essay on interview in english

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How to Write an Interview Essay

Last Updated: March 11, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Diane Stubbs . Diane Stubbs is a Secondary English Teacher with over 22 years of experience teaching all high school grade levels and AP courses. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware and a Master of Education from Wesley College. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 459,637 times.

An interview essay is designed to give the reader a general impression of the interview subject and to present their thoughts on a select group of topics. It also offers the opportunity to develop deeper insights by analyzing the interviewee's responses within a larger context. Interview essays are a common school assignment, and provide useful skills for those interested in journalism, or just being good writers in general. There are several formats that fit into the category, but a good interview essay of whatever type can make the reader feel as though they were asking the questions.

Interviewing for an Essay

• If your essay is to be a factual piece, you'll want to interview someone who has expertise in the subject matter you'll be addressing. If your paper is about a science topic, you'll want to interview a scientist in that field. If your paper is about a period of history, you'll want to interview either a historian or someone who's lived through that period of history.
• If you plan to make your essay an opinion piece, you'll likely want to interview someone who has a strong opinion about the topic covered in your essay. Ideally, you want someone who can express opinions articulately, and who also has credentials in the area you plan to write about.
• If your piece will have a narrow perspective, you'll need to interview only one or two people. If your piece will present a general consensus, you'll need to interview more people, probably with varying expertise and credentials.

• When available, read works about and works written by your subject, both in print and online. At the same time, research the topic associated with your subject. The more you know about both, the more intelligent questions you can ask.
• Look for previous interviews your subject has given, as well. These will give you an idea of what questions the person has been asked before, so you can decide on appropriate subjects for your own questions, including questions that no one else has asked.
• Questions that require "yes" or "no" answers are good for gathering specific factual information; open-ended "how," "why," and "tell me about" questions are great for gathering additional background material not found in your research.
• Draw up a list of the questions you are prepared to ask. Have more questions ready than you will likely use, so that you can make adjustments as the interview takes place. (For instance, your subject may begin focusing on what you thought was a side topic, but turns out to be the key part of your interview.) Rank your questions in order of importance to make sure you ask your best ones, or list them all in the order you'd ask them and color-code the most important ones.

• Choose a quiet place with few distractions for your interview site. A library, restaurant, or campus location if you're doing this for a college writing class would be suitable.
• You may want to get the interviewee's consent to use their comments in your essay in writing, as well as permission to record those comments during the interview. By law, if you are recording an interview conducted over the phone, you must obtain written permission. [4] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• It's helpful to have a backup interviewee in case the person you plan to interview can't make it.
• Be on time at the place you've agreed to meet for the interview.

• Using a recording device (with permission) is almost always advisable, as it permits you to save your note-taking for jotting down your insights on contexts, themes, how your subject approaches the questions, his/her comfort level, and so on.
• Be patient and respectful as you ask your questions and wait for responses. Give the interviewee time to reflect, and you will likely be rewarded with more insightful answers. A few deeper responses are usually better than many superficial ones.
• Immediately after the interview, write down your thoughts and impressions about the interview and interviewee. They may help you shape the essay.
• Always end the interview by thanking the person.

Writing the Essay

• Narrative format. This form allows paraphrasing of some information the interviewee says, along with direct quotes for the material you most want to emphasize. This is the most likely format for a class assignment, and offers the most opportunity to add context and analysis.
• Conversational format. This is a looser format than the formal writing style required for most essays. You can address the reader directly and use both first and second person. This format can be suitable for anything from class assignments to magazine articles.
• Question-and-answer format. This form presents your questions to the interviewee, followed by the interviewee's responses. (That is, the text looks something like this: (Your Name): How long have you been in the circus? (Interviewee's Name): About 35 years.) These are always direct quotes, although you may insert explanatory material in parentheses and substitutions, such as a person's name in place of a personal pronoun, in brackets. This format is best suited for essays with only a single interviewee or a closely related group, such as spouses or the core cast of a TV show.
• Informative format. This format usually interweaves the interview with research you've done on the subject, incorporating some of that research in the text to provide background and give it a little more color.

• Read over your interview notes and listen to any audio / video recordings you have. Utilizing both whenever available will allow you to thoroughly consider both the highlights of the interview and the most significant themes to emerge from it. These, in turn, will inform your outline of what information your essay will cover and how it will appear. [9] X Research source
• One possible outline could be an introduction that starts with an anecdote about the interviewee and then presents your thesis statement, several key points that support the main focus, and a conclusion that summarizes the information presented. Traditional school essays often utilize a five paragraph format (introduction, three supporting paragraphs, conclusion), and this can often work with interview essays as well.

• If, however, the purpose of your essay is to use your interviewee's comments to support a position or examine a larger theme, your thesis will probably be a statement of that position or theme, with the interview / interviewee placed within that context. For instance: "John Doe's mixed feelings of pride and betrayal reflect those shared by many Vietnam veterans still with us."
• Regardless of essay format, make your thesis clear and concise, and be sure that the remainder of your essay refers back to it. See How to Write a Thesis Statement for more advice.

• Interviews can sometimes produce a good deal of repetitive answers (even with high-quality questions), so you may need to trim repetitions and unnecessary elements from the body of your essay. Make sure that whatever material you do keep remains true to both the spirit of the interview and the overarching focus of your essay. [10] X Research source
• A handout from the Writing Center at the University of North Carolina (available at http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/oral-history/ ) provides a wealth of valuable materials on interview essays. It includes, for instance, examples of how to utilize the same interview materials in a transcription (question-and-answer format), a presentation of individual experiences (quotations and paraphrases), and the placing of the interview / interviewee in a larger context (paraphrasing and quotations with ample explanation).

• Reading over the essay yourself is a good start, but it is always wise to have another set of eyes look it over as well. Another reader is likely to catch errors, repetitions, and unclear sections that you have glossed over. [12] X Research source
• Go back to your original interview notes, recordings, and transcripts, and make sure that your essay continues to reflect the actual interview. Layers of editing and revising can sometimes cause the essay to drift away from the original source and intent. You may even want to let the interviewee read it over to ensure that it captures their voice. [13] X Research source

• Any materials you used for research, information about the interviewee, or context for the essay itself should be referenced in the approved citation format for your essay.
• Make sure one more time that any direct quotations from your source are placed in quotation marks, and any paraphrasing is done without quotation marks. Don't put words in your subject's mouth, and respect the words that do emerge from it.

What Are The Dos And Don’ts Of a Journalistic Interview?

Expert Q&A

• After the interview, send the interviewee a written thank-you note expressing your appreciation for their time. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If the person you're interviewing is busy or elderly, you may want to plan for more than one interview session. Observe the interviewee for signs of impatience or fatigue. Conduct multiple, shorter sessions if necessary. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• If you plan to interview someone over the telephone, permission to record the conversation is required by law. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 3

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/oral-history/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/interview-paper
• ↑ http://www.whatkidscando.org/featurestories/2007/maine_students/tip_sheets/FIRST-PERSON%20ESSAYS%20TIP%20SHEET.pdf
• ↑ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/help-with-writing/97515-how-to-write-an-interview-essay/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html

About This Article

To write an essay from an interview, you’ll first have to decide on the format the essay will take, as this will determine the structure and what you write. The most common form is the narrative format, in which you use direct quotes and paraphrase your subject to add context and detail, or you can write in a more conversational tone, or even in a directly transcribed question-and-answer form. Once you decide on format, plan an outline by forming a central thesis, which will be the central statement your essay is making. Add onto the outline by drafting supporting evidence directly from the interview and from other sources, like books, newspaper articles, other essays, anything else to support your point. Write and finish the essay by combining information from the interview and other sources with your own explanations and words. To learn about how to conduct the interview to get enough information to write about and how to finish the writing process, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Write an A+ Interview Paper Using Our Tips and Examples

06 September, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Josh Carlyle

You will quickly find yourself with your back to the wall once your teacher assigns you an interview paper. Studying is often a headache by itself, and now you have to conduct interviews. Worse yet, you probably have no idea how you can do this. Luckily, we will tell you how to write an interview paper step by step in this comprehensive guide. So prepare your favorite drink and learn how to write a top-notch interview paper.

What is an Interview Paper?

An interview paper provides an expert opinion on a specific issue. In essence, it is an interview transcript inserted somewhere between the introduction and conclusion of an academic piece.

How long should it be? It depends on the topic and the length of your interview, but most papers are within the length of 2,000 – 5,000 words. What things should you consider before writing an interview paper in the first place? Let’s check them out below.

General Aspects of Writing an Interview Paper

Academic papers require you to provide arguments based on studies, research pieces, statistics, etc. But an interview paper is different – for this type of essay, you will develop assumptions around an expert’s opinion.

Let’s imagine your essay question reads the following: “Should we ban abortions?” If you write an interview paper, you should ask someone high-powered for their consideration. Let them be an executive director of the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society.

You would reach them via email or phone or whatever communication channel you prefer and conduct an interview. Afterward, you would put all your findings on paper.

But in practice, writing an interview paper involves many more complexities and challenges, like planning, topic research , drafting, etc.

Let’s speak straight facts: nobody will reschedule their week to meet you because you need to do some homework. You’re one of the millions of students, and the local governor or a famous scientist won’t give you an interview nine times out of ten.

So you would want to target someone less busy, like professors from other faculties of your college or some researchers within your academic environment. Hunting a bigger fish is pointless unless you’re a well-established journalist working for a popular media channel. If you struggle to find someone within your college/university, you can contact people from your circle.

Writing Outline and Structure of an Interview Paper

 As you know, a typical paper consists of three parts:

• Introduction. This part includes background information, the hook, the thesis statement, and the transition.
• Body. It is the longest part of the paper consisting of several paragraphs. It should contain the actual interview.
• Conclusion. The final part summarizes the considerations and insights of your essay.

The question is: ‘where should you put an interview transcript and how do you do this?’

To answer this question, you need to come up with the interview papers format in the first place. There are several of them:

The narrative format implies that you can use either direct or indirect speech when referring to your interviewee. If you choose this path, you can stick to a 5-paragraph essay structure, retell the considerations of your interviewee, and cite their words here and there at your discretion.

You can also choose this format if you contact several people. Check what a narrative interview paper structure looks like when you reach out to several people:

• Introduction.
• Paragraph #1 – the first interviewee’s perspective.
• Paragraph #2 – the second interviewee’s opinion.
• Paragraph #3 – the third interviewee’s thoughts.
• Conclusion.

Alternatively, you can dedicate each paragraph to a particular idea of one person.

“Question and answer” will suit your needs perfectly if you interview one person. It is the simplest format used in online magazines, news reports, and other media. Your interview paper outline will look like this:

• Introduction
• Question #1 – Answer #1
• Question #2 – Answer #2
• Question #3 – Answer #3
• Question #4/5/6/etc. – Answer #4/5/6/etc.
• Interview analysis. You may include your thoughts on the subject matter.

Conversational

Conversational style is informal, and you can use either first-person or second-person narrative and follow a typical 5-paragraph paper structure. But writing interview papers in this lousy style might be perplexing, especially if you deal with this task for the first time.

We advise you to try the Q&A format because it’s the simplest one and takes the least time. Just imagine how much time your paper writing will take if you decide to interview three or five people.

How to Start an Interview Paper?

If you have no idea how to start an interview paper, choose the topic first. Selecting a topic for your interview paper is not a big deal, but you should keep in mind that you may not find appropriate interviewees for it.

Let’s imagine you want to explore whether the government should force people to get vaccines. This topic implies that you need to contact authorities. It might be a local lawyer, governor, or executive director of a local hospital. Well, the chances are these people will politely refuse to give an interview for your homework.

But if you choose to investigate how lockdown impacts intellectual workers, you can contact your friends or family members who work at home. In other words, it’s better to choose topics that reflect the experiences of ordinary people rather than the opinions of untouchable experts.

Asking people for their opinion about well-known facts like the Earth’s shape is a bad idea. You would want to choose high-profile debatable topics you can actually discuss.

Establish the Goal of Your Interview Essay

You have to establish the goal of your essay before researching the topic. For this, ask yourself: “What message should your interview essay deliver?” Sometimes, a topic of your choice might already explain the purpose of your essay.

Conduct Research

Interviewing someone implies that you should ask questions. But you will fail to do so if you know little to nothing about your topic. So read some case studies, news, articles, etc. Once you get the picture of your subject matter, you will come up with dozens of interview questions.

Get to Know Your Interviewee

A good interviewer always refers to the life and experience of their interviewee. If you’re lucky to work with someone you can read about on the Internet, find out as much information about them as possible. If your interviewee publishes any books, articles, or studies, you will better know them as well.

The more you know about the person, the more interview questions you can come up with. You can ask them whether the Internet tells their true story: “Is it true that you, Mr. Interviewee, support flat earthers?”

Draft Your Interview Questions

If you want a person to share their in-depth vision of the topic, you need to ask both open-ended and close-ended (“yes/no”) questions. However, you may struggle to prepare interview questions. Many students get stuck during this stage. To overcome this block, you need to learn some types of interview questions:

• Opinion – What do you think of this topic?
• Behavioral – What would you do in this situation?
• Experience and knowledge – What do you know about the subject?
• Background – How are you connected to the subject? What is your age, occupation, etc?
• Emotional – How do you feel about the subject?
• Sensory – What does the subject taste and feel like?

You can also think of the questions following the interviewee’s “yes” and “no” answers.

Tips for Conducting a Successful Interview

These four tips will help you conduct a productive interview on the first try:

1. Plan Your Meeting

Note that you want to interview a person in a quiet place so that nobody will distract you. This might be some cozy book store or a café. Or, you can arrange an online meeting. Make sure you have at least one hour for the interview.

2. Rehearse a bit

If you will conduct your first-ever interview, you want to practice with your friends/significant other/ family in the first place. This approach will help you identify what stage of your upcoming interview may challenge you the most.

3. Record Your Interview

You will forget about 50% of the information within an hour once you finish the interview. So don’t rely on your memory − bring a recorder instead. Why not take notes? You wouldn’t want to go red while asking your interviewee to repeat what they have just said or wait until you write down their answers.

4. Talk to Your Interviewee for a While Before You Begin

Speaking to someone you don’t know might be uncomfortable. You don’t have to attack them with your interview questions straightaway. Instead, you can exchange some casual phrases or discuss the weather. This will help you relieve stress and get comfortable with each other.

5. Explain Your Interview Protocol

It’s better to explain to your interviewee how you will conduct your interview. Tell them that you will use a recorder and introduce the discussion topic.

Interview Papers Format

In academic writing, you have to explain the purpose of your interview and introduce your interviewee in a specific “scholarly” format. The APA format interview paper has the following requirements:

• Use 12-point Times New Roman.
• Write a title page.
• Use double spacing.
• Introduce your interviewee and provide the background information – explain why this person is suitable for the interview. Mention their name and qualifications.
• Use direct quotes if you cite some facts provided by the interviewee.
• Use block quotes for citations longer than 40 words.

How to Write a Title Page?

The title of your paper must include your name, your institution, department, the course name and number, the teacher’s name, and the assignment date. The rules of writing the title page are the following:

• The title page must be numbered.
• Capitalize all major words in your title and make it bold.
• Place the title of the essay three or four lines down the top of the page.
• There must be one empty line before the student’s name.

Interview Papers Examples

If you’re searching for an interview essay example – check several samples below:

• A narrative interview essay .
• A Q&A interview format paper.
• An interview with a scientist.

Interview Papers Writing Tips

The following writing tips will help you deliver the first-class interview paper:

• Write the introduction at the end. Once you finish your essay, you will likely reconsider some ideas you had before you began. They will help you frame your interview essay with a captivating introduction and conclusion.
• Give yourself a break after finishing your final draft. This will help you look at your paper with a fresh pair of eyes once you start editing.
• Edit one type of error at a time. For example, you can reduce logical errors first and switch to grammatical mistakes afterward.
• Use an active voice. If active voice makes your sentence shorter, use it without hesitation.
• Check for any sample interview paper to decide on the interview questions. Perhaps, some pieces will spark your interest.

Writing Help by Handmadewriting

An interview paper doesn’t seem that intimidating once you learn how to write it step by step. First, you have to choose the subject that allows you to interview ordinary people rather than hard-to-reach ones. Then, you need to research your topic, conduct an interview, and write a paper.

You can get an A+ for this assignment with enough effort and dedication. But a doable task doesn’t necessarily mean that you must do it by yourself. If you have plenty of other assignments to do, you can ask our essay writers to craft an exemplary interview paper for you. For this, you can place an order on our website, and we will do all the dirty work.

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How to Write an Interview Essay: Complete Guide

College and high school teachers often assign interview papers to test their learners’ planning, paraphrasing, and critical thinking skills. So, besides drafting a well-substantiated and information-packed piece, students must also organize and conduct an interviewing process.

Hence, this assignment is far from straightforward. Quite the contrary, it requires substantial pre-work before the actual meeting. Moreover, the task further complicates if you include several subjects or elaborate on a compelling theme.

What if you can’t meet an ideal candidate to elaborate on your topic? How to pose questions that reveal valuable information and present your findings on paper? How to write an interview essay introduction with attention-grabbing ideas that bring up current dilemmas or resolve an issue? There are so many trilemmas spinning around your head.

Fortunately, there’s no need to feel intimated or discouraged. This article will help you grasp the basics of an interview paper and how to write an outstanding piece. It will also discuss the steps involved in the writing process and give a few helpful tips that ensure your final product passes with flying colors.

What Is an Interview Essay?

An interview paper is an academic written piece that presents the insight the interviewer gained while interviewing one or several people. It aims to expose different perspectives on a particular topic once the writer gathers relevant data through research. Typically, the essence of the paper will rest upon your findings from the interviews.

The presented viewpoints will depend on the respondent. So, for example, if your paper interview focuses on social media, you might consider talking to an influencer. Conversely, if you’re elaborating on a burning social issue, you may want to speak to a local authority. Or set up a meeting with a scientist if you’re exploring natural sciences.

The interview paper must help the reader understand a concept backed by relevant statements. Unlike definition essay writing , where you paraphrase and cite trusted sources like scholarly books, the interview paper will stem from authoritative individuals in the respective field.

Finally, you can reap a lot of benefits from drafting interview essays. More specifically, those interested in becoming broadcast journalists, newspaper reporters, or editors will learn to pose thought-provoking questions. Similarly, HR managers will polish their screening ability and hire excellent candidates. Even prospective detectives and inspectors can gain from writing an interview essay. They will formulate a variety of engaging questions to get honest and accurate answers.

Outline and Typical Structure of an Interview Paper

Most essays follow the template of a basic 5-paragraph paper. Yet, the length can vary according to your subject and data availability. A standard interview essay from a custom writing service can range from 2,000 to 5,000 words or up to ten pages. Individual works are usually shorter.

The interview essay format will have an introduction, body segments (perspectives grouped under different subheadings), and a summary. Here’s an overview of what to put in each part.

Introduction . The writer needs to create an atmosphere of uncertainty and urgency to stimulate the audience to keep reading. It should also provide background information about the theme and the interviewee. Furthermore, the initial part can list statistics or what society thinks about the respective topic. Finally, your intro must contain a thesis that transitions into the main section.

Body . This part will present the pillars on which you conceptualized your research. If you get stuck while drafting the body, you might hire an online service to write an essay for you and incorporate the gathered data. They will isolate the main points and help you frame the perfect timeline of events.

Moreover, the body should reflect important facts, life periods, and considerations of your interviewees. For instance, you might split your paper into infancy, adolescence, university, marriage, and golden years. Or you might divide your segments according to different discussion questions.

Conclusion . Use the ending part to summarize the interviewee’s thoughts and your insights into the matter. You might also compare the available data to the facts collected during the meeting and verify their validity. The bottom line must leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Steps for Writing a Successful Interview

Below is a detailed description of the paper composition journey. Consider each step carefully and be consistent in your approach.

Define the Paper’s Objective

Writing an interview paper urges you to establish the overall purpose. You will have to specify the message you plan to deliver. For example, if you want to verify a public opinion, you’ll have to question several subjects. Alternatively, proving a natural phenomenon will require a conversation with an expert in the field.

Explore the Subject

Find and prepare printed and virtual materials related to your research. Previous interviews and works by the interviewee are also vital. Unlike rebuttal essays , your primary goal is to gather details supporting your claims. Therefore, brainstorm any note you found based on your predefined criteria.

Pick an Interview Format

Your sample form will depend on the specific theme. Most students decide to buy a literature essay online due to their lack of formatting skills. Here are the various formats you can choose when presenting your findings.

This format implies using direct or indirect speech to analyze the storyline. Consider retelling the considerations of the interviewee and citing the original wording. The narrative format is also advisable if you talk to a few interviewees. The structure should contain an intro, a body (each paragraph can describe a particular idea of a single person), and a summary.

Question-and-answer essays are ideal when interviewing one person. Most magazines and news reports prefer this type because it is the simplest. Your interview paper will have an intro, different parts for each question and answer, an analysis with your perspective, and a summary.

Informative

Also known as conversational or personal, these papers are informal and take first or second-person narration flow. However, writing in a dialogue form might be confusing and perplexing for an untrained eye.

Formulate the Questions

Make a thorough list of all the aspects you want to discuss and cover in the interview paper. Ask close-ended (yes/no) and open-ended questions that require in-depth responses. If you struggle with your questionnaire, consider the following suggestions:

• Share your core values
• What would you change in the world if you had a superpower for a day?
• How did your childhood impact your personality?
• What is the recipe for success?
• What is the best aspect of your job?
• How do you overcome your deepest fears?
• Define happiness with examples
• What object do you hold most dear and why?
• What is the most significant challenge in our society?
• How do you imagine the world’s future?

Get in Touch with the Respondent

Make an effort to contact your interviewee/s and be professional when arranging the meeting. You might need to use several communication channels to reach your target person. Focus on scheduling a time that works for everyone involved in the project.

Facilitate the Interview

Choose a peaceful and quiet place without any distractions. Always arrive on time for the meeting. Alternatively, consider setting it up in an online format, if finding a physical location isn’t viable. Most importantly, allow the speakers enough time to share their thoughts and maintain an impartial attitude to avoid miscommunication.

Interview Essay Writing Tips

Here’s some additional advice for writers taking the first steps toward interview writing.

Stick to Your Teacher’s Instructions

Your professor will probably mention the paper structure. For instance, if you receive a classification essay writing guidelines , don’t experiment with other formats. Moreover, rehearse the face-to-face meeting with a family member to avoid possible deadens. Here, you might come up with a follow-up question that clarifies some vague points.

Quote and Paraphrase Your Sources

Organize all the details on the background, education, and achievements before interviewing itself. When referring to the topics discussed, cite them properly and give credit. Also, explain the protocol to the respondent and the purpose of the research.

Consider Recording the Interview

The longer the meeting, the more details you’ll forget once you finish it. Avoid over-relying on your memory, and bring a recorder. Taking notes is also essential. However, don’t record unless the respondent gives prior approval.

Mind These Formatting Rules

Use a font size of 12 in Times New Roman with double spacing. Don’t forget to write a title page, too. When including citations longer than 40 words, use block quotes.

Edit and Proofread

Don’t expect the first draft to be the best. Reduce grammar mistakes and typos by polishing your initial wording. The final version must be logical, easy to read, and plagiarism-free.

Bottom Line

As intimidating as the interview paper might seem at the onset, these guidelines will help you stay focused and organized. Above all, pick an important topic with questions that affect ordinary people. This way, you can set up and develop the interviews more quickly. Undoubtedly, an A+ grade takes dedication and perseverance to research and write your paper.

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How to Write an Interview Essay: A Guide

• Kellie Hayden
• Categories : Help with writing assignments paragraphs, essays, outlines & more
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How to Write An Interview Essay

Interviews can be a great way to get first person information on the life and experiences of your subject. This article will walk you through the steps on how to write an interview essay. Before writing the essay, you have a lot of prep work to do. Decide what you would like to write about and determine an interesting figure you can interview. Do some preliminary research before the interview itself to decide what kind of questions you should ask. During the interview, make sure you take a lot of notes, or best of all, tape record the interview (with your subject’s permission) so you can remain focused on the conversation. If you need more help with the interview portion, read this article .

Organizing the Notes of the Interview

First, you need to know if your teacher wants you to write the essay in a narrative format or in a question answer format. This will affect how you organize your paper. Both essay formats need a strong introduction, an organized body and a solid conclusion. The difference is that the question and answer essay will use direct quotes with your questions. The narrative essay can have paraphrased information from the interview mixed in with direct quotes.

Writing the Informational Interview Essay

Hopefully, you took copious (many) notes during your interview and hopefully you were allowed to record the interview to catch any information that you missed in your notes. Now, you need to organize your information into a logical outline Probably the easiest way to organize all the information is to read through your notes and to listen to the recording of the interview. You need to think about what the reader would like to know about the person you interviewed. Pick three main themes or ideas that you talked about during the interview. These will become body paragraphs for your essay. Once you have wrapped your brain around the three main things you are going to talk about in your essay, you need to write out an outline.

Sample Outline

This outline will help you write a five paragraph essay for a narrative format. However, you can easily organize your question and answer format essay using this outline as well. I. Introduction Start with a humorous or interesting anecdote or fact that the person told you. Thesis statement: A thesis statement is one sentence that tells who was interviewed, his or her title, and why you interviewed the person. Basically, what do you plan to tell your reader about this person? This must be in the introduction, and you must spell the person’s name correctly. Read this article on how to write a thesis statement for more help. II. Body paragraph 1: One big idea you learned III. Body paragraph 2: Second big idea you learned IV. Body paragraph 3: Third big idea you learned V. Conclusion: You need to wrap up your essay by summarizing and writing some concluding remarks about the person.

Write the Interview Essay

Depending on the assigned length of your paper, you can write a paragraph for each Roman numeral on your outline. However, if you need to write a longer essay, you can have several paragraphs for Roman numerals II, III, and IV. You need to make sure that you put quotation marks around words that the person said, and you need to make sure that you body paragraphs support your thesis statement. Once you have a rough draft written, you need someone to peer-edit your paper. Then, you can write a final copy for your teacher. You should now be an expert on how to write an interview essay. You may need to edit and revise your essay to get a top grade, but you should understand the writing process for the interview essay.

This post is part of the series: Interviews and Essays

The following articles will help you to complete an interview and write the interview essay.

• How to Interview Someone for a Paper
• How to Write an Interview Essay

All You Need to Know About Interview Essay Writing

Purpose of Writing an Interview Essay

The writing process is not always smooth sailing. When it comes to the construction of interview papers, you are free to ask about myriads of issues of your interests and get a broad insight from the interview subject. Once you figure out the main thesis statement for your interview essay, you must collect relatable data in question-and-answer format. The gathered information is almost always subjective since the authoritative individuals and qualified experts are your main data providers. Interview essays are constructed based on people's biased opinions rather than books, historical records, and other sources.

Are you looking for answers on how to write an outline for interview essay? We are here to provide you with useful tips on how to write interview APA format essay. 

You might as well find this article helpful since we have prepared essay writing in interview sample at the end of it.

Format for Writing an Interview Essay

Are you on the verge of choosing an appropriate format to write an interview essay? One of the essential steps includes identifying the type of interview paper you are willing to write. The interview essay format is determined based on the style of your paper. There are three basic types of interview papers:

• Narrative Essay Interview - Through this type of paper, you are assigned to research a specific topic based on the conducted interview. The main thing is to accumulate all the information that the interviewed person has provided in a neat and organized manner in the form of a narrative. The story might be written from your perspective or that of the interviewee. In that case, you are free to write in the first and second person.
• Personal Interview - Such type of paper demands you to prepare a list of witty interview questions to ask a specific person who holds a certain type of authority based on their professional occupation. The final product turns out to be an interview in essay format.
• Question-answer Interview - Such interview questions are often asked to job seekers. This is your chance to glance through the common interview questions that the hiring managers will ask you to get a glimpse of your personality and career goals. The questions and answers can be combined in an interview paper. For more information, check out internship interview questions and answers here.

How to Write an Outline for Interview Essay

After you have chosen key points for your interview paper and adjusted its format accordingly, you might wonder, 'should I write an outline for an interview essay ?'. The answer is clear and direct - 'Yes, definitely!'

Good writers always prepare an outline in advance, which is a great tip to lift the burden of the time-consuming paper writing process. The basic structure of interview essay outline includes three major parts:

• Introduction - As you state your paper's thesis statement, you can start writing by introducing the person or the people you interviewed.
• Body Paragraphs - The following paragraphs should contain the subjective points of view that your interviewees provided concerning your major thesis statement.
• Conclusion - In the concluding paragraph of the essay, restate the paper's main goal and summarize the most important points you have made so far.

Writing an Interview Essay Introduction

Once you wrap up the interview essay, outline you are ready to start the writing process. Writing a catchy lead and grabbing a reader's attention right away is not a simple task. However, there are some key elements that make up the best of the introduction part of your interview essay. The primary sentence should briefly contain the main objective behind the chosen topic of the paper. The following sentences should report the importance of your essay topic to your target audience. Finally, you can proceed with the thesis statement, which indicates the basic value of your paper. In other words, try to answer the question of what benefits the reader gets from familiarizing themself with your interview paper.

Do not hesitate to ask us to write an essay for me whether you are assigned to construct an interview essay on writing or any other given subject.

Writing an Interview Essay Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs hold the majority of the essay. Provided paragraphs support the central statement with relatable facts, details, and key points as the answers that an interviewer asks.

Some of the interviewers prefer to use a recording device, while others opt for notes to contain the important data in its entirety. They choose to include parts of the narrative later in the body paragraphs of the essay as they gather the most important and thematic points made throughout the interview process. You might as well include direct quotes or in-text citations as the sources of provided answers. However, always keep in mind to ask for written permission if you plan to paraphrase or directly copy their ideas word by word according to the issue of your interest.

Writing an interview essay can be hard, so if you are looking for further tips on how to write an essay , we can provide you with an interview essay outline example as well as the complete paper itself.

Writing an Interview Essay Conclusion

The classic format for writing an interview essay includes jotting down the main objectives made throughout the paper in a final paragraph, otherwise known as the conclusion. The last paragraph is not any less important compared to the opening one. That is why you should try and restate the crucial points that interviewees have made while answering questions provided by you. That way, you will sound even more persuasive as you provide evident arguments supported by powerful public figures regarded as influential in society.

You are welcome to conclude the essay with a respectful thank you note as well. Express sincere gratification to the reader for taking the time to read your essay and focus on your contribution to them with the source of information contained in the written interview paper.

If you don’t have distinguished skills for writing an outline for college interview essay, our experts have your back! Contact us to write papers for money and enjoy a perfectly-crafted assignment.

Essay Writing Topics in Interview

Looking for inspiration? Researching an interesting topic for the essay can be exhausting sometimes. But we are here to give you a helping hand through tough times. Our experts have gathered some of the most compelling essay writing topics in interview. You are free to take a look at them and choose one that satisfies your curiosity and challenges you to be analyzed in depth.

• Does body language describe our mental state?
• How important is eye contact for establishing genuine connections?
• Are educated and qualified people obliged to give more to others?
• Which job position is the most attractive in the 21st century?
• Do career services help people get to their target job market?
• Does conflict resolution hold an important place in the contemporary world?
• What is love, and where do you feel it or experience it most often?
• How do our family heritage and traditions influence our personalities?
• How many hours of sleep are needed at different stages of life?
• What kind of skills is essential to possess in order to become a good leader?
• Should the tax system be allocated to the rich and poor accordingly?
• Is the two-party system the guarantee of American democracy in the US?
• Should combatting racism be an individual responsibility?
• Should the American people restrict the amount of money spent on the electoral college?
• How do relationships and friendships shape our lives?
• Do your dreams and nightmares reflect real-life events?
• How do you keep yourself from getting sick?
• Does technology make your daily life easier?
• Do you agree or disagree with the idea that opposites attract?
• What does it mean to be a religious and faithful person to you?

We hope those mentioned above, as well as other essay writing topics for interview in google, will fuel your curiosity.

Meanwhile, you can always pay for papers . Our experts are capable of writing an essay for a job interview based on your individual demands that will get you closer to your dream position.

Interview Essay Writing Examples

Here is one of the interview essay writing examples to check out. We hope that the provided example will give you some kind of perspective:

'A LEADER IS ONE WHO KNOWS THE WAY, GOES THE WAY, AND SHOWS THE WAY'

According to the popular idea, leaders are born rather than made. Contrary to this belief, many real-life examples prove that people can grow into a leader type as they grow older if they want to. Any man can be a leader, but it is not an easy thing to do. You need to know yourself to set an example for others, inspire them, and give them a sense of trust to follow your steps. People are inclined toward those who know where they are going, have their own vision, and are educated enough to support their decisions with rational arguments. These traits give leaders the power to be persuasive. They have their goals set and are not afraid to firmly face any challenges that life might throw their way.

To support this statement, we have interviewed a Pakistani female education activist, Malala Yousafzai, who also carries the honor of being the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is a pure example of how one can rise from any kind of social and domestic circumstances if one has a vision and works hard enough to achieve their goals. She realized the value of education from a very young age. The latter was often inaccessible for girls of her nation due to authoritative powers in the head of the government, under which education was banned for almost all the females in the Northern Pakistani region. Malala persistently fought for her truth and raised awareness about the value that educating girls and boys could hold. She began writing articles and her personal insights anonymously to describe the intolerable circumstances that females had to face under the group of dictators, highlighting the purpose of education and its unavailability for girls of Pakistan.

Malala's example is one of a kind. She wants to be remembered as a girl who tries to help others in whatever capacity she can hold. She did everything possible to let the outer world know about the injustice that the government of her nation committed. She never backed down even after the confrontation between her and the representatives of the ruling power at the head of the Pakistani government.

Further Academic Help

We hope you gained some beneficial information throughout this article which will help you craft a top-notch interview essay for your journalism class. In case of further assistance, our expert writers are here to provide you with interview essay examples APA format at our paper service platform.

Before you go, you are welcome to take an essay writing test for interview to check how well you understood the concept of the article and implement gained knowledge into your upcoming assignment.

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A Guide to Writing an Essay for Job Interviews

Writing is a doorway into your mental perspective. Your written work will convey to the reader how you reason, how you debate, and how you support your point of view. This is why essays are integral parts of some job selection processes.

The subjects and topics of these essays mostly revolve around specific current affairs or political events. The more you understand the topic and have information about the event, the better your essay becomes.

Things to remember about Essay Writing

• The essay must be organized and presented so that interviewer can follow it easily. It also needs to be neat and free of any ambiguity. 
• The essay is not only a quiz on your understanding of specific facts. Your imagination, ingenuity, and ability to come up with original ideas will be put to the test. Hence, it must be written in an engaging, readable style. However, it must, most importantly, include your viewpoints on the matter at hand.
• Language proficiency does not develop immediately. It requires perseverance and effort. Your motivation to learn a language will impact how well you can communicate in it.
• In the wrong belief that we can produce a quality piece of work in the test room, many of us make the mistake of accumulating information and facts on the likely topics at the eleventh hour of preparation.
• What we must realize is that organizing information using the proper terminology will be a laborious task, especially under the strain of a deadline
• Improve your abilities by being enthusiastic about reading, taking an interest in expanding your knowledge base, and learning new words.
• The essay as a whole needs to flow naturally from one paragraph to the next so that the interviewer can sense the coherence, orderly flow, and arrangement of your ideas. Transitional words and phrases can be used to tie the paragraphs together.

Suggestions for Writing Effectively

Now let’s discuss some general ideas and tips for writing essays.

• Maintain proper structure: Start the essay with an introduction (or a problem), and then go on to give further information about the problem. The essay body should be between 86 and 90 percent in length, the introduction should be between 5 and 7 percent, and the conclusion should be between 5 and 7 percent.
• Don’t lose track of the subject: Remember the essay prompt. Remain focused on the topic. do not just cite examples or quotations and discuss side-events. Stay rooted in the problem or event you are discussing and then present your take on that very event.
• Practice is the key: Preparation is required before the examination phase to develop the ability to produce a decent essay. Writing is the key to a successful essay because it serves as the primary means of transferring thoughts from your head to paper. So don’t just read, start practicing writing essays before you write them for the real interview.
• Draw the readers’ attention: Your introduction’s opening line should spark the reader’s interest and stimulate their curiosity. When discussing a current affair or a political issue, it might be an intriguing question, a stunning reality, or a statement emphasizing the significance of the topic.
• Explain the background of your subject: The next step is to provide the context of the particular issue of current affairs or politics, so that the interviewer may grasp your argument. This may entail offering background information, providing an overview of the significance of discussions on the subject, and defining complex words. Don’t go into too much depth in the opening; you can go into more detail in your essay’s body.
• Be resourceful with your knowledge : In order to write a good article about current topics, you must understand that knowledge comes first. You need to know what is going on around you. Be precise when presenting your current affairs knowledge. Be precise in how you think about these incidents.

Mistakes to avoid in the Essays

You’ve probably got a clear idea about how to write an essay this far. That’s great! But you also need to be aware of the errors to keep away from. Your essays will be of much better quality if you can figure out how to avoid the following errors.

• Synthesis Writing, Not Analytical Essay Writing: If you’re writing about a current event, providing some background information can help to frame the subject. However, the majority of your essay should focus on your analysis. Don’t just summarise what happened.
• Too many arguments: The interviewer always expects you to provide solid justification for your thesis. Some people take this literally, and as a result, they write as many facts, figures, and quotations as they can. To make the thesis statement more credible, avoid adding unnecessary complexity to the article by making unrelated citings. Stick to the topic and state your case logically without factitively.
• Don’t sound contradictory: Be clear from the very first about your take on the event you are discussing. You may discuss different and relevant aspects of the issue you are discussing but don’t sound contradictory in the process. Don’t hold extremist opinions. Your essay should demonstrate how well-balanced, holistic, and analytical you are.

Useful Resources to learn about Current Events

Now, if you are wondering where and how to find the current events or relevant political issues that may be the potential topics of your essay, here are some cues for you.

• Consistency is necessary for the GA segment; daily newspaper reading is required.
• Keep concise records of significant news. The notes should be revised on a regular basis.
• Another way to stay up to date on current events is to subscribe to news networks or current affairs YouTube channels.
• You can read monthly magazines that are offered by different institutions if you don’t have time to read everyday current affairs. These periodicals can be found online and in PDF format.

So, these are everything you need to know about writing an essay on current and political issues; following the DOs and DONTs mentioned here you can create an excellent piece. But always keep in mind that before writing comes knowledge. There is no such thing as perfect writing but the more you are aware of your surroundings the easier it is for you to pen it down. Hence, keep reading, and stay updated to excel in your essay on such topics.  

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Job Interview Essay

As one would expect during a job interview, your employer may be asking you to write something . This would be in the form of an essay. This is usually about your experiences, your skills and all the basic information they need to know more about you. They do this to see and to understand you as a person. Here are some 7+ job interview essay examples you can check out for some tips on what to write and what to avoid.

7+ Job Interview Essay Examples

1. job interview essay template.

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2. Sample Job Interview Essay

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3. Basic Job Interview Essay

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4. Job Interview Question Database Essay

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5. Job Interview Essay in PDF

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6. Printable Job Interview Essay

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7. Job Interview Strategy Essay

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8. Formal Job Interview Essay

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Define Interview

An interview is a meeting face to face. It is usually a conventional conference . A conversation or a questioning for the purpose of getting information from the interviewee. 

Define Job Interview

A job interview is a dialogue between an employer and the applicant. In a job interview, the employer asks questions about the applicant’s work history, educational history, and skills. 

Things to Avoid in Writing a Job Interview Essay

Some of us get so excited when writing essays, like that of a job interview, but one thing we must remember is to summarize the job interview essay   We often forget that an essay is nothing but a short summary of what we wish to write. But that’s okay. It’s nothing different. But unlike some of the essays you may be used to, there are some things to avoid when writing for a job interview essay. Here are some of the things you need to avoid at all cost.

• Lying about your answers – when writing about what is asked, be careful. Interview questions in an essay may be tricky. Do not make up anything to make your essay sound nice. The interviewer would not be amazed one bit if you lied in your essay. Rather, there is a bigger chance they will not accept you.
• Flowery words – Most of us are guilty with this when writing the essay. It is best to avoid putting flowery words to make it sound like we did these things. Again, your employer has a way of knowing you are being truthful or lying. Avoid this at all costs.
• Too proud – this is often taken for granted but I want to put it right here. Do not boast about the experiences you may not have and write it off as yours. Do not boast about the experiences you have in your essay. You have to remain open and humble.

Things You Should Remember When Writing an Essay

• Voice – keep it professional. The tone in your essay has to be in a professional setting. If you write in a childish manner or as if you are angry at someone, your employer or anyone reading it will surely see that you are not fit for the job.
• Information – write what is asked in the essay. Do not put any other information that is not required nor needed. Example for this information is through a question that goes like this “why should we hire you?” This may sound easy but be very careful as to what you are going to write or say. Do not forget to introduce yourself in your essay.
• Explaining – In some questions in an essay, you are required to explain. Like the sample question above, you must give an explanation in your own words as to why they should hire you. However, avoid saying explanations like “because I am the best”, “I am better than anyone.” This will not only make you lose your opportunity, it is also very rude to tell that to your employer.
• Descriptive – keep your essay as  descriptive as possible . When you are to general in your writing, you are making the person reading confused. Put a little effort to what you are writing.
• Be prepared – when you are going to a job interview, always expect the unexpected. Answer questions as honest as possible.
• Reflect – reflect on what you have written . Understand what you have learned and done. A job interview essay is simply one of many essays you are going to go through.

I want to write about my experiences related to the job, should I write down everything?

Yes you may. As long as you remember that what you are writing is true and correct. As well as be careful on how you word it. Your tone in writing should be professional.

Why am I not allowed to show off my skills in my essay?

Employers are interested in what you have, but they are not interested in the way you talk about it. They prefer to see someone professional talking about their experiences in the same professional tone. Rather than being too cocky.

Is it necessary to know your skills? What if I don’t?

It is better to know what you are good at. When your employer may state you need to write your skills in the essay, you have to be prepared to do so. Ask yourself what you are good at and write it down.

Is there a time limit to writing the essay?

Most companies give a certain amount of time for the applicant to finish the job interview essay. This is so that neither of the two parties are wasting time. Be prepared to write a good essay within a limited amount of time.

Writing a job interview essay can be difficult. It can also be rewarding knowing you did a good job and you have done what you were told to do. Though a job interview essay may not give you the outcome of getting that job, but it is good practice on showing off your skills. Once you find out how to write a good essay for a job interview, all you need to do is to remember the guidelines.

To remember not to be too cocky when writing about your experiences. Do not be too shy either, rather be professional about it. Employers do read your essay, so be careful what you write. Watch your grammar and how you word things as well. This can affect the opportunity of getting that job. With all that being said, I wish you luck.

Job Interview Essay Generator

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Describe your preparation process for a job interview in your Job Interview Essay.

Reflect on a successful job interview experience in your Job Interview Essay.

Essay on Interview Skills

Students are often asked to write an essay on Interview Skills in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Interview Skills

Understanding interview skills.

Interview skills are crucial for success. They include effective communication, body language, and preparation. These skills help in presenting oneself confidently.

The Importance of Communication

Good communication is key. It involves clear speech, active listening, and appropriate responses. This helps in delivering your thoughts effectively.

Significance of Body Language

Body language speaks volumes. A firm handshake, eye contact, and good posture show confidence and sincerity.

Value of Preparation

Preparation is vital. Researching about the company, practicing common questions, and preparing your own queries show your interest and dedication.

250 Words Essay on Interview Skills

Introduction.

Interviews are a crucial part of the job application process, providing employers with a chance to assess a candidate’s suitability for a role. They offer an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their skills, knowledge, and personality. However, excelling in an interview requires more than just having the right qualifications; it demands a set of specific skills.

Preparation

A key aspect of interview success is thorough preparation. This includes researching the company and role, understanding the job description, and tailoring your responses to highlight relevant skills and experiences. Preparation also involves anticipating common interview questions and rehearsing your responses.

Communication Skills

Effective communication is paramount during an interview. It’s not just about what you say but how you say it. This involves speaking clearly, listening attentively, and responding thoughtfully. Non-verbal communication, such as maintaining eye contact and adopting a confident posture, also plays a significant role in conveying your confidence and professionalism.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

Employers often pose hypothetical scenarios or complex problems to assess a candidate’s problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Responding effectively to these questions requires logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and the ability to communicate your thought process clearly.

Adaptability

Interviews can be unpredictable, demanding adaptability from candidates. This could mean thinking on your feet to answer unexpected questions, or demonstrating resilience in the face of challenging scenarios.

In conclusion, interview skills are a combination of preparation, effective communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. By developing these skills, candidates can increase their chances of performing well in interviews and securing their desired roles.

500 Words Essay on Interview Skills

Interview skills are a fundamental component of professional development and career progression. In today’s competitive job market, the ability to effectively present oneself and articulate one’s skills and experiences is crucial. This essay aims to explore the importance of interview skills, the various types of interviews, and strategies for improving these skills.

The Importance of Interview Skills

Interview skills are not just about answering questions correctly. They encompass a wide range of aspects including body language, active listening, and the ability to articulate thoughts clearly. These skills help a candidate to make a positive impression and stand out among other applicants. Moreover, they are transferable skills that can be utilized in various professional and social contexts.

Types of Interviews

Understanding the different types of interviews is essential to prepare effectively. Traditional face-to-face interviews are the most common, where the interviewer and candidate interact directly. Telephone and video interviews are increasingly popular, particularly for remote positions. Panel interviews involve multiple interviewers, often from different departments. Group interviews involve multiple candidates, testing their ability to work in a team. Each type requires a slightly different approach and set of skills.

Preparation for the Interview

Preparation is key to successful interviews. This involves researching the company and role, understanding the job description, and preparing answers to potential questions. It also includes practical aspects such as planning the journey to the interview location or testing technology for online interviews. Preparation helps to reduce anxiety and increases confidence.

During the Interview

During the interview, it is important to demonstrate enthusiasm and interest in the role and company. Active listening is crucial – it shows respect and allows for thoughtful, relevant responses. Body language also plays a significant part; maintaining eye contact, for example, indicates confidence and engagement. Clear, concise answers are best, with real-life examples to illustrate points where possible.

Post-Interview

After the interview, it’s good practice to reflect on the experience. Consider what went well and areas for improvement. Sending a thank you note to the interviewer can leave a positive lasting impression and set you apart from other candidates.

Improving Interview Skills

Improving interview skills is a continuous process. Practice is key; consider role-play with a friend or mentor, or use online resources. Feedback is also invaluable for identifying strengths and areas for development. Finally, remember that each interview is a learning experience, regardless of the outcome.

In conclusion, interview skills are critical for career success. They involve a wide range of competencies, from communication to active listening to body language. Understanding the different types of interviews and how to prepare for, execute, and reflect on them is essential. Continuous practice and feedback can greatly enhance these skills, leading to more successful interviews and career opportunities.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Interpersonal Skills
• Essay on Importance of Soft Skills
• Essay on Sleep

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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English Basics

How to Write an Essay for a Job Interview?

There are several key tips for writing an essay that will win the attention of your employer. You can use the Narrative format or the Conversational format. Make sure to use powerful adjectives and include a call to action. Use examples to help you come up with a topic. After you’ve crafted your essay, you’ll need to find a topic for your call to action. Then, brainstorm ways to present it in the most compelling way.

Narrative format

In an essay for a job interview, you will most likely be asked to write a story, so a good format for this type of essay is the narrative format. It allows you to paraphrase information or use direct quotes and provides you with the opportunity to analyze and add context. Narratives are the most common in-class assignments, but they are also suitable for magazine articles. When you choose a narrative format, make sure you choose one that is appropriate for the type of interview you are going to conduct.

This essay format has five parts. Each body paragraph contains one important piece of information. Next, each body paragraph should have a main argument that relates to the audience. The last paragraph should summarize the main ideas and give feedback on the person. This essay should be between three and five paragraphs long. Generally, you can use a five-paragraph structure, citing quotes and citations, and dedicating each paragraph to a particular idea.

While writing an essay for an interview, remember to be as concise as possible. You should include quotation marks for any quotes you have used from the interviewee. Also, remember to use smooth transitions from one paragraph to the next. Lastly, consider including a conclusion that sums up the main points and relates to your interview. Whether it is a call to action or a summary of the overall message of the essay, the conclusion should be memorable.

The last paragraph should include a hard piece of evidence, such as a quote that illustrates your point. In addition, your essay should also contain standard essay parts such as a good introduction and an effective closing. If you are unable to write quickly, you should use an audio recording device. Once you have written your essay, you can start thinking about the topics your reader would be interested in. Make sure to select at least three themes that you want to highlight in the body of your essay.

When writing a narrative essay, make sure to draw your audience’s attention with the details that are most relevant to the interview. This type of essay requires critical thinking and analytical skills. In the end, it allows you to show the interviewee’s personality. Remember that your goal is to entertain as well as inform, so your audience will enjoy reading about your life and your experiences. This style of essay will not only impress your interviewer but also help you land the job you want.

Conversational format

The structure of an essay for a job interview is very different than an essay you might write for a class assignment. For instance, when you write a narrative, you present information in the form of a story with a central theme. Conversely, a conversational essay relates the events of a conversation between a writer and another person. It uses the first and second person to relate the story and includes personal comments.

A conversational essay is a casual style that allows for the retelling of direct speech without redundant information. It is written in 12-point Times New Roman type and allows for a wide variety of approaches to address the audience. This format works best when you have one interviewee or a small group of closely related individuals. In a conversational essay, it is important to use direct quotes when citing any source for more than 40 words.

Another method for generating conversational responses is to use a conversational tone. This is effective because the interviewee tends to overreact to the reactions of the interviewer. Using small inflections or repeating phrases encourages the respondent to elaborate. Similarly, restating a reply allows time for reflection and clarification. It is important, however , that you do not insert the “right” words into the interviewee’s mind.

Using a conversational style can be difficult in certain genres. The conversational format, on the other hand, is more flexible, and it may not be as effective in the formal context. This style makes it easier to read and presents the interview subject as being more articulate than they actually are. However, if you want to use this format, be consistent. You can even try to explain the rationale behind your decision by citing a source for background information or research.

Powerful adjectives

Use powerful adjectives in an essay for a job application to convey your passion and enthusiasm. It’s important to choose the right words and avoid overuse, as this can make your essay sound hollow. For example, if you’re an introverted person, you can’t use the word “shy” on your resume. Instead, use powerful adjectives such as “dedicated” or “motivated” that highlight your qualities.

When describing yourself in an essay for a job application, use positive adjectives and use as few as two or three words. Choose words that describe one trait about yourself and avoid overstating. Think about what the job requires and what sets you apart from the competition. Your friends or family can give you a perspective on how you appear to them. Try to limit yourself to about 60 to 90 seconds.

When choosing an adjective, use it sparingly, but use it to describe actions and outcomes. Using too many adjectives makes your resume look unprofessional and fluffy. However, it can help your bullet points stand out and make you sound more qualified. Adjectives can make you sound like a rock star or a high-performing employee, so don’t be afraid to use them sparingly.

Call to action

The call to action in an essay for a job application should convey the importance of the position. The employer wants assurances that you are prepared to go above and beyond the job requirements. Mention your skills and experience and how you can help the company overcome challenges. In addition, show the employer that you have the knowledge and expertise to perform tasks beyond your job description. By including a call to action in your essay, you can increase your chances of getting the job.

Your cover letter should contain a call to action that encourages the employer to follow up with you. The last few sentences of your cover letter should be devoted to expressing your enthusiasm for the job and pushing the employer to contact you. By including a call to action, you show your enthusiasm for the position, which makes the hiring manager more likely to contact you for more information. This will demonstrate your commitment and confidence in the job.

If you can’t make the reader take action immediately, use a CTA. This is an essential element of your content. Ensure your CTA is visible above the fold of your essay. You can start your call to action with compelling words that make people feel motivated to take action right away. Social proof is a strong way to convince readers to take action. Make sure your call to action is backed up by compelling evidence.

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Prepare for a job interview in English

Job interviews are usually stressful, and a job interview in English can be doubly so. It’s worth taking the time to prepare for your job interview in English more thoroughly than you might prepare for a regular job interview (although you should be prepared for those too!), just so that you can feel more comfortable on the big day.

There are three main aspects to preparing for a job interview in English.  First, there’s the standard preparation you would do for an interview in any language. This includes things like reading up on the company and planning out how you’ll present yourself, your education, and your work experience. You can get a lot of good advice in preparing for any interview by searching for things like “prepare for a job interview”. Read several articles and apply their advice in your preparations.

The second aspect of preparing for a job interview in English is reading up on common interview questions in English and thinking through your answers in advance. Here are some of the most common job interview questions in English:

How would you describe yourself?

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses?

Why did you leave your last job?

What do you do in your current role?

Why would you like to work here?

When could you start?

Why kind of salary are you expecting?

Do you have any questions for me?

Again, there are many articles and websites where you can find detailed advice about how to answer these questions. In planning your answers to commonly asked interview questions, consider you’re your use of the English language (correct usage of tenses, precise vocabulary, speaking clearly) and your ability to meet the cultural expectations of your interviewer.

In researching how to answer commonly-asked questions, stick to culturally appropriate sites for your particular situation.  If you’re interviewing in the USA, read job articles on American websites, the same for the UK, Australia, or any other English-speaking country. If you’ll be having an interview in English in your own country, try to find out what nationality your interviewer is and refer to articles from that country.  The more you’re able to meet your interviewer’s cultural expectations, the more comfortable he will feel with you, and the more likely he’ll be to offer you the job.

You should also look into whether or not you’ll be asked to take an English test during the interview. If you will be, get ready for that by taking the EF SET Certificate™, a free standardized English test that’s at least as challenging as what you’ll be asked to take in a job interview. As a bonus: when completing the EF SET English Certificate™, you will get your own dedicated Certificate URL, which you can easily add to your LinkedIn profile or your CV to professionally prove your English level.

The third aspect of preparing for a job interview in English is   practice . Because English isn’t your native language, you need to practice responding out loud to common interview questions in English. If you have someone to practice with, great! Give the person a list of questions, have him read them out, and practice answering aloud.

If you don’t have someone to practice with, use the recording software on your phone or computer to practice reading out the question and then answering it. Play back your recording when you’re done. Listen to see if you can understand every word, and consider how you can improve, for example by speaking more clearly or using more precise vocabulary. Look up the words you need and don’t hesitate to try the same question several times. Your goal is to be able to answer the most common interview questions without hesitation. That will give you more wiggle room when it comes to answering the unexpected questions that always come up in an interview.

While research and self-recording can feel silly, they’re enormously useful tools for building confidence answering the questions that you are likely to be asked. Preparing for a job interview in English is worth a little embarrassment. After all, it may just get you the job of your dreams!

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Student Essays

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Essays on Interview [ Importance, Effective Interview Skills ]

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This essay talks about an interview, Concept and Purpose of an interview, why Interview is of great importance, what are the important factors for an effective Interview and how to learn them. This essay is written in simple English and in easy to understand words, for children and students.

List of Topics

Essay on an Interview | Meaning, Importance, Effective Interview Skills

An interview is a process of selection in which the interviewer tries to know about the personality, quality, caliber, intellect and capabilities of the interviewee through questions. The purpose of an interview is to test the eligibility and suitability of a person for a particular job or position.

Interview; Meaning and Concept:

Importance of an interview.

Interviews are of great importance for several reasons. Firstly, they provide an opportunity for the interviewer to get to know the interviewee better. Secondly, they allow the interviewer to assess the interviewee’s suitability for the job or course they are applying for.

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Thirdly, interviews give the interviewer a chance to ask follow-up questions and get clarification on certain points. Finally, interviews provide an opportunity for the interviewee to sell themselves and their skills to the interviewer.

Factors for an effective Interview:

There are several factors that contribute to an effective interview. Firstly, it is important that the interviewer is well prepared and has a good understanding of the job or course that the interviewee is applying for. Secondly, the interviewer should create a relaxed and comfortable environment for the interviewee.

Thirdly, the interviewer should ask questions that are relevant to the job or course. Fourthly, the interviewer should listen carefully to the answers given by the interviewee. Fifthly, the interviewer should avoid interrupting the interviewee. Finally, the interviewer should thank the interviewee for their time at the end of the interview.

Learning how to conduct an effective interview is a valuable skill that will serve you well in your personal and professional life. There are many resources available that can help you learn how to conduct an effective interview.

These include books, websites, and courses. With a little time and effort, you can learn how to conduct an effective interview and use this skill to your advantage.

Interview is an important tool for selection because it helps the interviewer to know about the personal qualities of the candidate which can not be known from certificates and marksheets. Moreover, it is an opportunity for both, the candidate and the interviewer, to know each other.

The interview helps the candidate in getting the job which he wants and it is beneficial for the employer as he gets a chance to select the most eligible candidate for the job.

Short Essay on Interview:

In today’s job market, interviews are an essential part of the hiring process. An interview is a formal meeting between an employer and a potential employee to discuss job qualifications and determine if there is a good fit for both parties.

The purpose of an interview is to assess a candidate’s skills, experience, knowledge, and personality in order to determine their suitability for the job. It also allows employers to get a sense of a candidate’s work ethic, communication skills, and professionalism.

There are several types of interviews that can take place, such as traditional one-on-one interviews, panel interviews with multiple interviewers, or group interviews with several candidates being interviewed at once. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages but ultimately serves the same purpose: finding the best candidate for the job.

Preparing for an interview is crucial in order to make a good impression and increase the chances of getting hired. Researching the company, understanding the job requirements, and practicing potential questions are all important steps to take before an interview. Dressing professionally and arriving on time also demonstrate respect for the opportunity given.

During the interview, it’s important for candidates to be honest, confident, and enthusiastic about the position. It’s also helpful to provide specific examples or stories that showcase their skills and experience. Asking thoughtful questions shows interest in the company and can help determine if it’s a good fit.

After an interview, it’s important to follow up with a thank-you email or note reiterating interest in the position. This not only shows gratitude for the opportunity but also keeps the candidate fresh in the employer’s mind.

While interviews can be nerve-wracking, they are ultimately a valuable experience. Whether one gets hired or not, each interview is an opportunity to improve and learn more about oneself and their career goals. It’s important to remember that even if one doesn’t get the job, it’s not a reflection of their worth as a person or employee.

In conclusion, interviews play a crucial role in the hiring process and should be taken seriously by both employers and candidates. They provide a chance for employers to find qualified individuals and for candidates to showcase their skills and personality.

By properly preparing, being honest and enthusiastic, and following up after an interview, one can increase their chances of landing their dream job. So, it is essential to put in the effort and make the most out of every interview opportunity. There are always things to learn and areas to improve upon, so it’s important to approach each interview with an open mind and a positive attitude.

With a good understanding of the purpose of interviews and proper preparation, one can successfully navigate through this crucial step in their career journey. Keep striving for success and don’t get discouraged by rejection – the right opportunity will come along eventually! Happy interviewing!

Essay on Interview Skills:

Interview skills play a crucial role in the success of any job seeker. It is not only about having the necessary qualifications and experience, but also about being able to effectively communicate your strengths and abilities to a potential employer. In this essay, we will discuss the importance of interview skills and provide some tips for improving them.

Why are Interview Skills Important?

The purpose of an interview is for the employer to get to know you better and determine if you are the right fit for the job. This means that your interview performance can greatly influence whether or not you secure the position.

Having strong interview skills can give you a competitive edge over other candidates. It shows that you are confident, well-prepared, and able to effectively articulate your ideas and experiences.

Furthermore, having good interview skills can also help you in your current job. Effective communication is a crucial skill in any workplace, and being able to present yourself confidently and clearly during an interview demonstrates this ability.

Tips for Improving Interview Skills

• Do Your Research: Before the interview, make sure you research the company and the position you are applying for. This will show that you are genuinely interested in the role and have taken the time to understand what it entails.
• Practice Common Questions: There are common questions that are often asked during interviews, such as “Tell me about yourself” or “What are your strengths/weaknesses?”. Take some time to think about how you would answer these questions beforehand so that you can respond confidently and effectively.
• Dress Professionally: First impressions are important, and your appearance can greatly influence the interviewer’s perception of you. Make sure to dress professionally and appropriately for the job you are interviewing for.
• Show Confidence: It is natural to feel nervous during an interview, but try to project confidence through your body language and tone of voice. Maintain eye contact, sit up straight, and speak clearly and concisely.
• Ask Questions: At the end of the interview, most employers will give you the opportunity to ask questions. This is a great chance for you to show your interest in the company and position by asking thoughtful and relevant questions.
• Practice, Practice, Practice: The more you practice interviewing, the more comfortable and confident you will become. You can practice with a friend or family member, or even record yourself answering common interview questions.

In conclusion, strong interview skills are essential for job seekers to stand out in a competitive job market. By doing your research, practicing common questions, dressing professionally, showing confidence, asking questions, and practicing regularly, you can improve your interview skills and increase your chances of success.

Remember that an interview is not only about showcasing your qualifications and experience but also about effectively communicating who you are as a candidate. So make sure to prepare well and present yourself confidently during your next interview. Good luck!

Essay on Interviewing Someone:

Interviews are an essential part of the recruitment process in both professional and personal settings. Conducting interviews allows individuals or organizations to gather information, assess a person’s skills and qualifications, and make informed decisions about hiring or collaborating with someone. As such, it is crucial to understand the art of interviewing someone effectively.

In this essay, we will discuss the basics of interviewing someone, including tips for preparation, conducting the interview, and post-interview follow-up.

Preparation for the Interview

Before conducting an interview, it is essential to prepare adequately. Here are some things you should consider:

• Know your objectives: Clearly define what you want to achieve through the interview. Is it to gather information? Assess skills ? Make a decision?
• Gather background information: Research the person you will be interviewing, including their education, work experience, achievements, and any other relevant details.
• Prepare your questions: Develop a list of questions that align with your objectives. It is essential to have open-ended questions to encourage the interviewee to share more information.
• Choose an appropriate location: Select a quiet and private location for the interview, free from distractions or interruptions.

Conducting the Interview

During the interview, it is crucial to create a comfortable yet professional environment for the interviewee. Here are some tips:

• Start on a positive note: Begin by introducing yourself and setting a relaxed tone for the conversation. This will help put the interviewee at ease.
• Active listening: Listen carefully to the interviewee’s responses and ask follow-up questions to gather more information or clarify any doubts.
• Body language: Maintain good eye contact and open body language to show that you are engaged in the conversation.
• Be flexible: While it is essential to have a list of prepared questions, be open to deviating from them if necessary. Allow the conversation to flow naturally.

Post Interview Follow-Up

After the interview, it is crucial to follow up with the interviewee. Here are some things you should do:

• Thank them for their time: Send a thank-you email or note expressing your gratitude for their time and participation in the interview.
• Evaluation: Take some time to evaluate the interview and compare it with your objectives. Did you gather all the necessary information? Did you get a sense of the person’s skills and qualifications?
• Decision-making: Use the information gathered from the interview, along with other factors, to make an informed decision about hiring or collaborating with the individual.

In conclusion, interviewing someone is a skill that requires preparation, active listening, and effective communication. By following these tips, you can conduct an efficient and informative interview that will help you make informed decisions in both professional and personal settings. Remember to always treat every interviewee with respect and professionalism while ensuring a comfortable environment for communication.

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Q: What is an interview essay?

A: An interview essay is a type of academic or journalistic writing that presents a conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee. It typically conveys the interviewee’s thoughts, experiences, and insights on a specific topic.

Q: How do you write a short essay for an interview?

A: To write a short essay based on an interview, start with an introduction, provide background information, include direct quotes from the interviewee, and analyze the insights or perspectives shared in the interview. Conclude with a summary of the key points.

Q: What is the introduction of the interview essay?

A: The introduction of an interview essay should provide context about the interviewee, the topic of the interview, and the purpose of the conversation. It sets the stage for the reader.

Q: What is an interview and why is it important?

A: An interview is a structured conversation between two or more people, typically conducted to gather information, insights, or perspectives on a specific subject. Interviews are important for research, journalism, hiring processes, and information exchange, as they provide an opportunity to learn from others and share knowledge.

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Essay Templates

• 20+ Interview Essay Templates

An interview essay is a simple form of writing that relays the information being gathered through an interview template . It is done to make the readers knowledgeable of the items discussed during the interview process. This type of essay allows the writer to relay his or her impressions on the interview that occurred and the precise data from the interview.

Student Interview Essay Template

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The Process of Creating an Interview Essay

• Think first of the topic that you want to write about. This will serve as your guide on selecting the person that you want to interview.
• Know the purpose of your essay. If you think that interviewing just one person is enough, then it will already do good to Word interview one. It also varies on the mood that you want your writing to have.
• Prepare interview questions. Base your questions on your chosen topic so you can already have a guideline on what to ask. With this, you can already create a structure for your essay as you already have an idea of what is going to be in it. An information Sheet will just vary depending on the answers of your interviewee.
• Quoting your interviewer. If you want to quote the interviewee in some parts of your essay, make sure to write the precise sample statement that he or she has said during the interview. If you cannot write at a fast pace, using an audio-recording device to record the entire interview with the permission of the PDF interviewee is of great help.
• Prepare for the essay. After the interview, construct your thoughts and create a flow of ideas where you can insert the items being answered during the interview.
• Start writing your interview essay and make sure that you are following the pattern that you have created for a cohesive thought pre-construction .

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More in essay templates, interview essay example, interview article template, interview essay in apa documentation style template, personal career case study interview essay template, job interview essay report with introduction template, reflective interview essay template, reflective leadership interview essay template, high school interview essay template, extended definition essay with interview template.

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How to answer 6 common job interview questions in English

Preparing for a job interview in English can be stressful. Becoming familiar with the most common interview questions (and how to answer them!) will increase your confidence and skills. It’s also useful to become familiar with job interview culture in the U.S. so you know what to do—and avoid.

Here are common interview questions and the English phrases you need to answer them!

"Tell me about yourself."

This is often the first question in an interview, so it’s a good idea to prepare a strong answer that's short and not too personal. For example, don’t share things like your relationship status, your age, or whether you have children. Instead, focus on things that are relevant for the job, like your education, work experience, professional interests, and skills.

This question might also sound like: 

• We’d like to get to know you a little.
• So, tell us about you.
• Let’s start with an introduction.

Helpful phrases for answering this question:

• My name is…
• It’s very nice to meet you.
• I applied for this job because…
• I’ve been working in the [work subject] field for [number] years.
• I’ve been a [job title] for [number] years.
• My background is in [work subject].
• I studied [educational subject] at [university name].
• I’m looking forward to our interview.

Sample answer: I’ve been a manager at a small company for about seven years, and before that I studied business administration at Duo University. I applied for this job because you’re looking for someone who is very organized and good with computers, and I’m passionate about keeping businesses running smoothly.

"Why do you want this job?"

This question is a great time to show that you understand what the position is! You can prepare for this question by reviewing the job description and thinking about how your resume aligns with it.

This question might also sound like:

• Tell us why you’re interested in this position.
• What made you apply for this job?
• What drew you to this position? 
• Why are you a good fit for this job?
• a great fit
• perfect for my background
• very interesting to me
• well-suited to my skills
• I have a lot of experience [verb]
• an opportunity to grow professionally
• I know how to [verb]
• I majored in [school subject]
• I have a degree in [school subject]

Sample answer: When I saw this job posting, I was so excited because it is a perfect fit for my professional background! It seems like you’re looking for someone to teach kids math. I have worked at an elementary school for many years, so I have experience working with young children. I also majored in math, and I love it!

“What is your biggest strength?”

When you hear this question, the interviewer wants to know about your best qualities! Instead of talking about what you have done, you need to talk about who you are as a person. You can also share a very short example to illustrate the quality. 

Remember that in U.S. job interviews, the interviewer will expect to hear a very positive answer. Be polite, and avoid being critical of yourself. Don't be too humble, either!

• What are some of your best qualities?
• What qualities make you a good candidate?
• What would you bring to this position?
• My biggest strength is my…[complete the sentence with a powerful noun].
• Flexibility
• Responsibility
• Organization
• Problem-solving skills
• Communication
• My biggest strength is that I am… [complete the sentence with an adjective or “a + noun phrase”]
• A great communicator
• Good in a crisis

Sample answers: My biggest strength is my patience. In my last job, I often worked on time-consuming projects that required a lot of focus and attention to detail. That experience really helped me strengthen this quality!

My biggest strength is that I am good in a crisis. Last year, my company had a problem with some important paperwork. Because of my attitude, I helped my team fix the issue in a timely manner and we resolved the situation.

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

The purpose of this question is to find out about your goals. To make your answer even stronger, you can also explain what you are currently doing to reach those goals!

• Tell me what you hope to achieve in the next five years. 
• What do you want from the next ten years?
• What are some of your professional goals?
• In five years, I hope to be…
• Something I’m working towards is…
• My biggest priority is…
• I have a goal to…
• I’m currently… so I hope that in five years I will…

Sample answer: In five years, I hope to be using my psychology degree by working as a family therapist. I’m currently doing my internship at Cool Company and am on track to reach this goal. I also have a goal to publish at least one research paper before graduation.

"Give us an example of…"

For questions like this one, you need to tell a short story instead of talking about abstract qualities. Make sure that the story you choose is positive and doesn’t include any rude comments about past bosses or coworkers. Keep it short and very clear so the interviewer can understand your role in the story.

• Tell me about a time when you… 
• Can you share an experience where you…
• To state the time that the story happened
• A few months ago
• In my last job
• When I was a student
• I had an experience like this when I was…
• To mention the main problem or key event
• Unexpectedly
• To our surprise
• To highlight what went well
• Because of my [good quality]
• Instead of…, I…
• To end the story
• So in the end, everything worked out.
• From that experience, I learned that…

Sample answers: Give us an example of a challenging customer experience you’ve had. Once when I was working in housekeeping at Fancy Hotel, a customer approached me and started yelling at me about something that was not my fault. I knew it was important to stay in control of the situation, so I decided to listen to the customer and try to solve their problem instead of getting upset. Because of my patient reaction, the situation resolved quickly and the customer even apologized. From that experience, I learned that it is important to stay calm and not escalate a bad situation.

Tell me about a time when you had a problem with a boss. I used to work as a cashier in a fast food restaurant. One day, to my surprise, my manager did not come into work. I realized that I was the most experienced worker in the restaurant, so I decided to step up and make sure everyone knew what to do. My manager had had a small emergency, and luckily she showed up a few hours later. She was grateful for my quick decision-making, and I learned that I am very helpful in a tricky situation.

"Do you have any questions for us?"

This is usually the very last question in an interview. The most important thing to remember is that you should always ask a question: Never say “No”! It’s generally recommended to avoid asking a question about benefits such as vacation time and salary. Instead, ask a question that shows your interest in the company and the job.

Question ideas:

• If I get this job, what would my typical day be like?
• What do you love most about working here?
• What do you hope this role achieves a year from now?

You've got what it takes 💪

With some focused preparation and useful phrases in your pocket, you will do great on your next job interview!

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Can i use chatgpt to practice a new language, dear duolingo: are arabic, hebrew, and persian related.

“The Heart Is Capable of Grieving for Two Peoples at Once”

A q&a with joanna chen about her “guernica” essay on israel and palestine, its baffling retraction, and her plans to write a new essay about the experience.

Joanna Chen, as you may know, is the Israeli journalist, writer, and translator who recently published a piece in the literary quarterly Guernica that set off a firestorm at the journal, leading to several resignations and an official retraction of the article, which was denounced by various staffers as an apologia for settler colonialism and the mark of Guernica ’s descent into being nothing more than “a pillar of eugenicist white colonialism masquerading as goodness.”

The essay, which The Washington Monthly republished , is in fact a heartfelt and nuanced reflection on the ongoing tragedy by a woman who spent her time volunteering (and continues to, after a brief post–October 7 hiatus) driving Palestinian children to hospitals. The essay’s sin seems to be that it acknowledges Israeli suffering as well as Palestinian suffering. As Sasha Abramsky put it last week in a bracing piece in The Nation : “If Chen were defending the Netanyahu government’s ghastly and indiscriminate slaughter in Gaza, I could understand the hostility. If she were defending right-wing West Bank settlers and their gun-toting supremacism, I could understand the hostility. If she were defending the fascistic words and actions of Israeli cabinet ministers such as Itamar Ben-Gvir, I could understand the hostility. But Chen, who is a lifelong anti-militarist and spends her days shuttling sick Palestinian children to healthcare facilities in Israel, is none of those things. She’s a voice for peace and reconciliation in a country that has gone mad. Yet, by virtue of her showing sympathy for slaughtered and kidnapped Israelis and recognizing the shared humanity of all victims in this conflict, she seems to have been deemed illegitimate by Guernica’s holier-than-thou staff.”

Shared humanity of all victims. If a liberal, humanist politics loses sight of that, it is lost. And if journals and magazines can’t make room for an essay like this, which is not a political polemic and which attempts to look at a tragic and complex reality through a different and less crisply ordered lens, then that is sad too.

I conducted an interview with Chen via email Thursday.

Michael Tomasky: What made you want to write the piece?

Joanna Chen: I’ve been listening intently to voices on all sides since this ongoing horrific conflict began. I knew my essay would be uncomfortable and inconvenient to readers, but for me it is a necessary voice in this broken world.     

M.T.: Describe in a little more detail this work you did driving Palestinian children. How long had you done it?

J.C.: I’ve been volunteering with Road to Recovery for a few years, driving Palestinian children from the Tarkumia checkpoint to Israeli hospitals. Some of the criticism I’ve received over the past week and a half suggests I ought to think exactly why there are inadequate medical facilities in the occupied territories and that I should do something about that. So what do you want me to do? Go demonstrate on street corners or sign petitions? These kids don’t have time for that. They need medical attention now. Any parent who has had to care for a sick child will understand this. I’m not going to stop driving them, I’m going to hold onto my humanity the best I can, person to person.      

M.T.: Your own politics seem certainly somewhere left of center, is that fair to say? Could you talk a little about your political awakening and growth?

J.C.: I was 16 years old when my parents sent me to Israel. I had just lost my only brother, Andrew, in a traffic accident, and I was very much alone. I had no awareness of politics for years; I was struggling to survive.

I worked for Newsweek for 15 years, and during that time I met people on both sides of the conflict. I met politicians, but it was always the people who interested me, the faces behind the slick slogans and quick takes. I met Palestinians in refugee camps, I met Jewish settlers on hilltops, I met bereaved mothers on both sides. I accompanied a senior journalist to Gaza to meet Abu Mazen; I went with the same journalist to interview Ariel Sharon on his farm in southern Israel. I covered demonstrations, but I was always on the sidelines; I was always watching and listening.

I’m not a peace activist. I don’t go to demonstrations, and I’m not affiliated with any left-wing movements. On the other hand, I don’t shy away from the reality. It’s easy to get caught up in your own (real) troubles, your own pain. The Israeli press rarely reports on the dire situation in Gaza of the civilian population, for example.          

M.T.: When the editors read the draft, what did they say initially?

J.C.: Only one editor worked with me on my essay. There’s nothing unusual about this, and I had no reason to be suspicious—this was my second essay for Guernica, and the process was the same. I was given the distinct impression that my words were appreciated.  

M.T.: How did you first hear about these staff reactions?

J.C.: On Saturday night, a friend texted me that a staffer had resigned. I had no indication before then that something was up. When I publish essays, I let go of them, I let them out into the world, I don’t check obsessively to see what’s happening, whether there are reactions. I move on.    

M.T.: Toward the end of the piece, you write, “We learned the importance of acknowledging both the Israeli and Palestinian narratives and the importance of understanding the pain of each side.” Do you think, at bottom, that this was why the piece was attacked, because it acknowledged Jewish as well as Palestinian suffering? And if so, what does that say about discourse around this issue?

J.C.: My essay is uncomfortable and inconvenient to readers because it considers the incredible suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians. Some people complained that I stopped my volunteer work with Road to Recovery after October 7, when in fact I temporarily paused: I was scared, I needed time to digest what had happened. Three weeks later, I signed up again. 

Discourse demands a conversation, a give and take. It’s a lot easier to listen to the sound of your own voice, but conversation is a necessary step in order to break away from the vicious circle of violence and hate.

M.T.: What, then, is the conversation that you were hoping to provoke? And I’m curious—given the reaction, do you feel you might have presented anything a little differently? The reaction was intolerant, but has it made you think, well, maybe I could have said this in some different way and communicated my point better?

J.C.: The essay considers how to remain human in a situation where each side in the conflict  dehumanizes the other and refuses to see others and their needs and aspirations. I think the  reaction demonstrates how difficult it is to see the others’ multifaceted humanity.

As a translator, I know there are several ways to say the same thing, and every way will  highlight or showcase a different facet of the narrative. It depends on the context, it depends  on the underground life of words and phrases. I choose my words carefully. The incredible  reaction to “Broken World” has moved me to write a new essay, because there is always  something more to say.   

M.T.: Experiences like yours often shake people and move them to the right, because they’ve seen an intolerant left firsthand. How are you working to remain true to your principles?

J.C.: I do not think in terms of left and right, although I acknowledge their existence. I’m certainly grappling with the current situation, but staying on track is not a problem for me. I’m determined to retain my humanity.      

M.T.: With everyone bracing for carnage in Rafah, with Netanyahu not budging, with Trump saying if he gets back in, Israel gets a blank check, and with Hamas not budging on hostages … do you see any basis for hope?

J.C.: The situation is dire. My words are a drop in an ocean of discontent and hatred, but I believe the heart is capable of grieving for two peoples at once. This is what being human demands of us.

M.T.: A final thought on literature and cancel culture?

J.C.: Literature and art certainly possess a political dimension, but reducing literature to politics creates dogmatic, monolithic writing without the nuances that make literature a tool for reviewing ourselves and the reality we live in.

History has taught us that attempts to censor and suppress literary works only serve to expand readership. The message, rather than being erased, is heard all the more loudly. I see what happened as a way forward. The conversation has begun.

Michael Tomasky is the editor of The New Republic.

By the BOOK

Morgan Parker Says ‘Poetry Is Under Everything’ She Writes

Crafting the arguments in “You Get What You Pay For,” her first essay collection, “felt like pulling apart a long piece of taffy,” says the author of “Magical Negro.”

Credit... Rebecca Clarke

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What books are on your night stand?

The craft anthology “How We Do It,” edited by the great Jericho Brown, and Shayla Lawson’s astounding “How to Live Free in a Dangerous World.”

Describe your ideal reading experience (when, where, what, how).

Probably on the smoking patio of a wine bar at happy hour on a sunny day, with a pencil in my hand and Dorothy Ashby or Ambrose Akinmusire playing through noise-canceling headphones. Or just a quiet morning on my couch with coffee, so engrossed I forget to flip the record.

What’s the last book you read that made you laugh?

“Erasure,” by Percival Everett . I picked up a used copy at Shakespeare & Company recently — after seeing Cord Jefferson’s brilliant adaptation , “American Fiction” — and even on a reread, it made me laugh out loud from the first page.

The last book that made you cry?

Weird or obnoxious if I say my own? Before that, it was probably Y.A.

Do you count any books as guilty pleasures?

That category’s filled to the brim and beyond by reality TV.

How do you organize your books?

Loosely or not at all. This is much to the horror of my Virgo pals, and while I used to take pride in navigating my shelves on familiarity alone, it’s something I’ve vowed to work on. Still, I doubt I’ll ever be an alphabetical type, and clearly I find genre segregation constricting. I do group things thematically, or even interpersonally — music biographies, Black Panthers, Harlem Renaissance; Jessica Hopper is next to John Giorno, and Chase Berggrun’s “R E D” is next to “Dracula”; Julie Buntin’s “Marlena” is beside her husband Gabe Habash’s “Stephen Florida”; Alison C. Rollins is next to her partner Nate Marshall is next to his bestie José Olivarez. At some point Hilton Als’s “White Girls” ended up next to “Male Fantasies,” and I don’t think I’ll ever separate them.

Which genres do you avoid?

There’s an essay in “You Get What You Pay For” where I mention reading a self-help book (as recommended by my now-former psychiatrist). I’d never read one before and have not since.

How does your poetry relate to your essay writing?

The truth is that poetry is under everything. It’s the lyric and sensory backbone. It’s what drives the sound, pace and imagery. (Everyone knows the best prose writers write and read poetry.) But while a poem strives for precision of language, the essay strives for precision of thought, even argument. In a poem, you can build (or approximate) an argument by plopping two images next to each other. It persuades by pointing. Writing these essays felt like pulling apart a long piece of taffy — I found myself reiterating a lot of what I’ve already expressed in poems, so it almost became a project of stretching out each poetic line, breaking down each concept to its root. The process is about asking, pondering, searching — and letting language take part in the answering.

You have a knack for terrific book titles. How did you name your new collection?

Thank you! I love a good title, but I also acknowledge the high bar I have set for myself. With this one, I struggled a bit, I think because it took me a while to understand the book myself, let alone how to introduce it to the world. The essays encompass a lot of seemingly disparate themes and even tonal registers, so framing the overall collection was daunting. I’d been tossing around a couple of options, including “Cheaper Than Therapy,” which appears as an essay title, when Jay-Z made the choice for me. I was in Italy at a residency, grieving the recent loss of my aunt and watching the “Big Pimpin’” video over and over as I worked on an essay about it for the book. I’d left my heavily tabbed copy of “Decoded” at home in Los Angeles, but was scrolling a PDF for details about the video shoot when I came across the line: “If the price is life, then you better get what you paid for.”

You describe yourself as foolish for believing “words could be the pathway to empathy and writing an active resistance against hate.” Might publishing this book change your mind?

Honestly? It’s my only hope.

What’s the last book you recommended to a member of your family?

“Heavy,” by Kiese Laymon, to my mom; Blair LM Kelley’s “ Black Folk: The Roots of the Black Working Class,” to my dad; and “A Is for Activist,” to my 8-month-old cousin.

What do you plan to read next?

Phillip B. Williams’s “Ours” was just published, and I’ve been excited about it for literally years. Vinson Cunningham’s “Great Expectations” came out the same day as my book, so I plan to make that my tour read.

You’re organizing a literary dinner party. Which three writers, dead or alive, do you invite?

June Jordan, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin — but I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t get just as much fun and fulfillment from a night with Angel Nafis, Danez Smith and Saeed Jones.

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How did gender become a scary word? Judith Butler, the theorist who got us talking about the subject , has answers.

You never know what’s going to go wrong in these graphic novels, where Circus tigers, giant spiders, shifting borders and motherhood all threaten to end life as we know it .

When the author Tommy Orange received an impassioned email from a teacher in the Bronx, he dropped everything to visit the students  who inspired it.

Do you want to be a better reader?   Here’s some helpful advice to show you how to get the most out of your literary endeavor .

Each week, top authors and critics join the Book Review’s podcast to talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here .

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I Hope You All Feel Terrible Now

How the internet—and Stephen Colbert—hounded Kate Middleton into revealing her diagnosis

Updated at 4:04 p.m ET on March 22, 2024

For many years, the most-complained-about cover of the British satirical magazine Private Eye was the one it published in the week after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997. At the time, many people in Britain were loudly revolted by the tabloid newspapers that had hounded Diana after her divorce from Charles, and by the paparazzi whose quest for profitable pictures of the princess ended in an underpass in Paris.

Under the headline “Media to Blame,” the Eye cover carried a photograph of a crowd outside Buckingham Palace, with three speech bubbles. The first was: “The papers are a disgrace.” The next two said: “Yeah, I couldn’t get one anywhere” and “Borrow mine, it’s got a picture of the car.” People were furious. Sacks of angry, defensive mail arrived for days afterward, and several outlets withdrew the magazine from sale. (I am an Eye contributor, and these events have passed into office legend.) But with the benefit of hindsight, the implication was accurate: Intruding on the private lives of the royals is close to a British tradition. We Britons might have the occasional fit of remorse, but that doesn’t stop us. And now, because of the internet, everyone else can join in too.

Read: Just asking questions about Kate Middleton

That cover instantly sprang to mind when, earlier today, the current Princess of Wales announced that she has cancer. In a video recorded on Wednesday in Windsor, the former Kate Middleton outlined her diagnosis in order to put an end to weeks of speculation, largely incubated online but amplified and echoed by mainstream media outlets, about the state of her health and marriage.

Kate has effectively been bullied into this statement, because the alternative—a wildfire of gossip and conspiracy theories—was worse. So please, let’s not immediately switch into maudlin recriminations about how this happened. It happened because people felt they had the right to know Kate’s private medical information. The culprits may include three staff members at the London hospital that treated her, who have been accused of accessing her medical records, perhaps driven by the same curiosity that has lit up my WhatsApp inbox for weeks. Everyone hates the tabloid papers, until they become them.

In her statement, Kate said that after her abdominal surgery earlier in the year, which the press was told at the time was “planned”—a word designed to minimize its seriousness—later tests revealed an unspecified cancer. She is now undergoing “preventative chemotherapy,” but has not revealed the progression of the disease, or her exact prognosis. “I am well,” she said, promising that she is getting stronger every day. “I hope you will understand that as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment.”

This news will surely make many people feel bad. The massive online guessing game about the reasons for Kate’s invisibility seems far less fun now. Stephen Colbert’s “spilling the tea” monologue , which declared open season on the princess’s marriage, should probably be quietly interred somewhere. The sad simplicity of today’s statement, filmed on a bench with Kate in casual jeans and a striped sweater, certainly gave me pause. She mentioned the difficulty of having to “process” the news, as well as explaining her condition to her three young children in terms they could understand. The reference to the importance of “having William by my side” was pointed, given how much of the speculation has gleefully dwelt on the possibility that she was leaving him or vice versa.

Read: The eternal scrutiny of Kate Middleton

However, the statement also reveals that the online commentators who suggested that the royal household was keeping something from the public weren’t entirely wrong. Kate’s condition was described as noncancerous when her break from public life was announced in late January . The updated diagnosis appears to have been delivered in February, around the time her husband, Prince William, abruptly pulled out of speaking at a memorial service for the former king of Greece. Today’s statement represents a failure of Kensington Palace to control the narrative: first, by publishing a photograph of Kate and her children that was so obviously edited that photo agencies retracted it, and second, by giving its implicit permission for the publication of a grainy video of the couple shopping in Windsor over the weekend. Neither of those decisions quenched the inferno raging online—in fact, they fed it.

Some will say that Kate has finally done what she should have done much earlier: directly address the rumors in an official video, rather than drip-feed images that raised more questions than they answered. King Charles III has taken a different approach to his own (also unspecified) cancer, allowing footage to be filmed of him working from home. But then again, Kate has cancer at 42, is having chemo, and has three young children. Do you really have it in you to grade her media strategy and find it wanting?

Ironically, Britain’s tabloid papers have shown remarkable restraint; as I wrote earlier this month , they declined to publish the first paparazzi pictures of Kate taken after her withdrawal from public life. They have weighted their decisions toward respect and dignity—more so than the Meghan stans, royal tea-spillers, and KateGate theorists, who have generated such an unstoppable wave of interest in this story that its final destination was a woman with cancer being forced to reveal her diagnosis. If you ever wanted proof that the “mainstream media” are less powerful than ever before, this video of Kate Middleton sitting on a bench is it.

Watch CBS News

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador talks immigration, cartels, fentanyl crisis

By Sharyn Alfonsi

March 24, 2024 / 7:30 PM EDT / CBS News

Immigration, the border and the economy have emerged as key issues in this year's presidential election and may determine who wins the White House. But the person who could tip the scales for either candidate…is another president. Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, widely known by his initials "AMLO." Charismatic, and often combative, "AMLO" won a landslide victory in 2018 on the promise to root-out corruption, reduce poverty and violent crime. Now, 70 years old and in the final stretch of his term, we met the president in Mexico City for a candid conversation about his handling of immigration, trade, the fentanyl crisis, and the cartels. And he told us why he thinks…when Donald Trump says he is going to shut down the border or build a wall, he's bluffing.

Sharyn Alfonsi: President Trump is saying he wants to build a wall again. 

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): On the campaign. 

Sharyn Alfonsi: But you don't think he'd actually do it?

President López Obrador (in Spanish) No, no..

Sharyn Alfonsi: Because? Because he needs Mexico. 

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Because we understood each other very well. We signed an economic, a commercial agreement that has been favorable for both peoples, for both nations. He knows it. And President Biden, the same.

Sharyn Alfonsi: But what about the people that'll say, "Oh. But the wall works"?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): It doesn't work!

And President López Obrador says he told that to then-President Trump during a phone call. They were supposed to be discussing the pandemic.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): It was an agreement not to speak about the wall because we were not going to agree.

Sharyn Alfonsi: And then you talked about it.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): That was the only time. And I told him, "I am going to send you, Mr. President, some videos of tunnels from Tijuana up to San Diego, that passed right under U.S. Customs." He stayed quiet, and then he started laughing and told me "I can't win with you."

We met President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at Mexico's National Palace earlier this month. With six months left on his six-year term, López Obrador's power in Mexico - and influence in the United States - has never been greater. The White House witnessed it – here – last December when a record 250,000 migrants overwhelmed the U.S. southern border with Mexico.

Sharyn Alfonsi: President Biden called you. He sent his Secretary of State. What did they say to you and what did they ask for from you?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): For us to try and contain the flow of migration. 

A month later, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reported the number of migrant crossing dropped by 50 percent.

Sharyn Alfonsi: So what did you do between December and January that changed that number so dramatically?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): We were more careful about our southern border. We spoke with the presidents of Central America, with the president of Venezuela and with the president of Cuba. We asked them for help in curbing the flow of migrants. However, that is a short-term solution, not a long-term one. 

Mexico also increased patrols at the border, flying some migrants to the southern part of Mexico and deporting others. But by February, the number of migrants crossing into the U.S. began to rise again and the Border Patrol expects a sharp increase in that number this spring. 

Sharyn Alfonsi: Everybody thinks you have the power in this moment to slow down migration. Do you plan to?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): We do and want to continue doing it, but we do want for the root causes to be attended to, for them to be seriously looked at.

With the ear of the White House – President López Obrador proposed his fix- that the United States commit $20 billion a year to poor countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the Cuban embargo and legalize millions of law-abiding Mexicans living in the U.S.

Sharyn Alfonsi: If they don't do the things that you said need to be done, then what?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): The flow of migrants… will continue.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Your critics have said what you're doing, what you're asking for to help secure the border is diplomatic blackmail. What do you say?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): I am speaking frankly, we have to say things as they are, and I always say what I feel. I always say what I think.

Sharyn Alfonsi: If they don't do those things, will you continue to help to secure the border?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Yes, because our relationship is very important. It is fundamental.

For much of the last six years, President López Obrador has held a televised 7 a.m. press conference…five days a week. During our visit he was dissecting "fake news." The briefing lasted more than two hours.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Is it a pulpit or is it a press conference?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): It is a circular dialogue, even though my opponents say that I am on a pulpit.

Time is the only luxury AMLO seems comfortable spending. When he took office, he sold the presidential jet, and his predecessors' fleet of bulletproof cars in favor of his Volkswagen. He uses his daily briefings to rail against "the elite" and enemies, real and perceived. At times it can feel like a political telenovela. At a briefing last month, the president stunned the audience when he read the cellphone number of a "New York Times" reporter - who was pursuing what he viewed as a critical story of him.

Sharyn Alfonsi: It looks like you were threatening that reporter.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): I didn't do it with the intention of harming her. She, like yourself, are public figures, and I am as well.

Sharyn Alfonsi: But you know this is a dangerous place for reporters. And you know that threats often come in text and phones. When you put her phone number up behind you, you realized what you were doing.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): No, no, no, no. No.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Well, what did you think you were doing?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): It's a form of responding to a libel. Imagine what it means for this reporter to write that the president of Mexico has connections with drug traffickers… And without having any proof. That is a vile slander.

Sharyn Alfonsi: So then why not just say it's not true?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Because libel, when it doesn't stain, it smears.

López Obrador's bare knuckle brawls with the press are in sharp contrast to the softer approach he's taken with the drug cartels. He dissolved the federal police and created a National Guard to take over public security and he invested millions to create jobs for young people to escape the grip of the cartels. According to the Mexican government, homicides have dropped almost 20% since he took office. The president calls his approach, "hugs, not bullets."

Sharyn Alfonsi: How is that working out for Mexico?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Very well.

Sharyn Alfonsi: There are still 30,000 homicides in Mexico, and very few of those are prosecuted. So, there's an idea that there's still lawlessness in Mexico. Is that fair?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Of course we prosecute them. There is no impunity in Mexico. They all get prosecuted.

Sharyn Alfonsi: It's a small percent.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): More than before.

According to México Evalúa, a Mexican think tank, about 5% of the country's homicides are prosecuted. And a study last year reported cartels have expanded their reach, employing an estimated 175,000 people to extort businesses and traffic migrants and drugs into the U.S.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Can you reach the cartel and say, "Knock it off?"

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): No, no, no, no, no. What you have to do with the criminals is apply the law. But I'm not going to establish contact, communication with a criminal, the President of Mexico.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Are you saying you don't have to reach out to them or communicate with them?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): No, no, no, no, no, because you cannot negotiate with criminals. 

Sharyn Alfonsi: The head of the DEA says cartels are mass producing fentanyl , and the U.S. State Department has said that most of it is coming out of Mexico. Are they wrong?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Yes. Or rather, they don't have all the information, because fentanyl is also produced in the United States.

Sharyn Alfonsi: The State Department says most of it's coming from Mexico.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Fentanyl is produced in the United States, in Canada, and in Mexico. And the chemical precursors come from Asia. You know why we don't have the drug consumption that you have in the United States? Because we have customs, traditions, and we don't have the problem of the disintegration of the family.

Sharyn Alfonsi: But there is drug consumption in Mexico.

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): But very little. 

Sharyn Alfonsi: So, why the violence, then, in Mexico?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Because drug trafficking exists, but not the consumption.

López Obrador says threats by U.S. lawmakers to shut down the border to curb drug trafficking, is little more than saber rattling. That's because last year, Mexico became America's top trading partner. 

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): They could say, "we are going to close the border," but we mutually need each other.

Sharyn Alfonsi: What would happen to the U.S. if they closed the border?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): You would not be able to buy inexpensive cars if the border is closed. That is, you would have to pay $10,000, $15,000 dollars more for a car. There are factories in Mexico and there are factories in the United States that are fundamental for all the consumers in the United States and all the consumers in Mexico. 

Last year, the Mexican economy grew 3% and unemployment hit a record low. But critics says Mexico's economic growth isn't because of the president, rather, in spite of him. López Obrador directed billions to signature mega projects like an oil refinery in his home state and a railroad through the Yucatan Jungle…costing an estimated $28 billion.

Sharyn Alfonsi: What about infrastructure? Aren't there more dire concerns like, you know, clean water, roads, reliable energy, when you're trying to attract business to Mexico?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): We are doing both, fixing the roads and building this train. It will link all the ancient Mayan cities and is going to allow Mexicans and tourists to enjoy a paradise region that is the southeast of Mexico. 

López Obrador has spent unapologetically on social programs - doubling the minimum wage, increasing pensions, and scholarships. His approval rating has remained high - upwards of 60% for most of his presidency.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Your critics say that you're popular because you give people money. What do you say?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): I would say they are partly right. Our formula is simple: It is not to allow corruption; not to make for an ostentatious government, for luxuries; and everything we save we allocate to the people.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Do you think that you've been able to get rid of the corruption in Mexico?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Yes.

Sharyn Alfonsi: Completely?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Yes, basically, because corruption in Mexico started from the top down. 

But Transparency International reports no improvement in the corruption problems that have plagued Mexico for decades. Huge crowds gathered last month, accusing the president of trying to eliminate the country's democratic checks and balances. In June, Mexico will have one of largest elections in its history…in addition to the presidency, 20,000 local positions are up for grabs. The cartels have funded and preyed on local candidates. Last month, two mayoral hopefuls were killed within hours of each other, raising fears of a bloody election .

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): I can travel throughout the entire country without problem. There is no region that I cannot go and visit.

Sharyn Alfonsi: The number of government officials and candidates murdered rose from 94 in 2018 to 355 last year. You don't view that as a threat to you, obviously, but do you view it as a threat to democracy?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation) No. There are some specific instances. There is no state repression.

Sharyn Alfonsi: But if a candidate's afraid to run because they may be assassinated, isn't that a threat to democracy?

President López Obrador (in Spanish/English translation): Generally, they all participate, there are many candidates, from all the parties. 

His hand-picked successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, has a commanding lead in the polls, and could become Mexico's first female president. López Obrador told us when he leaves office, he will retire from politics and write books. But what he does next at the border - or doesn't do - could shape the next chapter of the United States.

Produced by Michael Karzis. Associate producer, Katie Kerbstat Jacobson. Broadcast associate, Erin DuCharme. Edited by Daniel J. Glucksman

• Andrés Manuel López Obrador
• U.S.-Mexico Border

Sharyl Alfonsi is an award-winning correspondent for CBS News' 60 Minutes.

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My Davidson | A Student Blog Photo Essay: English Scholars Go to AWP Conference

In February, Abbott Scholars in Davidson College’s English Department had the opportunity to attend the AWP (Association of Writers & Writer Programs) Conference in Kansas City. Check out their photos and reflections. 

About the Authors

Isabel smith '24: poetry & book fairs.

The Abbott Scholars Program allows students to spend a year crafting either a scholarly or creative thesis on a topic of their choice, working alongside a director, a reader, and the other scholars. You get an extended period of time to produce strong writing, opportunities to talk with visiting authors, and the ability to request funding for related research and travel.

Abbott Scholars

One travel opportunity is the chance to attend the Association of Writers & Writer Programs (AWP) conference, which seven of us went to in February of this year. This year, the conference was in Kansas City, and it lasted three days: Thursday to Saturday. Each of us individually picked what panels to go to each day. I am writing a poetry thesis, so the first talk I attended was “Sound and Color: Poets and Visual Artists in Exquisite Exchange.” The presentation was my favorite of all of them because of how illuminating and beautiful it was. Each poet had partnered with a visual artist, and they shared the process of working in tandem to create together, displaying photographs, blurbs of text exchanges, paintings, and finally, the finished poetry. Due to this experience, I decided to incorporate visual art into my own practice, and I have since begun working on finding available art as well as creating some myself. Additionally, my mother is a painter and my father is a poet, so I was very excited to share what I had learned with the both of them.

Throughout the few days, I attended panels on drafting tips and tricks (featuring Davidson Professors Parker and Shavers), sharing elegies, queer post-religious poetry, and trans poetics, all of which were a pleasure and incredibly helpful. Another important aspect of the conference was the bookfair. It was a labyrinth, spanning an entire floor of the huge conference center. Besides fun and silly booths — like one labeled “Poetic Help”  — the bookfair featured presses, literature reviews, and MFA programs, so I got the chance to talk to experts in the field of writing and publishing. They also tended to give out free books, excitingly, so I got quite the haul, all of which I can’t wait to read. At night, the seven of us — Tavie Kittredge, Michael Chapin, Nate Bagonza, Mason Davis, Taylor Dykes, Abby Morris, and myself — would explore the city, including events put on by AWPers. We went out to dinner together and attended the keynote, a poetry reading at a cat cafe, and a Rock & Roll-themed reading. It was amazing to bond with my peers and explore a new city. Thanks to the funding of the Abbott Scholars Program, I know much more about how to pursue a future in writing.

Michael Chapin ’24: Surrounded by Passionate Writers

The seven of us traveling together really solidified the bonds we’ve been building over the past semester and allowed us to spend time together outside of our thesis work, whether that was over Thai or ramen for dinner or just taking the time to explore the city. 

Getting to spend that time at AWP was incredibly special because, for me at least, it was the first time being surrounded by people deeply connected and committed to writing in all its forms. We attended events ranging from poetry readings at cat cafés to queer narrative presentations in speakeasy bars. 

My personal highlight of the conference was listening to Jericho Brown deliver the keynote speech in which he called on us to challenge the world as we know it — to challenge book bans and our perception of the world as impossible to change. Brown asked why we can’t imagine a better world while acknowledging that a better world is not created without a fight. A quote from the speech that has stuck with me in the weeks since was his question: “If the fight is against fascism, who do we need to be if we lose that fight?” And then, who do we need to be to win?

Trying a taste of Kansas City barbecue!

Exploring the streets of Kansas City.

Mason Davis '24: The Impact of AWP

The best part of the conference? Talking to authors, talking to MFA directors, talking to independent publishers … Being honest about what I wanted to know and not feeling awkward about lacking experience was so valuable. 

The best single moment I had was cornering Susan Choi and telling her how much I loved  Trust Exercise . She seemed so delighted that I loved the book, which warmed my heart. AWP carried an infectious feeling of immense creative potential that has stuck with me vividly.

Now that I’ve seen a piece of the literary world, I want to be a part of it. I loved talking about books and the book-world all day. It felt a bit like the Davidson College campus except that  everyone wants to do creative writing. That was a dream for me. I felt sad coming back to reality ... Sitting side-by-side with people who have just done a fantastic reading, or highly regarded editors, or publishers etc. etc. made me feel like my goals are imminently possible. There is so, so much writing out there and so many people making it work, somehow. If they can do it, so can I. 

I'd also been skeptical about MFA programs (how will I afford it? is it even necessary?), but meeting all those MFA students and directors has convinced me that I'd be doing myself a serious disservice by not applying to programs in the next 1-5 years, depending on where life takes me. Not to get ahead of myself.

I want to express my gratitude to the Abbott family (and personally Susan, who was so wonderful to share a dinner with) for the opportunity to, in a sense, role-play as a 'real' writer for an extended weekend and get to try on those shoes. I liked how they fit. I can only speak with certainty for myself, but I know I felt (re)invigorated in becoming a person of letters.

Keep Exploring

Learn more about English at Davidson College

Learn more about the Abbott Scholars Program

• March 26, 2024
• My Davidson