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1. Do you know a person in your locality? Take your first step here or choose a subject of your own interest and liking. Any person can be interesting. The challenge is to focus on what makes some people more interesting and draw on that.
2. Get to know what interests people, and learn to ask questions that get out of them what is most interesting or vivid in their lives. Recording their responses so that your writings are made lively by quoting what they have actually said is a further step.
3. Setting up the interview is another step. Make an appointment, either by telephone, email or in person. Depending on a range of circumstances, it may turn out to be a tall order or surprisingly easy to get it fixed.
4. Give sufficient notice and a clear idea of the purpose of this interview. Decide if it is better to interview at his residence or office, or at a neutral place like a club or a quiet place where observations can be uninterrupted. But, remember that you can only suggest a place – the decision would rest on the respondent.
5. It is always polite to tell him in advance how much time you expect him to keep for this activity, with a plus- minus 15 minutes just in case, your subject gets interesting and need to be extended.
6. Ask him for a follow-up. With proper planning, request him if you need another session. The more time you give to your planning the more you will impress him.
7. Impress with your alacrity. Remember: There is never a second chance to show your first impression.
8. You may become close to the person later, but this is the first session so do not let professionalism slip even a tad.
9. Seeking information that is easily available from the respondent will not earn you any respect. Know what that person is doing at present and what all he has done in the past, in advance.
10. Ask meaningful questions, answers to which throw light on the subject if it is related to a theme.
11. Try to know about the person before the interview, you may approach a few people who know him. Talk to them and know his likes or dislikes as also his hobbies, aversions, experiences, to help you frame questions during the interview.
12. Seldom does an interlocutor fail to notice the amount of homework you have done. A lack of it also shows.
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