Doubleteamed
Interviewing just one person can be a pain, but interviewing several at a time seems impossible. I spoke to a few writers who have led roundtable discussions on how to best deal with the situation when you’re rounding up the quotes.
“It’s a good idea to have a recording device, which in this case not only ensures quote accuracy but also helps keep track of who said what. If you’re able, try to set a ground rule against interruptions — that interviewees should allow each person finish speaking before presenting differing perspectives. (Interruptions will happen anyway, but it never hurts to try.) Be willing to let the conversation flow — if something is catching the interest of the group, let it happen. You can always bring it back to any planned questions later,” says Andrew Huff, editor of Gapers Block, who will be leading a roundtable discussion tonight (disclosure: I will be a part of this discussion.)
Jenni Prokopy of Orange Grove Media and editor of Chronic Babe agrees that it’s important to organize, and while it’s good to let the conversation flow, don’t let it flow all over you. “It’s important to be assertive and really lead the discussion, knowing how much time you want everyone to spend on one uestion, or else it will go on tangents everywhere.”
Organization is key. “Get people to identify themselves before they speak,” says Jenni, who says that otherwise, transcription can be a nightmare. “I like to send an email out ahead of time including the questions, asking them to identify themselves and not to speak over each other by pausing for a second before they response.”
Finally, be like a teacher. “I keep track of who has responded and who hasn’t, so I can call out people and encourage them to speak up if they haven’t.”
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