Writing an Interview Script

Gathering information from interviews is really simple. You ask the right questions and get the right answers.

But what do you think will happen if you go to the interview without doing any preliminary research?

Let's imagine you are going to interview a Chief Executive Office of an organisation. Your brief for the article includes facts like this person is the youngest in the history of the company to reach CEO. He also sits on the boards of several institutes -- Again, the youngest person to attain this level.

As the interviewer, you want to know as much as possible about the person, the company he works for and his special interests. You want to go into the interview as prepared as possible.

During the interview if you mention information about him or the company, he will know you have done your homework and you are interested in what he has to say.

This is how I would prepare:

  • Telephone the organisation and ask for the public relations department. If the company doesn't have one, ask for the name of their consultant.
  • Request a media pack. This usually contains the latest press releases, profile of the company, perhaps a brochure, web site address, and so on. Tell either the public relations department or the consultant you are going to write an article about the CEO. This admission will prompt the person you are dealing with to ensure you are given everything they have on the top man.
  • Check the web site and download anything that could be of interest.
  • Put the person's name into a search engine in case he has written any papers or articles that have been published. Download them.
  • Look up the web sites for the institutes that he has a special interest in.
  • Read through all the gathered material and write a statement on what the article is about and also write a brief/detailed outline of what you want to include and the direction you want the article to take.
  • Write a script containing all the questions you are going to ask at the interview. Even if you have managed to find some of the details elsewhere, still ask the questions. This is a good way of double-checking the facts.
  • Without the script you may not ask the right questions and the answers will not reveal the information you need to write a strong well-rounded article that meets the editor's brief.

    barb clews is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit barb clews to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.

    cleaning team near Winnetka ..
    In The News:

    Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
    Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
    iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
    Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
    FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
    Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
    Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
    Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
    Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
    Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
    The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
    Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
    New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
    FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
    New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
    OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
    Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
    New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
    DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
    Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
    Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
    Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
    A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.
    South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.
    Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

    Stimulate Your Writing With Some Creative Exercises

    Abandon your frustrations and get a fresh start by trying... Read More

    Put Your Recruiting on Auto Pilot

    Getting people to join your company can be hard work.... Read More

    Ten Top Tips For Good Article Writing For Promotion Of Your Business

    Writing and distributing articles on the internet is one of... Read More

    Writing Articles To Build Your Online Presence - A Beginners Guide

    One of the most effective (and free!) ways to get... Read More

    Adsense Authors: Who Are These People?

    Adsense is a program designed by Google to help publishers... Read More

    Stop Struggling and Write Your Article - Part II

    Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice... Read More

    Article Writing Made Simple

    A great way for self employed professionals to enhance their... Read More

    What to Look for in an Article Submission Site

    Ease of Submission With so many article distribution sites out... Read More

    5 Powerful Article Writing Tips

    Writing articles is one of the most powerful, if not... Read More

    Article Math: A Multiplying Effect!

    Writing for the internet requires that you create a large... Read More

    How Your Online Business Can Generate Loads Of Free Traffic From Articles

    The biggest challenge facing any online business today is how... Read More

    How To Increase Your Chances of Getting Your Article Published

    Publishers and webmasters can spend massive amounts of time just... Read More

    Whats YOUR Angle?

    So how can you make your article worth reading?It's all... Read More

    Publishing: Changing realities (I)

    When you frequently post articles on ezines, you might be... Read More

    Article Marketing 101 ? Article Writing Establishes You as an Expert

    If you market online, whether it be your own information... Read More

    Get High Quality Traffic by Writing Articles

    One of the best ways to promote your website is... Read More

    Do You Know the 7 Essential Parts that Make Up a Resource Box

    The Whole reason you write those articles is so you... Read More

    Why You Need an Article-Marketing Strategy before Posting a Single Article Online II

    This is Part 2 of a 2 part article -... Read More

    Why Keyword Articles Are Good for Your Business

    Content is an important component of your web site. Learning... Read More

    Article Marketing Benefits Online Retailers

    Strategically developing online content helps to ensure a small-business owner's... Read More

    The Online Writing Business Requires Constant and Regular Writing

    Many writers do not understand that the online writing business... Read More

    Simple Tricks to Maximize the Reach of Your Marketing Message

    Jim was working hard to grow his business. Long hours... Read More

    Interviews with Well-Known Ezine Writers #1: - Bob Leduc

    MS: Bob, how important have Ezine Articles been in achieving... Read More

    Sticky Leads

    The first twenty-five words of your article are the most... Read More

    20 Ways Posting Unique Articles Online will Bring You Fame and Fortune

    You're Invited... Visualize your article going out like a party... Read More

    family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..