I was recently asked if I could share best practices for conducting an artist interview. I could write a book on this subject, but here are 5 simple tips:

1. The best interviews are conversations. Make your subject feel comfortable, not like they’re being interrogated.

2. Prepare questions. Then, once you ask the first question, be prepared to throw them all out.

3. Be an active listener. Never focus on the next question. Listen for the opportunity to ask a better question you didn’t expect to ask before the interview began.

4. If your subject introduces a proper noun — a person’s name, for instance — while answering a question, make a note to follow-up at the end of the interview for clarification on the spelling. Asking them mid-interview could interrupt a great flow.

5. Once the interview is complete, gather/confirm the subject's background information:

• Their real name (they might not share it, but you should ask)
• Their current age
• Their birthplace
• Their current living location (if it's somewhere else)