Goal of the day: 281 words. Written: 325.
Three years and 8 months ago (ha, a long time ago) I didn't know how to interview. Well, I've never tried it, and I only knew how to do it from a few google searches.
Then, in April 2013, I challenged myself to take 3 interviews. I took two because the author of one disappeared (maybe my fault, maybe not hers?).
I learned little then. Just these two things:
A) Please don't ask stupid questions.
If you talk to a person, read and think about him. If you're interviewing a completely unknown (or unrevealing) character, then don't forget to first ask who he is and what he does in life. Well, because you are talking to a person, not a slipper.
Let's say you probably don't ask the president "Would you like to become president sometime in your life?" And you don't ask an unknown character about his innermost dreams without at least asking his name first, do you?
So. Conversation. Logic. Man. Communicate as if you were communicating with your muse on a first date. Get to know each other.
B) Politeness. At least in the beginning.
I did not realize this error during this experiment, but a little later. When I contacted Ilze Butkute, I wanted to share with her a link to an article that basically talked about the same topic as Ilze in her recent texts. And accidentally, forgetting politeness, I addressed her as if communicating with my readers in letters or on Facebook - with the address "you".
Well, "you, boba blew up" of course I didn't say, but I forgot the courtesy. Then Ilze unexpectedly found me on Facebook and blocked me. She did not reply to the letter and only later, when I noticed that I could no longer find her on Facebook, when I asked why, she replied that she did not like my familiarity and was not going to communicate with me anymore.
Etc. Pity. I'll probably have to wait about 5 years until we both become different and write to her again. But already with "you" inflections. And I advise you not to make such a mistake - I did not think and already made the mistake. I did the same in one of the first interviews.
Although you are communicating with a person, not with a slipper (slippers never had a brain, so you can get offended much faster), but don't forget to be polite.
…And that should be enough for your first lesson!
Go ahead. Now do an experiment and talk to your guru. okay?
While drinking mango tea,
Daniel