Put Your Phone Down and Listen to this Podcast
How to Interview Someone
Mike Steven describes interviewing as “Shooting the Breeze” and rightly so because if you’re a journalist, travel writer, or author, simply asking questions is not always likely to get you the answers you want or need. In fact, a meaningful conversation goes much farther than a list of obligatory sounding questions. The “Interviewing Tips with Guest, Mike Stevens,” podcast episode takes you through some of the most important techniques and suggestions you’ll need to turn an interview into a fabulous conversation.
In spite of our goal to collect information for the purpose of creating a story, we need to focus our efforts on creating a relaxed environment. Journalists often approach an interview solely as a means to get answers from the respondent but they fail to realize that one-word or one-sentence answers when transcribed to a page, will do little to engage their readers. Strive for a conversation-starter and take it from there.
As for Mike Stevens, if you don’t know him, it’s time you listen to his entrancing voice and often hilarious stories of the people he met as host of “On the Pennsylvania Road.” After handing the reigns to his colleague, Jon Meyer, Mike wasn’t ready to fully retire after more than 35 years as host.
He took up blogging under the title, “Stevens Says” and started a podcast known as “The Slow Lane.” Moreover, Mike is an author, guest speaker, and a contributor to the Saturday morning “Home and Backyard Show,” and in his spare time (I use the word spare loosely), he’s often looking to discover an uncharted town along a Pennsylvania road. Of all the places he has visited, he’s reluctant to name one as his favorite and I suspect the reason is he takes the time to meet and interview the locals. I’m sure he also finds an ice cream shop.
On that note, it’s time to put your phone down and listen intently to the podcast.
Thank you, Mike, for taking the time to join me in the Keystone College recording studio.
And many thanks to Ryan Evans, station manager, for recording and editing this show.
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