2.  Prepare   for   the   interview.   W h e n e v er possible, particularly on a feature assignment, lookup your  subject’s  background.  From  news  clippings  or from reference works like Who’s Who, try to determine beforehand any views the individual may have on the topic  of  your  interview.  Ignorance  of  an  important person’s  biography  and  work  may  seem  insulting  to  the individual  concerned,  and  you  may  lose  the  person’s cooperation. However, you should never try to impress the interviewee with your knowledge of the individual’s own  subject. 3. Plan your questions.  This does not mean you should   read   them   formally   or   present   them   in   an artificial   manner.   Conduct   your   conversation   in   a natural, informal fashion. Always keep your questions in mind and try to guide the conversation along lines that will give you a story with substance. Planned questions, jotted down on a pad in front of you, are particularly valuable  when  you  interview  someone  by  using  the telephone. At the same time, be receptive to a new angle that may arise and may be better than the one you had originally   planned. 4.  Be   careful   about   taking   notes.   S o m e interviewers  write  everything;  others  write  hardly  a word.  Some  subjects  become  uncomfortable  in  the presence of a reporter transcribing every word they say and at the prospect of having their names appear in the paper.  Other  interviewees  prefer  to  have  their  words written  down  to  avoid  being  misquoted.  In  general,  you will probably remember most of the conversation if you write the story while it is still fresh in your mind. Details, such   as   names,   dates,   statistics,   key   words   and distinctive phrases, should, of course, be jotted down on the  spot. If you have access to a small, portable tape recorder, by  all  means  use  it.  Some  subjects  may  be  uncom- fortable in the presence of a tape recorder, but most will not.   Try   to   use   a   tape   recorder   with   a   built-in microphone.  This  will  avoid  the  sometimes  awkward practice   of   holding   a   hand   microphone   to   the interviewee’s face. 5. Know  your  subject.  Some people need to be flattered; others cajoled. Some are naturally shy; others will talk a blue streak. Evaluate your interviewee and guide  yourself  accordingly.  The  majority  of  people  will react  favorably  to  a  straightforward,  factual  approach and  will  not  be  impressed  by  arrogance  or  excessive humility. Only courtesy, intelligent curiosity, a sincere desire to be natural and a knowledge of what you are after will help you come away from an interview with a newsworthy story. These  are  major  principles  that  can  be  applied  in nearly   all   interviews.   However,   as   previously mentioned,  alert  and  resourceful  journalists  must  be ready  to  vary  their  techniques  depending  on  the temperament and views of the interviewee, the nature of the story and the dictates of circumstances. 6. Be specific.  A question like “Anything new?” will, in most cases, bring forth very little information because the average layman knows little about what is of news value. Ask direct and leading questions. 7. Be  accurate.   The   smallest   error   can   cause embarrassment and even a libel suit. Do not be afraid to ask questions and to check facts. When you interview someone by using the telephone, one letter can easily be mistaken  for  another.  Therefore,  spell  out  names  by using  phonetic  aids.  Spell  it:  “S-M-I-T-H.  S  as  in SIERRA, M as in MIKE. . ..” (Of course, make sure it is “Smith”  and  not  “Smythe.”)  People  dislike  having  their names misspelled. Also, obtain the complete and correct addresses of people in a story. 8.  Look  for  color.   In   personality   features, particularly,  an  apt  word  or  phrase  describing  your subject’s  appearance  or  mannerisms  will  help  your readers “see” the person. Here is a helpful suggestion: As you conduct the interview, try to think of words that would best describe your subject in a nutshell. In some stories, a reference to a person’s movements, gestures, way of talking and his or her surroundings may give a better picture of that individual. Often, you will be able to make some comparison in terms of a figure or object familiar to your readers, but be careful not to offend the interviewee. 9. Do not talk too much.  You  are  interviewing someone  to  get  information,  not  to  demonstrate  how smart you are. At the start, you may need to lead the conversation along general lines to put the interviewee at ease and to get around to your subject. But after that, be  self-effacing.  On  occasion,  you  may  have  to  play dumb;  then  assume  nothing  and  ask  everything.  Be conscious  of  time;  do  not  waste.  yours  or  the interviewees. Occasionally, a time limit is imposed on an  interview.  When  time  is  limited,  you  will  have  to arrange your questions in order of importance. Although the relationship between you and your subject should be informal,  remember  that  the  nature  of  your  call  is business,  not  social. 10. Remember  your  sense  of  humor.  This  may break the initial ice or even save your interview if the interviewee has a negative attitude. 7-6