewing. Knowing I can engage with the individual and not have to worry about trying to remember everything later on, is such a relief! Expert tip: when asking permission to record, make sure to include that you are only recording them as a way to take notes at a later time. This provides reassurance that you won’t be posting the interview anywhere.
As you can see with these three tips, preparing beforehand is key to elevating any interview stress. Planning the direction you want the interview to go in, creating questions beforehand, researching the interviewee, listening and being in the moment, and recording (if possible) to listen to the interview later, are great ways to become comfortable with interviews when your verbal communication may not be as strong as your written communication. Stepping out of your comfort zone and generating conversations is inevitable, but your nerves don’t have to be.