Should you do an Interview? I’m Glad you Asked
Q: In earlier postings you have described formulas professionals can use to write an article efficiently. Are there any others?
A: An interview format can be effective.
Q: But don’t you have to wait around for a journalist to find and then interview you or convince some journalist to? And even then don’t you sacrifice a lot of control over the piece?
A: Not necessarily. In my experience, though the journalist sometimes seeks out the expert, as likely as not it was the subject of the interview who sought out the journal. Three times I have interviewed colleagues and once wrote out a series of questions and silently interviewed myself, typing my answers into my laptop. All four interviews were published in reputable journals.
Q: Is there an ethical issue here?
A: I don’t think so. As long as the answers are honest, I’m not sure it matters who asked the questions. The publications didn’t name someone else as the interviewer. The format does imply that you have some authority on a subject—a good thing—but so does a bylined article. And most likely, you do have some authority on the subject of the interview
Q: Are there advantages to the interview format?
A: It’s engages the reader who can scan the questions and dip in to read the answers that interest her. Its loose structure allows you to wander across an array of topics not possible within the development of a theme required in bylined pieces. The questions can change the direction of the piece more abruptly than is possible in an article.
Q: What about the time commitment?
A: It usually takes less time to write than a traditional article.
Q: How does one go about writing one?
A: It’s quite simple. You sit down alone or with colleagues and develop a list of questions. Include both those the clients frequently ask and some of those you wish they would ask. Sort them by subject. Winnow them down and then write down your answers.
Q: Are there any disadvantages?
A: Yes. Many journals won’t accept a piece in this format. Those that do are amazingly diverse, from blogs to trade journals to large circulation publications.
Q: Do you have an example of another blog posting or other electronic media use of this format?
A: Yes. Take a look at my posting, He Talks Too Much. Suzanne Lowe uses this format in her newsletter The Marketplace Master™. Michael McLaughlin does, too in Management Consulting News. It’s a flexible format enhances your reputation, and that allows you to put something together fast. What more could you ask for?
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David Maister, author of Strategy and the Fat Smoker and co-author of The Trusted Advisor (with Charles Green and Robert Galford)