A glimpse of hope for journo newbs!

The publication ‘Writers' Forum’ covered a feature on ‘Writing profiles and Interviews’ by Melissa Lawrence.

Melissa Lawrence gives hope to inexperienced writers, outlining where she started, what she did and how she became a ‘successful freelance journalist and writer.

Lawrence started out as a teacher, but soon discovered that this was not her calling and so she began an adult education course in ‘writing’.
Her immediate ambition was to get published and very soon after starting her new career she made into the Guardian.
A clear message that resonates throughout the article is that without putting herself out there, conquering her fear of interviews and by simply being pro-active, she would not have been as successful as she is.

She gives tips on interviewing:
- Put the interviewee at ease and establish a rapport with them, despite how nervous you might be feeling.
- Listen to the answers. Don’t worry if you stray from your list of questions.
- Do not be opinionated but at the same time try not to be too distant otherwise the person may not open up to you.
- Practical – Staple your sheets of questions together as to save from confusion.
- If you need a little break to gather thoughts, ask a question that you do not need the answer for so you can catch up.

Lawrence reveals some of her simple but effective ‘moves’; from pitching ideas to editors to over-preparing before the interviews in order to ease the nerves and writing up her notes straight after as ‘deciphering her handwriting’ was made impossible if she left it a couple of hours after the interview. (Something that would certainly benefit me; with handwriting equivalent to a seven year olds'.
Her interviews would last around 45 minutes and most were conducted whilst still in her pyjamas; finding phone-interviews ‘made the process seem less scary’.
It did on a few occasions however, go wrong which is why she emphasises the importance of checking the facts, i.e. spelling of interviewee’s name, contact details, age etc.

Lawrence wraps up by leaving a final note of hope:
“Believe me, if I can do it, with no journalism training, no shorthand and no contacts in the media industry, then so can you.”

Writers' Forum: http://www.writers-forum.com/
Melissa Lawrence: http://www.melissalawrence.co.uk/index.html