Check out the article Interviewing: The Ignored Skill written by Bob Steele, Poynter faculty member, and the follow up discussion. The discussion is between professional journalists, students and writers.
If you're not a professional journalist and you have to interview people, this article and discussion is a wondrous learning experience. I think we achieve another level of learning when we approach a subject that isn't specifically targeted towards us and weld it to our own needs.
Right off the bat you know this article and discussion are not aimed at bloggers. So you engage with the mindset of how can I apply what I am learning to my blog or writing? This gives you an edge. It causes your brain to be more alert. You're ready to pounce on an interesting morsel like a panther on a python. Then you achieve vapor lock on the material and it sinks in.
I chiseled the following few quotes from the discussion. You really need to dig into the entire, rich, discussion. You'll be glad you did.
From Becky Blanton - Becky is discussing an FBI approach to interviewing "...The first glimmer of judgment, shock or negative emotion the person glimpses in you - they'll shut down."
Becky on background preparation - "ALL the relevant facts are online or in the press kit. So ask about something totally unexpected that will make YOUR story stand out from the half-dozen others."
From Greg Tingle - "Most importantly....be INTERESTED."
From Foster Winans - "What I took away from that, internalized after all these years, is to care less whether the person I am interviewing thinks I'm smart or informed, and care passionately that I have clearly understood the details of and the meaning behind the answers."
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