How to get stories in an interview
“Who?” “What?” “When?” “Where?” “Why?”
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.
Master the Art of Storytelling
Tap ‘the most powerful form of human communication’
It's “the most powerful form of human communication,” according to Peg Neuhauser, author of Corporate Legends and Lore.
Indeed, stories can help you grab attention, boost credibility, make your messages more memorable — even communicate better.
At Master the Art of Storytelling — our two-day hands-on creative-writing master class on Feb. 19-20, 2019, in San Diego — you’ll learn to find, develop and write stories that engage readers’ hearts and minds. Specifically, you’ll learn how to:
- Find the aha! moment that’s the gateway to every anecdote.
- Elicit juicy stories with the key question to ask during an interview.
- Organize your material into a powerful story in just three steps with our simple storytelling template.
Learn more about our
San Diego master class.
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