The Art of the Interview with Michael Balter


Great journalism requires great interviewing skills. We will discuss how to make fast “cold” calls, how many sources and interviews are enough for the kind of story you are writing, how to know when you know enough (or whether you know what you think you know.) Asking the right questions, listening to the answers, asking follow-ups, getting the facts right. How to ask “stupid” questions and how to ask smart ones. The proper relationship between a reporter and an interview subject, avoiding too much familiarity, understanding who your interview subjects are and their motivations for talking to you. How to get good quotes and good information.

And once you have the interview, how do you make the best use of what your subjects have said? When and how to use quotes in stories, when to paraphrase.

We will watch and listen to excellent interviews as examples, and discuss them. We will finish by doing some in class interviews of our own.

Event Location and Ticket Information

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Hudson Valley Writers’ Center
300 Riverside Drive
Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591
Handicap Accessible? Yes

Date: Saturday, July 21, 2018
Times: 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Ticket pricing:

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- $124