Transcription

Transcibing interviews is not a natural skill for many, particularly writers. The struggle starts with getting the information, transcribing it and turning it into a well written article that is guarranteed to maintain readers' interest. Nevertheless, it becomes easier with time. 

The basics to keep in mind are simple:

1. Interviewing - be sure to gather enough information about the individual you are going to interview beforehand. This will not only make transcription easier later, it will also help to remember key details about the person. It also helps if possible to build a kind of rapport with the person before the actual interview. Better a relaxed interviwee than a wary one.

2. Be sure to carry an extra recording device, possibly a pen and notepad to jot down key points or words you feel might not come through clearly on the main recording device. Some people might be too concious of being recorded, and this could deter the smooth running of the interview process. In this case it might help to invest in a smart pen (Livescribe). It is an innovative pen that works better for voice recording than the traditional recorder, and because it looks more like a pen than a recording device, it alleviate the awkwardness of some interviews.

3. Short but detailed interviews would take the edge off the challenge of transcribing. It helps if you can create a rough outline and stick to it, thereby you will keep transcribing time to a minimum.