May 23 2009
Deglosing an Interview
One of the most difficult things as a journalist is the process of interviewing; at first look it can be simple “just ask questions that have relation to the person background” but the process of developing the questions can be extremely frustrating because they’re dumb and irrelevant questions and smart sharp questions; so everything has to be perfect in every single way. Interviewing is like doing a surgery, there is no frame to mistake because there is in play the journalist reputation as well the newspaper image.The process of making an interview regarding any topic can be quite complex but at the same time quite simple; as the first thing that is needed to be taken is the emotional intelligence of the individual, his background toward his formative years and interests or paths that molded him into his present persona; after following that mathematical formula then you can start shaping the questions, they can go to the most mundane even to the most philosophical concept. After writing the first draft then comes the anger, as most of the questions will look lame to your eyes and then it will be another thinking round just to decipher what can I ask to extract relevant information. As much you will think you will probably end with the first draft of questions, the same one you throw away first.
After finishing the draft, then you have to send it to your editor to edit what you wrote and focus the questionnaire to the newspaper interests; after the survey is edited and send it to the recipient; comes the most frustrating part of the process, trying to accept the choices you wrote down as they are going to be well accepted because you try to convince yourself you made a good job; but the most worrying moment is executed in the interview which can kill anyone nerves, as you have to look and act like a 10 because beside your intelligence at the moment of doing the questions you will be judged by your looks as they will play an important part of the interaction with the sources, you can’t look pompous, you need to look elegant and friendly as not many people like the idea of being interview. So how a balance can be created to handle like a juggler three facts? fluidity, personal image and demeanor’s. Is been a while since I interviewed someone, I don’t think I’m rusty but I think I will need serenity at the moment of true, because I will be extremely happy.
