Throughout the course of my college experience, I have interviewed many people on many subjects and topics. Normally, it is about things that they are considered experts in. While doing all of these interviews, I’ve learned things from each one, such as their opinions on phones being allowed in the classroom, how the military affects young adults in the USA, but I have been impacted by it in another way.
I’m better at asking questions. They tend to prompt more in-depth answers, and I’m getting better at asking follow-up questions. I used to ask questions that would get answers but the answers weren’t always ones that dove into the topic I tried to learn about. I’ve also become better at determining whether or not a question would be considered too personal.
While I’m still developing my skills in that area, let’s talk about why it’s important.
Your questions determine the quality of your story. The information you get from your interviewee is what you build off of when you create whatever it is you are writing. When you ask vague questions, closed questions get short answers, which leads to a short and unfulfilling story.
Good questions also help you build trust. When your questions are clear and, importantly, respectful, the people you are speaking to feel important, and it leads to them being more honest. They’re not going to share personal stuff if they aren’t comfortable with you.
Finally, strong questions help you realize what you didn’t know you didn’t know. No, I didn’t make an error, I’m serious! Interviews can bring forward surprising perspectives, contradictions you hadn’t considered, and emotional moments to bring your story to life!
Add comment
Comments