Interviewing skills for journalists

What is the course about?

This fun and informative workshop covers tools and techniques to help secure interviewees, frame questions, interview with confidence, edit and write up your story. From profiles to expert quotes and celebrity interviews, this workshop will improve your confidence, writing and questioning skills.

This is a practical taster, designed for people who are already writing. Some models of interviews, both published and broadcast will be used for purposes of illustration and analysis. Students will benefit from stimulating writing exercises, feedback and encouragement.

What will we cover?

-Landing an interview.
-Writing a profile.
-Integrating quotes from experts into writing or broadcasting.
-Questioning skills.
-Editing.
-Non-verbal communication.
-Observational skills.
-Evaluation and review.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

-Set up an interview.
-Approach an interviewee or their publicity agent with confidence.
-See an improvement in your questioning and observational skills.
-Recognise a good quote.
-Spend less time transcribing or editing interviews.
-See an improvement in your writing.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

The course is appropriate for all levels.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Group discussion, information from the tutor, writing exercises.


All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Pen and paper.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

City Lit run a range of beginner, intermediate and advanced journalism courses. Please search our website for
'journalism' to find more courses.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.