Nothing is more fun than asking a total stranger sensitive, personal questions. No, wait. It's horrible.

Sometimes, interviews involve asking subjects sensitive questions about topics that people they don't want to talk about: divorce, miscarriage, breakups, arrests. However, this is usually the stuff that makes the story so you can't eschew it ("eschew." Like that? I got an 800 on the verbal section of the SAT.) Here are a few ways to make asking awkward questions a little easier.

First, apply the golden rule. Be patient and sensitive but straightforward: the way you would hope somebody would be with you if they were asking you about such matters.

In addition, though, it helps if you can 'bluff' a little bit, according to this article on interviewing. No lying, of course, but if you're asking about a sensitive subject, show your knowledge, and act as if you know more than you do. If the subject thinks you know something already than she might not want to share, she might feel like she's simply adding details to something you already know, as opposed to talking more fully about something that's possibly painful.

It's still hard to broach the subject, but there are some ways to get around to it. Save the hard questions for last, in case you're worrying about having the awkwardness hang over the whole conversation.

I like blaming other people, mainly, my editor. Admit that you might be treading on sensitive territory, but say "My editor wants me to ask..." Or, some faceless other entity, like "How would you respond to someone who questioned your motive when you..." The subject will know this is something that you need to know but you might not feel like as much of a bad guy.

Start with a basic, non-direct question. Instead of "tell me about your divorce," say, "What year did you get divorced?" This may open the person up to talk a bit about how they felt at the time. Needless to say, if this is a subject where records are involved that you can get a hold of, like divorce, court or police records, do your homework first.

If you have to play hardball over more scurrilous topics, the "How to Interview" article has more suggestions. "In a playful and almost friendly way, say, 'Okay, let me be the Devil's advocate here...did you really sleep with your best friends dog?' or try blaming the question on some innocuous third party, 'You know what others are saying... that you slept with your best friend's dog...'"

Or, ask astraightforward question, and "then follow that up by reminding the subject that to readers silence can imply guilt, or at least result in speculation of innocence.

If you are still having troubles, break and speak with your editor, who might have some suggestions on other possible ways to get the information, plus, you might catch your subject on a bad day and it might be easier to try again another time. And if your subject freaks out, don't blame it on yourself. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it. That person is you, by the way.