Research for Writers: The Case for Conducting Interviews By Joseph L. Giacalone

Today, we have a guest who is not only an author, but an expert who himself is "the source" for his topic today. Joseph Giacalone is an author and a law enforcement supervisor. In today's post, Joesph is going to help us translate his professional and literary skill of interviewing into a rock-solid research tool.



Before we get to Joseph's post, I have a couple of quick in-house announcements. Over the weekend, I released my new mystery/thriller novel, The Lottery Ticket: A Novel on Kindle. I invite you to download the free sample from Amazon and help me spread the word.



Also, we have an opportunity this week for you to win one of two Kindle books in our Sunday Kindle Book Giveaway. All you have to do is leave a comment on the posts before Saturday and you qualify for the giveaway. I invite you to check out Phyllis Zimbler Miller's, Mrs. Lieutenant; A Sharon Gold Novel and Shelley Hitz's, Teen Devotionals...for Girls! and leave your comment today.



Now, on to Joseph's post on conducting interviews...





Research for Writers: The Case for Conducting Interviews

By Joseph L. Giacalone



"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing." -Wernher Von Braun



The old saying, "Write what you know," is great when you are writing for yourself. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction you choose how and what to write. Little or no research is necessary because you are the resource! Many of us do not have that luxury or expertise to write about certain topics, so we have to conduct extensive research. The process is time consuming, however, if you can master the art of interviewing, you can save yourself hours of aggravation and maybe you will become the resource in the future.



For those of us that had to go to a building called a "library," research takes on a different meaning. You found a book on your topic and would turn to their references for additional sources. It was a long and drawn out task. Now, we just have to turn to the Internet and type in a few choice phrases and within nanoseconds our research is done. It is cold, impersonal and sometimes detrimental to your work. Just because it is on the Internet doesn't make it true. I know that is hard for some of you to believe. Like the song goes, "Video Killed the Radio Star," and the Internet has killed the library.



I know it is blasphemous not to rely on Google for everything, but I enjoy going directly to the source. What better way to conduct research then to sit down and talk with an expert or the individual you are writing about. I do have an advantage over most people because I spent the better part of twenty years extracting information out of people, most of whom were uncooperative and had committed some of the most heinous acts upon humankind. However, through persistence and determination I obtained the necessary information.



When it comes to the topic of interviewing, you may describe yourself as apprehensive, introverted or something else, but those are only excuses. Most people are more than willing to share their knowledge with writers for no more compensation then a a sincere thank you. The interviewer can obtain a lifetime of information in the matter of minutes simply by asking the right questions. Do you want to know about court procedures? Ask a trial lawyer. Do you want to know what a panda bear eats? Ask a zoologist, Do you want to know about book marketing? Ask Tony Eldridge, etc.



There is a bonus that comes with working with experts. If they don't know an answer, they can turn you on to a source that can. Writers seeking information on how to effectively market themselves and their books should interview successful writers!



Interviewing is a skill you only get better at the more you do it. The first step is make a PACT with yourself to be a better interviewer.



Plan

Ask the right type of questions

Check the facts

Thank the interviewee



Plan



Before you conduct an interview, the writer should make a checklist. What information do I want? A plan keeps you focused and ensures that you will obtain the information that you seek. Inevitably, the interviewee will say something that sparks your interest and takes you on a tangent. The interviewer should be prepared for these "what if" scenarios, but must be able to bring the conversation back to the intended discussion, your research needs. During the interview you may discover that the culture is more interesting than the procedure itself. If so, be prepared to run with that.



Ask the right type of questions



The interviewer will develop a series of open and closed ended questions. The interviewer should always start off with an open ended question which is designed to elicit a story. For example, "What made you decide to be a lawyer?" or "Tell me about the first case that you won." A closed ended question is used to establish facts. For example, "What university did you attend?" Closed ended questions are also a way to verify information that you received so that you and the interviewee are comfortable with what was said. No one wants to be misquoted.



Remember, an interview is a two-way conversation with a purpose. Sometimes the interviewee wants to ask you questions in return in a little "quid pro quo." The interviewer should be ready for this. For example, they might ask you, "How did you get involved in writing?" or "Where have you been published?"



Check the facts



I adopted the old maxim that carpenters use, "Measure twice and cut once," for my research but with a twist. I "Check facts twice and write once." There are many nefarious characters out there who purport to be someone or something else, especially on the Net. One way the researcher can avoid this problem is to ask for referrals from other writers that used the person as a source in the past and verified their qualifications.



Thank the interviewee



Everyone likes to be thanked after they have donated their time. With today's technology it is even easier to express your gratitude. A simple E-mail thanking the person for their time can go a long way and keep the lines of communication open for the future. For those special people that made your work come to fruition, an acknowledgement should be added to your book.



Conducting research through interviews can be daunting at times, but once you overcome the fear the recipe is quite easy: First, develop your research plan, sprinkle in a few open and closed ended questions, stir in some fact checking and add a thank you!







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Joseph L. Giacalone is a 20 year law enforcement supervisor and author of the Criminal Investigative Function: A Guide for New Investigators. He is also an adjunct professor at john Jay College of Criminal Justice and in his spare time authors the Cold Case Squad Blog http://www.coldcasesquad.com



You can follow Joe on Twitter @JoeGiacalone @ColdCaseSquad and on the web at http://www.joegwrites.com









  



























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Tony Eldridge is the author of The Samson Effect , an action/adventure novel that Clive Cussler calls a "first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure." He is also the author of the Twitter marketing book, Conducting Effective Twitter Contests . His new novel, The Lottery Ticket , was just recently released on Kindle.