The Art of Interviewing, Pounce on your Prey

I'm lucky. I have a family that taught me the art of interviewing people. OK, it's more like pouncing, but it serves the same purpose.

My family can't help themselves. If they see someone they don't know, they will immediately start grilling them (nicely) for random information.

No one is immune. Trust me, if my family doesn't know you . . . they will.

Getting to Know You

It's my theory that my family thinks strangers are fascinating in the same way an unread book or an unwrapped Christmas present is fascinating.

We've lived in the same small town for four generations. We don't just know people, we know their entire stories — histories, extended families and every detail worth gossiping about. Although interesting, their stories are well read and dog-eared. But strangers . . . ooo wee, they hold the promise of all kinds of new entertainment. No that "reality TV" kind of entertainment, the real stuff.

Who to Pounce On

My family (mom, dad, brother and sister) will pounce on anyone standing still and capable of speaking — preferably in a service industry because they kind of have to talk to you.

For example, if my sister and I were to walk into a store and a clerk asked if we wanted to try on some pants, we might respond with, "No. But these are great pants. Do people steal a lot of them?" Within minutes we'd be up to questions like, "Heck yeah, I'd carry a gun 24/7 if I had a boyfriend like that too. But how do you get past the metal detectors?"

The secret

You would be amazed at what people will tell my family. They will talk about their divorces, freaky things that happened at work, family scandals, weird hobbies . . . the list is endless. And why? The secret to a good interview is that my family cares! They truly want to know every new and unique detail, and the people know it. (If they have any doubts, my mom's invitation to dinner usually takes care of it.)

Maybe you won't ever have to interview anyone to flesh out a character or get details for your story. But if you do, I suggest my family's approach — POUNCE and enjoy!!