Does your writing require you to interview people? Or to be interviewed?
People you know or people you don’t know?
Do you enjoy it, feel intimidated by it …or what?
As a fairly timid person, I was initially quite daunted by the idea of sitting down with someone I barely knew – or had never previously met – and picking their brains.
Beginning
One of my first interviews, for a writing course I was doing, was with Charles Ringma, the founder and then leader of Teen Challenge in Australia.
I was nervous so I prayed for God’s peace and clarity of mind but Charles was not intimidating. ‘Would you like to sit out the back in the sun?’ he asked me. ‘Love to.’
So we sat on the steps in the warm Queensland winter sunshine and talked. He answered my questions at length. He not only shared interesting and helpful insights, but he told me I was a good interviewer! Wow! Surprise! My confidence burgeoned.
So I was quite calm for most of the interviewing for my three semi-biographical books, although I never lost sight of my need for God’s peace and clarity of mind.
Meeting Jodie
A big surprise was my interview with Jodie. Initially this was for the Teen Challenge Newsletter. Their latest success story was the salvation of an ex-heroin addict and prostitute. Whoops – prejudice! – I expected someone a bit down-at-heel to arrive at the door. Instead I greeted an attractive, friendly girl who had brought packets of chocolates for the children in our household. A bubbly girl, easy to talk to. It was probably my saddest ever interview. I cried on and off through those first three hours as she related her heart-broken spiral down into drug addiction and prostitution. The interview was very successful for the newsletter but it left me feeling something more had been birthed. And so I wrote Jodie’s Story, my first proper book.
The Schlenckers and Adelaide
I felt privileged to interview Sharny and her then-husband Craig Schlencker on their beautiful property. They were popular jazz musicians, a success story after recovering from very severe injuries in a horrific car accident. Then came excitement. The publisher, Openbook, paid me to fly to Adelaide and to interview many relevant people for the Schlenckers’ story.
The Adelaide trip included my memorable interview with Dr We’ll-call-him-Roberts. A highly successful neuropsychologist who had taken Craig from being near-vegetable state to a competent muso and person again, this distinguished English gentleman was delightful – at first. We were talking about how Craig had a problem with saying inappropriate things. At this inauspicious time, I noticed Dr Roberts’ styrofoam cup was leaking onto his expensive-looking silky tie. My heart began to race. Should I tell him or would it be inappropriate? I sent desperate arrows of prayer to my heavenly Father for wisdom.
Drip, drip, drip! The tie was being ruined.
Suddenly I could bear it no longer.
‘Your cup’s leaking!’ I blurted. ‘It’s ruining your tie.’
He sat up straight and became very English, very professional. ‘Perhaps it’s my mouth that’s leaking.’ Sarcasm filled the room.
Fortunately, by then I was sure. ‘No, no. It’s the cup.’
He looked at it. ‘Well, so it is.’
I was exonerated. I breathed again as the interview continued.
There was the interview with the lady who asked me if I’d noticed the presence of her resident ghost. (I hadn’t. Perhaps it was just as well I’d prayed before that interview.)
And then there was me.
One of the most nerve-wracking interviews I’ve done was a live radio interview. This time, I was the one being interviewed by a radio personality. (I feel more comfortable doing the asking, I think!)
I’d just arrived home from hospital with a broken ankle and a lot of morphine in my system, to receive a phone call from a publisher telling me I was being interviewed live on the radio (via a phone call) in a few nights time.
So …there I was, my plastered foot elevated, my head woozy from painkillers, and desperately in need of God’s help. As far as I know it went well enough but I felt way out of my depth.
In the process of interviewing, I met so many interesting people, often at the top of their professions, mainly as I researched for my biographical books. I travelled to various places I might never have seen, including beautiful Launceston for Merrilyn’s story. I made life-long friends.
It all really enriched my life and I’m hugely grateful.
I’d still ask God to help me if I did another interview.
But now I know …
interviewing is fun!
Not so much the interview, but gathering to courage to ask for one!
Most of them were delighted to talk to me! One doctor indicated he really had better things to do with his time but was willing to do it. They knew me as the writer about one of their patients – or whatever the situation was. And I gathered courage and trust in God as I went along.