I am sure you have seen the interviews
that I, and many other authors, have posted on our blogs and
websites. The questions we ask each other are much the same: what
inspired your writing? Do you like to read? Why that specific genre,
story, age group, etc. Although we all try to be more creative and
add at least one or two questions that will make the interviewee
think for a moment or tickle their funny bone. And to be honest these
questions are relatively easy to ask and answer. The difficulty, that
I at least, now have to face is the questions that I want to ask a
non-writer. For research.
With the almost unlimited amount of
information available on the internet, we all use that to do most of
our research. What is the currency of Burundi? Which cars are
manufactured in South Africa? You know, facts and figures. But where
do you find out about the inspirations and creativity that people
employ in their daily lives, hobbies and experiences? You ask a human
being, of course.
The need to talk to someone as a means
of gaining information, needs a more sensitive and well-thought
through approach. The more sensitive the subject, the more
preparation work you need to do. Even if you are acquainted with the
person, determine the boundaries of your questions to respect their
feelings and privacy. Offer to show the final product to them before
you publish it, in whatever form it might be – article, blog post,
book chapter. Aside from any possible legal difficulties, you could
stand to loose a friend, and in my book that will the absolute worst
thing that could happen.
NOTE: This article is based on
preparation work that I am currently busy doing for two interviews
that I hope will eventually be posted here. In both cases the
information is intended for use in short stories that will be
published on Smashwords. Both interviewees have indicated the need
for privacy and even anonymity, for various reasons.
