Eric Nalder opens his article by discussing the importance of preparation. I already knew preparation was a big part of journalism, but I did not know how big. Nalder talks about how being prepared has gotten him a lot of information out of people. The more you know about the person and the topic, the easier it is to have a casual conversation.
Revealing too much information to someone can ruin your interview. Nalder says police do not ask, “Did you see the red car?” And instead ask, “what did you see?” This is a good approach in any type of investigative journalism. Asking the subject what they saw instead of giving them descriptions.
I really like Nalder’s advice to write down single-word references for yourself. Before or during an interview it is important to know what you plan to ask next. I like the idea of single-word references instead of bullet points with questions. It allows the interviewer to be more creative on the spot.
Nalder talks about the process he goes through before each interview. I think this is really important to have a ritual that you follow before each interview. We are all human, and we all get nervous. Having a ritual is something I need to create for myself. Nalder also talks about how journalists need to be straightforward, and you need to act like you belong there. Especially being a young journalist, I always worry about not belonging somewhere. I think acting like you belong is a positive trait that I want to be able to express.
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