Comments on: Writing. Speaking. Feck.

By: Clarissa

Clarissa — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 11:54:58 +0000

When interviewing, your prepared questions may or may not be important. I have found listening to the answers as important, if not more so, than my questions. When watching some interviews on TV news etc), it always irks me to see the interviewer ask his question and not listen to the answer, because he/she is too busy thinking of his/her next question – to the extent of nterrupting the interviewee just when he/she was about to say something of far greater interest than the interviewer’s next question.

As reading is to writing, the more one reads the better one writes oneself, listening is to interviewing. The better the listener, the better the interviewee. Provided of course that the interviewee actually has something to say. Sadly, not always the case.

By: Paul Dorell

Paul Dorell — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:02:42 +0000

Marcel, I may have been presumptuous to think that you’re alone a lot. But even if you’re surrounded by people, you can feel lonely if you’re not engaged with them. I think many writers resort to writing because it is the only medium where they have enough control to express themselves in a manner that they find satisfactory. Possibly you’re also introverted, which would make you feel inept in situations that require extroversion. That can be overcome with practice. Anne-Françoise is probably right, and you’re not as bad as you think.

By: Anne-Françoise

Anne-Françoise — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:33:44 +0000

I didn’t have the time yet to listen to the Joshua Cohen’s interview on Bookbabble. But I heard you asking (a lot of) questions to Brian Evenson, and, believe me, you didn’t sound like “a vaguely drunk confused old man” at all!!!
But I can understand what you feel, it reminds me about my experience of teaching… Sometimes, preparing too much restricts spontaneity, I think. But that’s a difficult balance to find, between hard work and beeing natural.
Don’t worry, Marcel, you do a great, great job!!!

By: shigekuni

shigekuni — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:19:07 +0000

Hi Paul. I’m actually almost never alone except when others are asleep. Do I give off such an air of loneliness? :O

By: Paul Dorell

Paul Dorell — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:08:02 +0000

How much practice do you have at this? You’ll get better over time. You’re probably alone a great deal, which does little to hone your interviewing skills. Writing is not the same as speaking, let alone engaging someone in conversation. The Internet erodes people’s face-to-face skills – if they had any to begin with.