Doing interviews is essential for fiction and nonfiction writers. Asking people who have lived your characters' occupations or experiences or who provide valuable research material deepens any project. You gather not only the content but also the style of speaking and colloquialisms or jargon.

How do you make interviews provide what you need?

One of the key ingredients is to have a good idea of what you want to know. Ask questions that will fill in the blanks of your knowledge. Then open the discussion to that all-important interview question: What haven't I asked that you think I should know before writing about this subject?

Remember, life is your page.