Alix Spiegel is a master of narrative storytelling. Listen to any of the episodes of Invisibilia she hosted or any of the stories she produced for This American Life and, I suspect, you’ll agree. Even back when she was a science reporter for NPR covering human relations, her stories stood out from the pack because they were actual stories not reports.
The difference is this. A report moves along from one idea to the next: something new happened. And, this person or group sees events this way. This other person or group sees events that way. Often a third point of view is brought in, typically an expert. And some nod to the future is provided and then the reporter gives an out cue. That’s an oversimplification but it’s not far off.
A story, on the other hand, has characters who move through a sequence of events. This happened. Then this happened. Then this happened… Eventually, they run into trouble and attempt to work their way out of the predicament — sometimes successfully, other times not.
Alix says producing a story as a sequence of events requires a significant amount of planning. In other words, the story doesn’t just unfold in front of a microphone magically (though there are exceptions). Instead, a producer needs to diligently prepare. They have to think everything through and craft a series of questions that will prompt specific answers from an interviewee — answers that, later, will allow a reporter to fashion a narrative not a report. Think of it as interviewing for story.
On this archive edition of HowSound, Alix’s tips on preparing and conducting interviews will, without a doubt, help you with your next interview. So, listen closely. Take notes.
This episode was originally posted in 2014.
Jyl Johnson
9.30.21
I just wanted an outline sort of thing with interview question ideas, but I got SO MUCH MORE out of this. Alix has been filling my ears for so many years, and I had never heard this interview. I was adopted at birth, and I can honestly say this story made my heart cramp…remembering the ways my mother attempted to “fix” me, or help me, or love me, and the mixed reactions she got from me, the good, the bad, and the oh-so-disappointing, and how she reacted to MY reactions…we had a very complicated relationship. I spent 2 decades of my adult life trying to atone for my insensitive teenage rage and sadness. I still cry when I try to go back and process it all. We really didn’t know each other because she only said what she wanted people to know, and she didn’t feel like processing HER childhood and young adult trauma (losing TWO daughters to Cystic Fibrosis at aged 8 & 13, then adopting me shortly after burying her second daughter, without any proper grieving time or therapy), and other things. It was hard for both of us, and she didn’t make all the “right decisions”, but I know that she did the best that she could with what she had to work with. Every time I tried to engage her in the act of processing her emotions, so that we could both heal, all she could hear was that I wanted to bring up the painful past to make her feel bad. I would tell her that I really just wanted to heal our relationship and actually ENJOY the feeling of both closure and leveling up, and respecting each other as two adults rather than the intensity of mother/daughter power dynamics, judgement, and profound disappointment. I wanted to interview her because I wanted to be able to hear her voice long after she was gone, and I had so many questions that had never been answered, but she said I needed to just “let it go”.
She died October 14, 2010, and I never got the interview, She knew she was dying, but was telling everyone she was getting better, while secretly organizing photos from the previous century of family, separated them into groups, with notes about which ones go to my brother, and which ones go to me. In the days following her death, I made many discoveries about who she really was, and how long she had known she was dying, Why didn’t she prepare my dad, whom she had literally been bossing around since ages 8-9…that’s SEVENTY YEARS. “I can’t remember life before your mother, and I don’t know how to live without her…”
I don’t know why I just told you all of this, but someday, if I ever get the opportunity, I want to do the workshop in Woods Hole, MA…It’s been my dream for many years.
Rob
10.05.21
Hi Jyl – Thanks for sharing your story. I, too, am adopted and recognize some of your story in mine. Best, Rob
John
12.15.25
I think the raw tape was super helpfull to understand the method and the construction.
Those two pieces together made this one of the better episode! I listend to it twice to fully disect and digest it.
john
12.15.25
(woops, that comment was ment for the layered approach episode)