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Whenever I have asked non-profit professionals what the most challenging part of storytelling is, people consistently tell me that it’s is finding stories to tell. Not only does there need to be some organizational collaboration when it comes to finding stories to tell, you also have to interview people for their stories. The latter part often proves to be the most challenging and understandably so.
Read the full article to find out more about these 5 tips on how to ask better questions during interviews and tell better stories:
- Do your research
- Think about the trajectory of the story
- Create a comfortable environment
- Be curious
- Relax! Remember it's just a conversation
I'm always in awe of reporters - they make it seem so easy. Maybe one day I'll sign up for a journalism class. Sites like Poynter (their tips & training section in particular) are great resources. Here's some additional tips I've collected along the way.
Ask open-ended questions.
The best questions are open-ended and most often use the W5 format. They begin with Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. They’re conversations starters and encourage expansive answers that produce an abundance of information.
Embrace the silence.
Immediately after you’ve asked your question you may want to fill the awkward, empty space in the air with more words, but don’t. Let your questions sit out there in the world.
Write questions ahead of time, but prioritize conversation.
Do your research and write down lots of questions. Only bring 15-20 questions to the interview. Only ask 10 of them. If you need to ask all 20, you’re not having a conversation.
Ask yourself - how would you tell this story to a friend?
It encourages you to think about the most interesting and relevant nuggets of the story and focuses on “Why should the reader care?” part. This approach can also help you move away from any jargon and bring a conversational tone to the piece.
And here's another article that provides 4 general questions you could always have at the ready.