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I hope you enjoyed Friday’s episode with Ryan Baldi: When Stam Says “No” and Wrighty says “Yes”. Here’s a bonus in which I ask Ryan for his writing tips, and also how he gets under the skin of sporting giants during interviews. His tips include…
Speak to everyone
Follow-up on details
How outlining sustains momentum and staves off writer’s block
“Is there anyone else you think I should speak to?”
“Is there anything else I haven’t asked you about?”
That last one - “Is there anything else I haven’t asked you about?” - resonated with me. Asking this question at the end of interviews is a really clever technique. I’m not sure I’ve ever asked it so explicity of an interviewee, but I have had countless occasions when there is a lull to mark ‘the end’ of the interview … and the subject carries on talking. Often, this postscript to the interview is the most interesting part.
When they are finished saying what they want to say, I have then asked them, “are you happy for me to include that section in the interview?”, just to make sure that they did not think they were ‘off the record’. But Ryan’s technique is a slicker way. Be prepared for sheepishness on the subject’s part when you ask that question - “Well, I’m not sure this is very relevant… - before they go on to tell you something very relevant indeed!
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