Do tell: How to get stories in an interview

Go beyond the basics of news reporting

These questions are journalistic tools that can help us find stories — or condemn us to a lifetime of cranking out just-the-facts-ma’am pieces.

To do more of the former and less of the latter, shift focus. When you’re interviewing for story, Richard Zahler of The Seattle Times suggests, reframe the five W’s. Let:

Who become character
What become plot
When become chronology
Where become setting
Why become motivation

Using this approach, “what,” for example, is transformed into questions like:

“What happened next?”
“What were you thinking when …?”
“What made you say that?”

Those questions can lead beyond just the facts to fascinating anecdotes.

How can you tell better business stories?
Stories are so effective that Og Mandino, the late author of the bestselling The Greatest Salesman in the World, says, “If you have a point, find a story.”
Learn to find, develop and write stories that engage readers’ hearts and minds at Master the Art of Storytelling, our business-storytelling workshop starting May 17.
There, you’ll learn how to find the aha! moment that’s the gateway to every anecdote. How to start an anecdote with a bang — instead of a whimper. And how to use “the most powerful form of human communication” to grab attention, boost credibility, make messages more memorable and communicate better.
Save up to $100 with our group discounts.