Wrapping Up the Interview: Final Steps for a Successful Article

When you’re writing a feature article, the interview process doesn’t end once you’ve asked all the questions. The final steps-sending the draft to the interviewee, handling feedback, and reflecting on the process-are just as crucial to the success of your piece. These actions not only ensure that your article is accurate and respectful but also build a positive relationship with the people you interview. Whether you’re covering a complex topic or a sensitive issue, wrapping up your interview well is an essential skill for every feature writer. Let’s dive into the final steps that will help you produce a polished and credible article.

Sending a draft: ensuring accuracy and approval 🔗

One of the most important final steps in feature writing is sending a draft of your article to the interviewee for review. This practice is particularly valuable when covering technical topics or dealing with sensitive issues. Why? Because accuracy is key. Even the most well-researched article can suffer from minor factual errors or misinterpretations. Allowing the interviewee to review the draft gives them the opportunity to correct any inaccuracies and ensures that you’ve represented their views properly.

For example, if you were writing about a medical topic and interviewed a doctor, sending the draft to them would allow them to verify that their statements have been accurately represented. This is especially important if the article touches on complex medical terminology or if they’ve provided specific data points. While the expert might not need to review every detail of the article, they will likely appreciate the chance to ensure that technical facts are correct.

Why is this important? 🔗

• Accuracy: Ensures that your article doesn’t misquote or misrepresent the interviewee.
• Credibility: Sending a draft shows your commitment to factual reporting and builds trust.
• Professionalism: It demonstrates that you take the interviewee’s perspective seriously and value their input.

While sending drafts for review is common in some fields (such as journalism or business writing), it’s not always a mandatory practice. In many cases, particularly for feature writing in newspapers or magazines, interviewees may not expect to see the draft. However, sending it is often seen as a sign of respect, especially when dealing with sensitive topics where the potential for misrepresentation is higher.

Handling feedback: incorporating changes gracefully 🔗

Once you’ve sent the draft, you’ll likely receive feedback from the interviewee. This can range from minor tweaks-such as clarifications of a phrase or fact-to major revisions, including suggestions to change the direction of the article entirely. Regardless of the scale of the feedback, how you respond to it can significantly impact your relationship with the interviewee and the quality of your final article.

Types of feedback 🔗

• Minor tweaks: These may include changing a word or fixing a sentence that wasn’t clear. For example, the interviewee might ask you to replace the word “overestimate” with “slightly exaggerate” for accuracy.
• Major revisions: Sometimes, interviewees may ask you to alter sections of the article entirely. This might happen if they feel the tone or angle of the article doesn’t align with their views, or if they feel that a statement was too strongly worded.
• Clarifications: Sometimes feedback is less about correcting mistakes and more about ensuring that a statement is interpreted correctly. This can include asking you to change the phrasing for greater clarity or provide more context for a quote.

Handling feedback gracefully is an art in itself. Here’s how to do it without jeopardizing the relationship or the integrity of your article:

1. Acknowledge the feedback 🔗

Whether the feedback is minor or major, always acknowledge it positively. Thank your interviewee for their time and input. For example, a simple, “Thank you for pointing that out; I’ll make the necessary adjustments” shows that you appreciate their feedback and are willing to make changes where appropriate.

2. Assess the feedback 🔗

Before making any changes, assess the feedback carefully. Is it valid? Does it improve the article’s accuracy or tone? If a request for change seems off-base or conflicts with the direction you had in mind for the piece, consider having a respectful conversation with the interviewee to explain your reasoning. It’s important to strike a balance between respecting their perspective and maintaining the integrity of your article.

3. Make necessary revisions 🔗

If the feedback is valid, make the necessary changes. This could include altering wording, adjusting the focus of a section, or adding additional information to provide more context. However, if you’re writing about a broader theme or need to maintain a certain narrative, be prepared to explain why some changes may not be possible. Again, this is where having a respectful dialogue comes in handy. The goal is to collaborate to create an article that is both accurate and true to your voice as a writer.

4. Stay professional 🔗

It’s important to remember that feedback isn’t personal. Even if the interviewee disagrees with your approach or doesn’t like the way a section is framed, keeping a professional attitude will help you build long-term relationships. Be patient, be open to criticism, and always maintain a tone of respect throughout your communication.

Moving forward: learning from each interview experience 🔗

Each interview is a learning opportunity. Whether it’s a minor hiccup in the conversation or a major breakthrough in storytelling, every interaction provides valuable insights into your interviewing skills and how to improve them. Reflecting on your experience after each interview helps you understand what worked well and what could be better in future interviews.

Why reflect on your interviews? 🔗

• Improvement: By identifying areas for improvement, you can refine your approach, become more comfortable with different interview styles, and avoid common mistakes in the future.
• Confidence: Reflecting on your successes can also help you build confidence in your ability to conduct interviews. It can help you recognize patterns in your approach that consistently yield good results.
• Learning: Each interview is a unique experience that offers a chance to learn more about your interviewee, your subject, and your own skills as a writer.

What to reflect on? 🔗

• Preparation: Did you feel adequately prepared for the interview? Was there something you could have asked or researched more thoroughly beforehand?
• Communication style: Did you establish a comfortable rapport with the interviewee? Were there any moments where the conversation could have flowed more smoothly?
• Key takeaways: What did you learn from the interview that was most surprising or insightful? Did you uncover something that you didn’t expect to?
• Challenges: Did you encounter any obstacles during the interview? How did you handle difficult or sensitive topics? Could you improve in this area?

Reflecting on these aspects can help you identify both strengths and areas for improvement. It’s important to approach the reflection process without judgment. Focus on learning from each experience and apply those lessons to future interviews.

Applying lessons from each interview 🔗

One of the best ways to learn from each interview is to incorporate the lessons into your next one. If you found that a particular question didn’t work as expected or that your subject wasn’t comfortable with a certain topic, take note. Adjust your approach for the next interview. With each interview, your skills as an interviewer will improve, making you more effective and efficient at gathering the insights you need for your articles.

Wrapping it up: creating a successful feature article 🔗

The final steps in writing a feature article-sending a draft, handling feedback, and reflecting on your interview experience-are often overlooked but are essential for creating a successful article. By sending your draft to the interviewee, you ensure that the content is accurate and respectful. Incorporating feedback gracefully not only improves your writing but also builds a strong professional relationship with your interviewees. Lastly, taking time to reflect on each interview helps you grow as a writer and interviewer, making your future articles even stronger.

What do you think? Do you think sending a draft for review is necessary for every type of feature article, or just for sensitive or technical topics? How do you handle feedback when writing about controversial or delicate issues?