When you're being interviewed by a professional journalist for publication, there are a few basic rules you should follow. This is not rocket science. This is not even taxicab-driving school. I had a couple experiences in the past few days that leave me muttering, smacking my palm against my forehead and wishing I could reach through the phone to knock some sense into the nitwit on the other end.
Instead, I'll share my wisdom (or warnings?) with you.
If someone asks you to answer a question, just answer it. Don't hem and haw and start over a quote 15 times, each time saying "strike that, please don't use that, I'd rather you forget I said that..." I've learned that if you go with your gut, you'll sound much more eloquent and much less scripted (and therefore much less brainless and idiotic).
After you've finished answering the questions, please do not say any of the following:
"Oh, you've understood what I mean. Feel free to adjust my quotes to make them sound better."
"Hey, don't let me sound stupid."
"I'm not sure if that makes any sense. What do you think? Can you say it better?"
Ok, people. This is me interviewing you. If I were going to interview myself, I wouldn't have called you.
Careful prefacing any interview with the phrase: "I got burned by the media in the past..."
We writer-types either want to prove to you that we all don't completely suck, or we want to reinforce just how moronic you really are. Generally, I've found that those who say they've been misquoted were actually quoted correctly and are simply stupid.
Instead, I'll share my wisdom (or warnings?) with you.
If someone asks you to answer a question, just answer it. Don't hem and haw and start over a quote 15 times, each time saying "strike that, please don't use that, I'd rather you forget I said that..." I've learned that if you go with your gut, you'll sound much more eloquent and much less scripted (and therefore much less brainless and idiotic).
After you've finished answering the questions, please do not say any of the following:
"Oh, you've understood what I mean. Feel free to adjust my quotes to make them sound better."
"Hey, don't let me sound stupid."
"I'm not sure if that makes any sense. What do you think? Can you say it better?"
Ok, people. This is me interviewing you. If I were going to interview myself, I wouldn't have called you.
Careful prefacing any interview with the phrase: "I got burned by the media in the past..."
We writer-types either want to prove to you that we all don't completely suck, or we want to reinforce just how moronic you really are. Generally, I've found that those who say they've been misquoted were actually quoted correctly and are simply stupid.
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