Selecting and Using Quotes to Enhance Your Interview Article

Writing an engaging interview article goes beyond simply transcribing a conversation. A key element that elevates the quality of your writing is how you use quotes. Quotes can bring a story to life, giving it authenticity, emotional weight, and a personal touch. However, using quotes effectively requires more than just picking random lines that sound interesting. It involves a thoughtful selection process, careful editing, and strategic placement to ensure that the final article is both informative and compelling. In this blog, we’ll dive into the art of selecting and using quotes to enhance your interview article.

Choosing the right quotes 🔗

One of the most crucial aspects of writing an engaging interview article is knowing how to select the right quotes. Not all quotes are created equal, and you’ll need to pick those that serve the story you’re telling while keeping your audience engaged. But how do you decide which quotes to use? There are a few guidelines to follow.

Look for the surprising or unexpected 🔗

Readers love surprises, and a well-chosen quote can provide that element of unpredictability. A quote that goes against common knowledge or challenges societal norms can add depth and intrigue to your article. For example, imagine interviewing a successful entrepreneur who shares a personal struggle about failure that defies expectations. The element of surprise not only grabs attention but also humanizes the interviewee, making them more relatable to the audience.

Example: If an athlete talks about how failure taught them more than success ever could, it might add an interesting twist to the narrative, especially if their public persona is usually linked to winning and achievement.

Use quotes that add insight or reveal new perspectives 🔗

Good quotes can offer fresh ideas or perspectives that your readers might not have considered. These types of quotes are particularly valuable in interview articles because they provide depth and reflection. The idea is not to choose a quote that’s cliché or too generic but one that sheds light on something new. Whether it’s a unique viewpoint on a common issue or an unexpected take on a popular trend, these quotes offer value by making your article thought-provoking.

Example: If you interview a scientist about climate change and they share a groundbreaking piece of data or a fresh theory that challenges the mainstream understanding, it’s a quote that will captivate your audience and compel them to think more critically about the topic.

Choose quotes that reinforce your article’s message 🔗

Each quote you use should tie back to the central theme of your article. Avoid using quotes that seem disconnected or random. If your article is about the challenges of remote working, then a quote that discusses the emotional toll of isolation or the difficulty of maintaining work-life balance will reinforce your message. Your readers should feel like the quotes you’ve chosen are integral to the article’s core argument, not just filler.

Look for emotional or dramatic moments 🔗

Emotion is one of the strongest tools a writer can use to connect with their audience. Quotes that express vulnerability, passion, or intense feelings can be powerful. These emotional moments make the subject matter feel more real and relatable to your readers, and they can bring your interview to life in a way that straightforward facts never could.

Example: Imagine an interview with a cancer survivor who talks about their struggle with a sense of hopelessness followed by their eventual recovery. That emotional turn adds a layer of humanity that simple facts about the illness could never convey.

Breaking up long quotes 🔗

Sometimes, interviewees give long, detailed responses that, while insightful, can be overwhelming or tedious for readers if presented all at once. In such cases, it’s essential to find a way to break up lengthy quotes without losing their impact. Here are some techniques for doing just that:

Use your commentary as a bridge 🔗

One way to break up long quotes is by inserting your own commentary or transitions between parts of the quote. This gives your readers a chance to digest the information in smaller chunks and allows you to frame the quote within the context of your article. The key here is to ensure your commentary flows naturally and enhances the quote, rather than disrupting its meaning.

Example: If an interviewee shares a lengthy story about a life-changing event, you could break it up with your commentary like: “What she’s describing here isn’t just a personal experience; it mirrors the challenges many people face when forced to make life-altering decisions.” This allows you to provide a smoother reading experience and gives additional context to the quote.

Use ellipses or brackets to simplify without altering meaning 🔗

Another technique is to use ellipses (…) or brackets [ ] to condense lengthy quotes. Ellipses can be used to omit unnecessary parts of a quote that don’t add value to your article, while brackets can be used to clarify a point or add context. Both of these techniques should be used sparingly and with caution, as the goal is to simplify without distorting the interviewee’s original meaning.

Example: If an interviewee speaks for several minutes about a complex process, you might condense it into: “It’s about understanding the process… and then, quite suddenly, everything just clicks.” Here, the ellipsis omits filler words, while still maintaining the integrity of the original quote.

Interweave quotes with your own analysis 🔗

If a quote is long but insightful, you can break it up by inserting your own analysis or observations in between sections of the quote. This gives readers a sense of continuity while allowing you to keep the quote’s essence intact. Your role here is to act as a guide, leading the reader through the information without over-explaining or overwhelming them.

Example: “What she said about facing fear head-on is significant,” you might add. “Many people view fear as something to avoid, but for her, it’s a catalyst for personal growth.” This helps break up the long quote and adds depth to it, without taking away from the speaker’s original point.

Staying true to the interviewee’s intent 🔗

While editing quotes, it’s important to ensure that you stay true to the interviewee’s intent. A quote can be edited for length, clarity, or style, but it should never be distorted to change its original meaning. Misrepresenting a speaker’s words can lead to mistrust and damage both your reputation and the relationship with the interviewee. Here are some tips on how to maintain the integrity of the quote:

Don’t alter the meaning of the quote 🔗

The most crucial guideline when editing quotes is to avoid changing the meaning of what’s being said. Even small alterations-like changing a word or reordering phrases-can subtly shift the meaning of a quote. Always check the context of the quote and ensure that the edit doesn’t change the tone or message.

Example: If an interviewee says, “I’ve been through tough times, but I never gave up,” don’t alter it to “I’ve been through tough times, and I gave up once.” Even a small change like that can dramatically alter the meaning of the quote.

Verify quotes with the interviewee if needed 🔗

Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to verify key quotes with the interviewee before publishing. This ensures accuracy and provides the interviewee an opportunity to clarify any points. If they want to rephrase something or correct a detail, it’s better to do so before the article is released, rather than after it’s been published.

Be transparent about edits 🔗

If you need to make significant edits to a quote (such as cutting out irrelevant information or rephrasing for clarity), it’s often a good practice to indicate that a quote has been edited. This maintains transparency and helps prevent misunderstandings. For example, you can use brackets to indicate changes made for clarity, like: “She said [the process was difficult], but [she] didn’t give up.” This ensures that the reader understands you’ve edited the quote, but without changing the speaker’s message.

Maintain consistency in tone and style 🔗

Finally, the tone and style of the quote should match the overall tone of the article. If the interviewee speaks in a casual, conversational tone, it might be jarring if their quotes are suddenly formalized or over-polished. On the other hand, if the interviewee is more formal, but their quotes are edited to sound too casual, it could misrepresent them. Strive for consistency in tone to stay true to the person you’re interviewing.

What do you think? How have you used quotes in your writing to enhance the narrative? Do you prefer more emotional or intellectual quotes to strengthen an article?