Interviewing well
A good interview isn't a list of questions read in order: it's a prepared conversation in which the guest ends up telling you what they haven't told anywhere else. To get there you need to research, listen and know when to stay quiet.
Prepare: research your guest
Preparation is what shows the most. A guest opens up when they see you know their work, and gets bored when you ask them what's in the first line of their bio.
- Read or listen to their previous interviews: that way you'll know what they've already said and can go further.
- Go over their work: books, articles, projects, social media.
- Look for what nobody has asked: a detail, a change of direction, a contradiction.
- Check names, dates and job titles. Mispronouncing their name or getting a fact wrong at the start breaks trust.
Write the list of topics and questions in your outline, but don't tie yourself to it.
The pre-interview
A short call a few days before helps you get to know the guest, explain the podcast and spot the best stories. You don't want them to tell you everything there (they'll tell it without enthusiasm later), but you do want clues: “What you just told me, tell it exactly like that in the recording.”
| What to cover in the pre-interview | Why |
|---|---|
| The podcast's format, length and tone | So they know what to expect |
| Topics they don't want to discuss | You avoid awkward moments and give them confidence |
| One or two key anecdotes | You know where to take the conversation |
| How it will be recorded (in person or remotely) and what gear they need | You avoid technical problems on recording day |
| Publication date and use of audio and images | Clear consent from the start |
Open questions and their order
A closed question is answered with yes, no or a fact. An open one invites a story. Open questions often start with “how”, “why”, “what happened when” or “tell me about”.
Don't
“Did you like working in Tokyo?” — “Yes, a lot.”
Do
“What was your first day in Tokyo like?” — and you get a story with details, characters and emotions.
Order matters too:
- Warm-up: easy questions that relax them (“How did you get into this?”).
- Core: the important topics, from general to specific.
- Tough questions: toward the end of the core, once there's trust.
- Close: something lighter or more reflective (“What would you tell someone just starting out?”).
It's very common to chain several questions into one: “How did you start, and what did your family think, and was it hard?” The guest will answer only the last one or the easiest. Ask one, wait for the answer, then ask the next.
Listening and following up
The best material is almost never in your prepared questions, but in the guest's answers. If you're only thinking about your next question, you'll miss it. Really listen and follow up:
- “What do you mean by that?”
- “Give me an example.”
- “And how did you feel at that moment?”
- “Earlier you said that… how does that fit with this?”
While they're talking, don't say “uh-huh”, “right” or “yeah, yeah” over their voice: it dirties their track and is hard to remove in editing. Nod instead. If you're recording remotely, you can mute your mic while you listen, as you saw in recording interviews.
The power of silence
When the guest finishes an answer, wait two or three seconds before speaking. Silence is uncomfortable, and people tend to fill it with what they really think. Many of the best lines in an interview come right after that pause. In editing you can shorten any silences you don't need; what you can't do is recover what was never said.
Remotely, silence is harder, because you can't see gestures well and connection lag makes you talk over each other. Say it at the start: “If I go quiet, it's because I'm listening; keep going.” And if you overlap, let the guest finish and ask your whole question again: it'll be easier to edit than two voices on top of each other.
Always keep these three handy; they work for almost any guest: “What do people not understand about your work?”, “What do you wish you'd known when you started?” and, at the end, “Is there anything I haven't asked that you'd like to talk about?”
Guests who ramble or freeze up
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| They ramble and don't get to the point | Wait for them to take a breath and kindly interrupt: “Hang on, this is really good: what exactly happened that day?” |
| They answer in single words | Ask for examples and specific scenes: “Take me to that moment: where were you?” |
| They get nervous | Remind them it can be redone and edited; go back to a topic where they feel comfortable |
| They give textbook answers | Follow up on the personal side: “That's the official line. What do you think?” |
| They get a fact wrong | Gently correct or ask again; clarify the fact in editing if needed |
Thanks, permissions and afterwards
Before starting, confirm the guest knows they're being recorded and what it will be used for. The safest thing is to have it in writing: an email in which they agree to the recording and its publication in audio, video and social clips is enough in most cases. When you finish:
- Thank them and ask if there's anything they'd rather not have published.
- Let them know the release date and send them the link.
- Give them a clip or an image to share: it's the best promotion you'll get.
A well-treated guest comes back, recommends you to others and shares the episode with their own audience. Many podcast collaborations start this way.
- Research the guest and look for what nobody has asked them.
- Do a pre-interview to get to know them and agree on topics and permissions.
- Open questions, one at a time, from easy to hard.
- Listen, follow up and hold the silence.
- Written consent and good treatment after recording.
Your turn: ten minutes with someone close
Interview a relative or friend for ten minutes about an important moment in their life, as if it were an episode.
- Prepare five open questions in order, from easiest to most personal.
- During the interview, ask at least three follow-ups and hold the silence after each answer.
- Listen to the recording and note where you talked over them or chained questions together.
Frequently asked questions
How do you prepare for a podcast interview?
Research the guest and their previous interviews, do a short pre-interview, organize the questions in blocks from easy to hard, and check the facts. Bring prepared questions, but listen and follow up.
What is an open question?
One that can't be answered with yes, no or a single fact, and that invites a story or an opinion. They usually start with “how”, “why” or “tell me about”.
Do I need permission to publish an interview?
Yes. The guest must know they're being recorded and what it will be published for. The most prudent approach is to get their agreement in writing, including use in video and social clips.