What It Takes To Write Like Francis Ford Coppola
“Making Apocalypse Now, Coppola famously shot over two hundred and thirty hours of film, unheard of at the time,” says Will Boast. Which is why you write write write. Load your page up with words (some of which you will never use). You will cut them out later. You...How NOT to Introduce a New Character
Last night, I stayed up way too late finishing Ben Marcus’ short story, “What Have You Done,” in the New Yorker. Short stories like this one are studies in brevity. You have a lot to do in just a few pages.
And the first thing that gets cut is usually backstory.
Eleven Habits of Highly Effective Interviewers
This week, we’ve heard from some great interviewers—bloggers and journalists who have interviewed presidents (like G.H.W. Bush), celebrities (like Sting and Kevin Bacon), and niche celebrities (like Seth Godin and Steven Pressfield).
If you’ve been following along, you now know:
Interviews are a powerful promotional tool
You should never stake someone out for an interview
However, chasing busy interviewees into elevators and cabs is cool
Dumb questions make for great interviews
When interviewing liars, meet them in person (polar bears, too)
Should You Interview People In Person or By Email?
Most bloggers interview by email. Most journalists interview face-to-face or over the phone.
Why the split?
I don’t blame the bloggers. I once interviewed five Kashmiri men for an article in a newspaper. Kashmiri’s like to talk, and they talk fast. I tried to keep notes, but after each interview, my hand was so cramped it felt like Dauood—with his large, round belly—had sat on it for an hour.
