The Art of the Interview with Sarah Lyall '81

There is a certain art to interviewing someone, New York Times reporter Sarah Lyall told Class 10 students on April 20. Ms. Lyall, a member of the Class of 1981, was at Chapin for its annual Alumnae Reunion, but also to speak to Class 10 students about how to conduct an interview.

Having covered New York City, Albany, Long Island and now London during her reporting career, Ms. Lyall has asked a lot of questions of a lot of people. Her experience was a boon to the Class 10 students, who were beginning work on the “Voices Project.” For this assignment, the girls interview a family member or friend who immigrated to the United States, then complete a piece of creative writing about that person.

“There are as many kinds of people interviewing as there are interviews,” Ms. Lyall said to the girls. She encouraged them to use their personalities to their advantage: if they were the quiet, thoughtful types, then they should ask thoughtful questions. If they could charm someone with their wit, then by all means charm them.

The goal, Ms. Lyall said, is to make the interview subject feel comfortable enough to open up and start talking. But it’s essential, too, that the subject know what the writer’s intentions are. “Always explain your project to them and let them know what you want,” Ms. Lyall said.

As Ms. Lyall later explained to the girls, a good interviewer does more than just gather the information she needs; she allows her subjects to tell their story in their own way. “What I really want in my interviews is their words,” Ms. Lyall said.