Getting the story

Everyone has a story to tell, and the job of journalists and writers is to relay it in an interesting and engaging way. When someone talks enthusiastically in an interview, the piece virtually writes itself. But talking about yourself doesn’t come naturally to everyone and the interviewer might have to dig a bit deeper to cover all the bases.

And this is where one of the most important lessons of journalism comes in – never assume anything. If in doubt, ask, because, as the saying goes, assuming something will make an ass out of you and me. And that mistake is there in black and white, for all to see.

The best advice I can give is to put yourself in the shoes of the reader and ask what they want to know. If you don’t know the answer, ask. Apart from getting it wrong, the worst thing you can do is leave unanswered questions. 

And there is the holy grail of journalism – give readers what they want.

The detail you miss might be key to a story, an example brought home to me last week. I read a court case about a teacher who was jailed for having a sexual relationship with an underage pupil. It was a long report, which gave plenty of detail and emotion from the young victim and her family. But the single fact it omitted was the length of the teacher’s prison sentence. I read it several times, but had to go to another news site for the answer.

This colourful, well-crafted piece with exclusive interviews was ruined by that one overlooked fact. And the nine-month sentence left me thinking that prosecutors might even appeal if they feel the prison term was too lenient.

During one of my first interviews as a trainee reporter, I asked the spelling of the name of the interviewee. I’ll never forget the response: “You can’t spell John Smith??” My short career flashed before my eyes, before I replied: “I know it sounds silly, but is it Jon or John, and is it Smith, Smyth or Smythe? I’d hate to get it wrong for you.” I believe the term today is: “owned”!

And, like every other budding reporter, you learn the hard way to get it right. Every newbie has interviewed someone for an article and had to call back to check if it is Miss, Mrs, Ms, Mr, Sir or Dr.

No problem, thanks for checking. Then you ring again to check their age. Slightly awkward, but still polite and friendly. And you call again to check the company they work for. It’s getting annoying. And you call back again for the date of an event . . . It’s usually after the fourth or fifth call that anger sets in and you’ve no chance of salvaging anything.

It happens to everyone, but once it’s out of your system, you learn to never do it again.

Many people balk at the thought of giving their age to a journalist and fail to see the relevance, but taking the example of the teacher court case, age can play a key part. There is a huge difference between a 21-year-old trainee having a relationship with a 14-year-old and a 40-something-year-old teacher who has groomed the youngster.

Likewise in business, a 25-year-old taking over a blue-chip company is a very different proposition to a 55-year-old veteran. That small detail can have big implications.

The same approach applies today, speaking to clients. You can’t take anything for granted, and you often find that there are some fantastic reasons why people have chosen the path they have.

Whenever you do something for long enough, it is easy to become engrossed in the process and lose site of the bigger picture – the reason you are doing something you love.

So when I ask a 55-year-old manufacturing boss how he got into the industry, his background, training, etc, it gives a fuller picture of what makes him tick and how he got to where he is today. And there have been some amazing stories.

Conversations such as this help me create a personal story for the business that really engages customers.

And I have lost count the number of times someone has said to me afterwards that the interview has given them a new focus and reignited their passion for what they do.

At the start of the interview, I often hear “there’s not much to tell . . . I just fit bathrooms”, but that alone can throw up plenty to work with and show potential clients that this person has the solution to their problems.

And that feedback certainly gives me a boost and reminds me why I do what I do . . . to get involved and hopefully help make a difference.

Call me Bob the Builder of Words. I’ve been called worse. Can I fix it . . .