HOW TO WRITE AN INTERVIEW

Before you can do anything, you must have the proper tools. The tools needed for a writer or reporter is a small writing pad and a lot of sharpened pencils or an erasable pen. You will be surprised how many times you will want to edit, rewrite, change, or correct a word or even an entire sentence; before you are happy with what you wrote.

A good point to remember is after you finish your story put it away. Come back to it later and read it again. You will see, that maybe you will want to change a word or rewrite a sentence. If not, then it is ready to be submitted. Click on the Submission Page and follow the instructions.

RESEARCHING YOUR SUBJECT

• Visit your library to find books, magazines and information on all kinds of subjects.
  

• Google and search the internet to find new and updated information.
  

• Write down all the things that you find interesting and important.
  

• Be sure to have enough background information on your subject and the person you want to interview.

• To interview someone in person might be difficult because many people travel or live in different parts of the country. For instance, if you are writing a sports article, your player and his team might be “on the road” traveling. So make a phone call or write a letter and ask “what would be a good time to schedule an interview?”

• Prepare questions ahead of time. Questions that are interesting to you as well as other kids. Have them written down because when you finally get the chance to meet or talk to your subject, you might get excited and forget what you wanted to ask.

• If you do not know what to ask, remember the H and FIVE W's.

• How? Who? What? When? Where and Why?

• Every word you write should be based on the truth, unless of course you are writing a Fiction Story. In either case, please be sure to spell all names and places correctly. Do not be afraid to ask, “...and how do you spell that?”

• To make your article more alive and vivid, try adding words that describe a color, shape and size.

• If you want to add your opinion to the article, you might want to say, “In my opinion...”

• If your article is mostly your opinion on a particular subject, event or an idea, then your article would be placed in the editorial section.

  Writing is great fun.

  Enjoy and Welcome to The Main Street Journal.

   

  See an example of an interview from one of the original Main Street Journal journalists.