Note-Taking During Interviews Is Where Stories Get Lost

Detail-oriented people often make the worst note-takers in journalism interviews. The instinct to capture everything produces pages of transcript and very little story. This is one of the habits that distinguishes a hobbyist from someone whose work gets published on a credible News platform.

What Not to Do With a Notebook

Do not write down every sentence. You will miss the expression, the pause, the moment a source looks away from a question they did not expect.

Do not rely entirely on audio recording as a substitute for attention. Recording creates a false sense of security that makes journalists stop processing what they are hearing in real time.

Resources Worth Bookmarking

• Poynter NewsU courses — several free modules address note-taking specifically, including how to decide what actually matters during a live conversation.
• Society of Professional Journalists resource hub — includes guidance on legal and ethical dimensions of recording, with practical notes on when not to use a device at all.
• Journalism.co.uk training archive — UK-based resource with practical pieces written by working reporters on field habits, including note-taking under pressure.

The Shift That Helps

Write down what surprises you, not what confirms what you expected. Surprises are where the story usually is.

If nothing in the interview surprised you, that is worth noting too — it means you may need to go back and ask something harder.