Generally speaking, everyone has their own way of doing these kinds of things- this is my way. Take it as your own, or change any aspect of it to make it work, it’s all good.
Step 1: Prepare a set of questions- five questions is a good number. There’s no fluffy filler questions, but enough to generate a reasonably well sized article.
Step 2: Email the writer in question and ask them if they want to be interviewed. If you don’t have their email address, contact their CO. Your own CO can provide you with their contact information. Include the questions you prepared earlier- this will allow them to see exactly what the interview is about.
Step 3: Confirm promptly. If you want to change the questions, now’s a good time.
Step 4: Wait for answers! If there’s no response after five days, send a brief and polite reminder. I usually mention that if they’re too busy it’s not a problem- interviews are optional and they usually aren’t timely. It can wait.
Step 5: Paydirt! You have your answers. From here, you should write the article. It should be written in the first person (“Today, I interviewed Alleran Tan of the USS Independence…”), and the purpose of your prose is to provide a bridge between the responses the interviewee provided.
Important: Formatting changes aside, never change the words of those you interview. This includes typos and mistakes- as a text-based transcription, it’s important that their words are transcribed faithfully. If you’re concerned about typos, ask your subject if you can perform a minor grammar cleanup, and show it to them before you publish it. In fact…
Step 6: Before publishing the article, show a content-complete version to your subject. It doesn’t have to be formatted correctly, just that the text of the interview is complete. If the subject requests changes, make them promptly and completely- this is also another chance for the subject to change their mind about the interview. If the subject, at any time including now, requests the interview not be published you should honour that request and no reason is required.
Step 7: Go to WordPress and put the article into a new post. Format it nicely, using the ‘block quote’ button for any quotes in the article. Don’t forget to tick the ‘Send to Twitter’ button and add the ‘More’ button, along with a right-aligned image with relevance to the interview. If you’re stuck for an image, use the image from their profile if they have one.
Step 8: When you’re satisfied with the article, hit ‘Submit for Review’. Wait for it to be published on the website! This may take some time, so be patient.
Step 9: When the article is published, email your subject and let them know, including a link to the finished product. Remember to thank them for their time- they made it possible!
Hope this was helpful. Good luck with anyone who wants to do an interview!
HowTo: Writer Interviews, Part II
We are a star trek roleplaying game
We are a free, fun, and friendly community of Star Trek fans who write collaborative fiction together. It’s easy to join – we’ll teach you everything you need to know!
Latest Mission Reports
StarBase 118 Ops Celebrates Frontier Day and Welcomes New Commanding Officer
Federation News Service
November 13, 2024
Read More »
Prime Directive Crisis Emerges During USS Artemis Search and Rescue Mission in Borderlands
Federation News Service
November 10, 2024
Read More »
USS Astraeus and USS Chin’toka return to service after Frontier Day repairs
Federation News Service
November 8, 2024
Read More »
Latest Interviews
Award winner – Randal Shayne – USS Arrow – (Christopher Pike Pendant)
Lhandon Nilsen
February 19, 2024
Read More »
Latest News
Award Winner – Kirsty Lee Carpenter, USS Ronin (Shaxs Star – Security/Tactical)
Salkath
November 11, 2024
Read More »
OOC Activities
Looking for something fun to do? We have a whole list of fleet activities that are looking for members like yourself! Check out the Fleet Activity List today to see where you’ll fit in.