Talk to Me: How to Ask Better Questions, Get Better Answers, and Interview Anyone Like a Pro

Interviewing is a fundamental skill for journalists, doctors, lawyers, social workers, teachers, human resources staff, and others who need to gather information. While effective interviews may seem to depend on luck and intuition, they actually result from careful planning and sound journalistic practices. Dean Nelson draws on forty years of award-winning journalism and his experience founding and hosting the Writer's Symposium by the Sea to provide practical guidance on interviewing. The book covers each stage of the interview process: selecting interview subjects, designing questions, using recording devices, taking effective notes, and navigating ethical considerations when interviewing people you know well or dislike. Nelson includes case studies of notable interviews to demonstrate how these principles work in practice. The book offers comprehensive, time-tested advice intended to clarify both the art and science of interviewing.