JAWS CAMP 2013

Interviewing is the most essential tool of journalism, no matter the platform or style. Yet many stories fail before a writer ever sits down at the keyboard. They suffer from the question not asked, the detail not gathered, the description not noticed. We'll explore interviewing as both art and craft – a range of skills that can be learned and strengthened over time, and applied to different reporting situations. We’ll look at interviewing as more than the usual Q-and-A, but rather as a vibrant dynamic that elicits dazzling quotes and relevant anecdotes, and turns subjects into storytellers. We'll discuss the purpose of various interviews, and explore how the purpose shapes the approach. Time allowed, we'll do some troubleshooting around your thorniest interview challenges, from gaining access to asking that tough question.