News Cool Stuff Swap Shop Archives Tips in Trade Interviewing for Articles that Sell by Beth Fowler Interviews provide the basis of personality profiles and background information for feature articles. Quotations obtained during interviews ignite a spark of life in both types of articles, setting them apart from encyclopedic rehashes, not that you won't be perusing an encyclopedia. Doing the Homework Before interviewing people, research the subject thoroughly. Gather basic facts, unique insights and opposing views from sources before interviewing the key person.
Thorough research yields several advantages.
First, you'll be armed with questions that couldn't have been answered simply by looking in a reference book. This sets you apart from amateurs. When I asked the director of a national association what she thought about newspaper articles alleging the government wasted money using her firm's services, she responded vehemently and in detail. She obviously wanted to set the record straight. Had I not researched the topic, I would not have known about the allegation.