How to write

It doesn’t matter what kind of fiction you write, the core of every genre and every story is the human condition.   This is true even if your characters aren’t Homo sapiens, because they will exhibit human traits, emotions and motivations.   Successful writers understand the people they write for and about.   You can learn through personal experience or the experiences of others.  If you must rely on the experience of others, you can go to the library, read autobiographies, articles, interviews, rummage through official documents or you can go directly to the source.  Over the years I’ve found that interviewing experts yields greater insights and understanding than second hand accounts.

Successful interviews begin with preparation.  Ask yourself what it is you need to learn.   What point do you wish to make?  Who would be in the best position to provide the necessary information? What are the right questions to ask?  How will you know when you have enough information?  You may need to interview more than one expert in your quest for information.  If so, your first interview should be conducted with someone who doesn’t mind filling you in on the big picture, since you may not know the key questions to ask or key contacts to question prior to this first interview.   

Reaching out to respected experts can be intimidating at first.  It requires courage to admit you know little, to believe you can write credibly and accurately or to risk rejection.  To take such risks, get your ego out of the way.  The interview isn’t about you, what you do or do not know. Rather it is about the other person, what they know or have experienced and what they are willing to share.  It is their story to tell, you must let them set the correct pace.  During the interview you must remain fully engaged.  Don’t let yourself get distracted, thinking of how you will frame an interesting fact or focusing on your surroundings.  Focus on the person you are interviewing, remain fully engaged in the content, the nuances and the nonverbal cues.  Use active listening skills to ensure you get the most out of your interview.  According to Dan Curtis, a professional personal historian, the following tips will help you become more engaged with the person you’re interviewing.

1. Establish eye contact.  
2. Use appropriate facial expressions.
3. Use verbal cues. Indicate that you’re actually listening use expressions such as, “I see.” “Uh, huh.” “Interesting.” “Mmm.” “Wow.”
4. Ask for clarification. Don’t be afraid to politely interrupt and ask your subject to explain something that’s not clear to you.
5. Provide a brief recap or summary. Summarizing demonstrates that you’re actively listening. It will sometimes prompt your subject to add more detail or explain more clearly what was on their mind.
6. Acknowledgment. If your subject has just finished telling you a touching or revealing story don’t abruptly move on to your next question. Make sure you pause and add a sentence or two that acknowledges your subject’s feelings.

Your skill at interviewing will improve with practice and time. Don’t give up if you have a lackluster experience or a subject who bores you to tears.  This is bound to happen and you will just need to chalk it up to a learning experience.  

Communication Conflicts