How to interview storytellers

Your service users are often the best people to tell your story. They’re the ones at the frontline, using your services and getting the greatest impact from your work. But how can you interview them effectively?

 

 

Prepare open questions

 

It’s one thing chatting to someone about their experiences of your charity. It’s quite another to get the solid material you’ll need to be able to write an emotive story. Preparation is key.

 

When you’ve lined up an interview with your storyteller, prepare questions beforehand. You might want to go back to your internal contact to find out a bit more about the person you’ll be speaking with. Also, have a rough idea of what you want the story to focus on so you can shape your questions around it.

 

You want to show your charity’s impact, so the following generally works well:

• Before: How was the person’s life before using your service?
• During: How did they hear about the charity and what services did/do they use?
• After: How is their life different now as a result?

From there you can write your questions, though more will naturally crop up during the conversation.

 

 

Make sure your equipment works

 

You’ll want to make sure your recording equipment is working and fully charged (whether laptop, video or voice recorder). It’s also reassuring to have backup – you might choose to record on both a laptop and a voice recorder in case one fails.

 

And always have a notepad and pen to hand. As well as being a last resort in case all tech fails, it’s handy to jot down any additional questions that pop into your mind while the interview is underway.

 

 

Make your storyteller feel at ease

 

You may well be talking about emotive issues, so make the person feel as at ease as you can. At the beginning of the conversation, remind them of the purpose of the article. Thank them for their time, and highlight how their story will help (for example, helping other people to benefit from your services, or encouraging more people to donate to your charity).

 

Your interviewee might be nervous. So it’s good to start with some easy-to-answer factual questions. It will help you to nail down the basics and allow the storyteller to relax into the conversation.

 

At the end, make sure the person is comfortable with what they’ve shared and remind them that you’ll send a draft to make sure they’re happy with what will be put out into the world. It’s their story after all – and it’s important to respect that.

 

 

Keep strong time boundaries

 

It’s generous of people to share their stories with you, and they’re giving up their time to do so. Right from the outset be very clear about how long you think the interview will take (usually an hour is plenty) and then stick to your time boundaries. As well as respecting your storyteller’s time, it will make you both focus on the task in hand.

 

Sometimes people have a lot to say about their experiences. In these cases, it can be helpful to give them reminders of how time is left of the interview, and give a ten-minute reminder towards the end. You may well find that you get the best material right at the end of the interview, so this time warning can help them to focus on what they really want to get across – there’s nothing like a deadline!

 

 

Connect with the emotion

 

You’ll need make sure you get factual questions answered (‘Which of our services did you use?’ or ‘How long were you using them?’ etc). But to be able to write an impactful story you need a sense of immediacy and emotion.

 

Simply asking someone ‘How did you feel when you received the diagnosis?’ or ‘Do you remember where you were when you heard you were going to lose your home?’ can help take them back to a moment in time, which in turn can remind them of how they felt.

 

Emotions are key to connecting with your audience. 

 

 

Be sensitive to what they tell you

 

Be very sensitive to what you’re being told – especially if you’re asking them to tell you about a time that was challenging or traumatic. If you sense they’re becoming overwhelmed, take a step back. Go at their pace and never push them to talk about something they’re not comfortable with. Check in with them and ask if they’re okay to carry on talking.

 

At the end of the conversation make sure they’re solidly in the present. Ask them how they’re feeling about all that they’ve shared, or chat about what they’re doing with the rest of their day. And on a practical note, run through what the next steps are and when they can expect to receive a draft to look over. Finally make sure you leave them with a very big thank you.