Hint #8 Ace expert interviews

MAGAZINE HEALTH WRITING BASIC 12 part – 8

Interviewing experts and using quotes to back up what you say will give your health article credibility with both editors and readers. You may hold strong opinions and know the subject you’re writing about, but good sources add depth and dimension to your piece. Even if  you’re a health or medical professional writing about your own specialty, it never hurts to quote other experts or just speak with them to uncover information that may help validate your statements.

If you don’t have a health or medical background, quoting or paraphrasing health experts is essential. Two or three interviews may be enough for a short piece (500 words or less). Six or seven  interviews or more  is typical for in-depth articles or features. Read a few articles of the same length and style in the publication you’re writing for to see what kind and how many expert sources they prefer. If you’re still not sure, ask your editor.

Do your research and plan your questions before the interview. Don’t just call an oncologist and say, ‘What’s going on in breast cancer?’ But do call or email in advance to set up the interview time because top experts are crazy busy. You don’t want to miss a deadline because you had an expert reschedule at the last minute.

If you’re writing an article for a national or international audience, select sources from different locations. Get a good digital voice recorder that plugs into your phone for recording (through a Radio Shack device) and plugs into your computer for transcribing.

Six tips to loosen lips

Great experts can make or break a health feature. But sometimes all you get is stock answers, jargon, or generalizations. When your article absolutely depends on expert input, try these strategies:

1. Put the expert at ease. The more an interviewee understands the nature of your call, the less suspicious and more forthcoming he will be.
2. Set the direction, but let the expert do the talking. If you jump in with your own opinions you’ll miss some good quotes, and you can’t quote yourself.
3. Listen with an open mind. Start with a set of informed questions. But be flexible if something better comes up–it could change your article for the better.
4. Ask more “why” questions than “what.” This will encourage explanations. If the expert won’t stop generalizing, take notes anyway. Then pick something and ask him to elaborate. When the interviewee says something important, slow him down so you can get all the details in context and in perspective. You want pithy quotes and pearls of wisdom, not just a bunch of facts.
5. Wrap up with a review. Go back over your notes with the person you’re interviewing so he can fill in gaps and give more information.
6. Ask what you didn’t ask. Make a habit of asking every interviewee if you’ve left anything out that might interest readers. The expert may be aware of something percolating in the field that you didn’t know to ask.

Happy Health Writing,

Kathy Summers

[See the full list of 12 hints here: 12 Hints for Magazine Health Writers]