Comments on: 7 Great Places to Find Interview Subjects

By: Clair DeLune

Clair DeLune — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:29:54 +0000

Lynette,
I have been writing and interviewing as a full-time job for decades and one tip I have when writing something a bit outside your area of expertise is to pre-interview your subject and get them to send you a list of things they want to be asked. Of course this is never done in an investigative piece – for that you need to be on top of your subject, but for most non-adversarial interviews you will find that your subjects welcome someone who is interested in asking what the key points are… rather than bluff their way through and miss the crux of the story. Hope it helps! Also, always write down your questions ahead of time… you will forget one or two you wanted to ask in the meanderings of a normal interview. The pre-interview is a great setting for an e-mail exchange, but I would not give up the chance to have the interaction of a conversational interview – in person or by phone. The paths that open up are the keys to a great interview, in my opinion.

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Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:00:51 +0000

[...] 7 Great Places to find Interview Subjects [...]

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Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:54:59 +0000

[...] 7 Great Places to Find Interview Subjects [...]

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Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:57:35 +0000

[...] – If you really want to know about a specific topic, interview experts in the [...]

By: Randy Roedl On Wordpress Blogs

Randy Roedl On Wordpress Blogs — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:22:54 +0000

[...] Looking to spice up your blog with an interview? Check out 8 Great Places to Find Interview Subjects [...]

By: Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.

Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:46:36 +0000

Forget to mention an interview source that works well for me: colleagues in your industry. Many people shy away from their competitors, but they are usually very willing to share and offer a needed different perspective on the industry.

By: Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D.

Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:42:50 +0000

Thanks for these great tips. I believe adding interviews to your writing, blogs or websites adds color and dimension.

By: Weekend Link Karma | Copyblogger

Weekend Link Karma | Copyblogger — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:13:57 +0000

[...] Looking to spice up your blog with an interview? Check out 8 Great Places to Find Interview Subjects [...]

By: Jodee

Jodee — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:43:54 +0000

@ Linette: I ask myself what I would like to find out about the topic and use that as a basis for asking questions. If the topic has been in the news recently, you could go with that angle. HTH.

By: Linette

Linette — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 18:32:55 +0000

I have a couple interviews lined up, but what I’m terrified of is asking the questions. How do you know what to ask in an interview? I’m always terrified they’re going to think I’m an idiot if I ask the wrong questions.

There’s not much out there, if you do a Google search. Most of the results are for job interview questions.

By: Jodee

Jodee — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:17:15 +0000

@ Melissa: When I post a query on ProfNet, I always specify that I am looking for someone willing to be interviewed by e-mail.

A professional association may have members wiling to give interviews. I now have a contact at the National Association of Social Workers in Washington and she has been very helpful in helping me find interview subjects.

By: SOB Business Cafe 01-25-08 - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You are only a stranger once.

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:39:13 +0000

[...] 8 Great Places to Find Interview Subjects [...]

By: Janet

Janet — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 15:11:27 +0000

Thanks, Phil — I’ll check them out!

By: Renee Banzhaf

Renee Banzhaf — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:55:56 +0000

I would like to suggest another source. Universities and colleges usually maintain a speakers list of the people on the faculty that want to be contacted for expert advice, opinions, etc. I have not checked Profnet (as I have no need at the moment) so I don’t know if they might have the same people. The Community College that I worked for requested that any faculty interested should be on the list. I just thought I would add that as a source though if anyone has more direct experience on this, perhaps they could add some more information

By: Lela

Lela — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:13:27 +0000

This is helpful. Thank you.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:50:46 +0000

First, I want to point out that after only about a week reading this site, I got a gig from one of your postings. Thanks! I’ll have to hit that tip jar when the checks start coming in.

But now to my two rookie questions.

Have you all found that the, e.g., Profnet people are willing to conduct interviews via email? It seems like a “duh” but as a reporter I had a few occasions in which email would have been the best way to “catch” my experts, but they didn’t consider it a real interview unless it was by phone or in person.

Second, about the local sources. If you’re writing for a national audience and quoting the head of the medical center in your fairly non-Gotham area, will the reader discount it?

Thanks to anyone with the patience to take the above questions on.

By: Erricka

Erricka — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:48:12 +0000

PROFNET IS GREAT !!!! I do a lot of medical writing and they have an expesrt for every kind of medical condition, medical research, disease info, health care reform, drugs, you name it.

By: Susan Johnston

Susan Johnston — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 02:01:34 +0000

Another tip for using Amazon.com: you can search by publication date to find a book on your topic that coincides with your projected publication date to make it more timely.

There’s also a group on facebook run by Peter Shankman (I think it’s called “I’ll help a reporter out…”) where Peter takes requests from writers, sends them out to the group, and helps them find all manner of experts or “real people” sources.

By: Sue

Sue — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:54:13 +0000

Other places I’ve looked: Amazon or BN.com is a great place to find expert sources. It might take a little work but they are among the best sources I’ve come across. Authors are always looking for the chance to plug a book.

Local colleges and universities: they always have experts. The public information department is always the best first step. Many colleges put out regular press releases if you sign up for their mailing list, so you can get great ideas that way, too.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:28:45 +0000

Janet,

Perhaps you should check business wire. They have something that competes with Profnet. I was already an “oldbie” before I registered, didn’t know there was a track record issue.

By: Janet

Janet — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:41:13 +0000

I know a couple of people who weren’t allowed to register with ProfNet because their publicaton track record wasn’t good enough. I get the feeling they’re not for newbies.

By: Ann G.

Ann G. — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:33:17 +0000

Depending on your topic, authors LOVE being interviewed, especially if they are promoting a new book that ties in.

I know that when I allowed author interviews on my website, I would get about 10 requests a day for interviews.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:10:01 +0000

Don’t provide phone number on Profnet because as Deb says, you may get innundated, often by PR people who have clients that don’t even come close to meeting your needs.

I try to use an early cut-off to responses, otherwise you’ll get e-mails for weeks.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:27:02 +0000

Profnet, as you mentioned.

By: RLD

RLD — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 18:17:25 +0000

Thanks for the list!