How to Craft Attention-Grabbing Interview Questions (That Actually Make People Stop and Think)

The difference between a forgettable interview and a viral one? The questions. If your guest is giving you autopilot answers, it’s not (always) their fault.

It’s yours.

Because great interviews start with craft. Knowing how to craft attention-grabbing interview questions is what separates content that blends in from content that breaks through.

I’ve interviewed some of the most influential voices in American politics, and I can tell you firsthand: the question is the moment. It’s what sets the tone. It’s what gets shared. It’s what makes the guest pause and your audience lean in. If you’re tired of getting the same canned responses everyone else gets, this guide is for you.

Let’s break down the process I use—and the one I teach others—to craft the kind of questions that land like punches and echo long after the mic cuts off.

Step 1: Always Start With a Point of View

Don’t start writing questions with a blank page and a Wikipedia tab open. Start with a point of view. What are you hoping to reveal? What’s the tension, the contradiction, or the hidden truth this person can help uncover?

Before crafting a single question, ask yourself:

• What is the purpose of this conversation?
• What does your audience want to know—but hasn’t heard yet?
• What’s the emotional arc you want to walk the guest through?

When I prep for interviews, I don’t build a list of ten generic questions. I build a journey. That journey starts with intention, then moves into preparation.

If you’re learning how to craft attention-grabbing interview questions, remember: the best questions open doors. When I conducted a short interview with Rep. Jamie Raskin, I asked him one simple question: “If you could speak to Donald Trump directly, if you could say something to him, what would you tell him?” Then I became silent for the senator to respond. A simple point of view echoed the voices of millions.

<a href=https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1923886340971643034>Jamie Smith Speaks with Joe Galina</a>

Step 2: Research Like a Storyteller

You can’t ask meaningful questions if you don’t understand your guest’s background, ideology, and recent actions. But here’s the twist: your research should be about finding stories, not the facts.
Research like this:

• Watch or read previous interviews to spot repeated talking points (and then don’t ask about those again).
• Identify contradictions in public statements, policy positions, or actions.
• Study social media posts to catch emotional tone, passion points, or recent frustrations.
• Follow their critics—and understand what those criticisms reveal.

Great questions come from great context. One powerful technique I use? Create a timeline. Build a quick chronology of key events or shifts in the guest’s work. This creates layered insight and helps you avoid surface-level conversation.

Step 3: Make the First Question Count

The first question is your handshake—and it sets the tone for everything that follows. Most interviewers open with “Tell us a bit about yourself” or “How did you get started?” Unless you’re interviewing a total unknown, skip it.

Instead:

• Ask about a recent decision they made that sparked conversation.
• Reference a quote or tweet and say, “When you said this, what were you really responding to?”
• Open with an emotional hook: “What’s the one moment that still keeps you up at night from your last campaign?”

The goal? Disarm them—gently. Make them feel this is not just another interview. That’s how you get real answers, real fast.

Step 4: Use the “Wedge Technique” to Dig Deeper

Here’s where most interviews fall flat. The first answer comes, and the interviewer just moves on. But attention-grabbing interviews live in the follow-up.

This is where I use what I call the wedge technique:

1. Ask a direct question.
2. Listen actively.
3. Find the word, phrase, or emotion that reveals a deeper story.
4. Wedge into that moment with a follow-up like:

• “You said you felt betrayed—by who?”
• “When you said it ‘got messy,’ what did you mean specifically?”
• “Can you take me back to that exact moment?”

When learning how to craft attention-grabbing interview questions, mastering the art of follow-up is essential.

The second or third layer of the answer is almost always where the gold is.

Step 5: Ask Bold Questions—Respectfully

Courage and curiosity must coexist. You can’t get powerful answers if you’re afraid to ask hard questions—but you also can’t bulldoze someone and expect clarity. Frame your toughest questions with clarity and respect.

Instead of:

“Don’t you think your vote on that bill was hypocritical?”

Try:

“Some of your critics say that the vote contradicts your earlier position. Do you see it differently?”

You’re not backing down. You’re giving them space to explain. And if they fumble the answer, the audience notices—not because you attacked, but because you asked the right question the right way.

Step 6: Use Silence as a Strategic Tool

One of the most powerful techniques in interviewing? Silence. Ask the question and wait. Let the pause work.

Guests often feel pressure to fill that space, and that’s when you get the unscripted gems. If you interrupt, clarify too quickly, or jump to the next question, you rob the moment of its impact.

Especially in politically charged interviews, silence can:

• Show the weight of the moment
• Create space for reflection
• Force the guest to go deeper

Sometimes, the silence is the mic drop.

Step 7: End on the Future—Or the Personal

Don’t let a strong interview fizzle out. Your final question should open the door to reflection, aspiration, or vulnerability.

Examples:

• “What’s the fight ahead you feel most unprepared for—but know you have to face?”
• “What’s something you hope people say about your work ten years from now?”
• “What keeps you up at night that no one’s asking you about?”

Ending with emotion leaves your audience with resonance, not just information.

Conclusion

A strong interview doesn’t happen because of your guest’s title. It happens because of your preparation. Because you showed up curious, bold, and ready to meet them at their most human level, that’s how you create moments that spread, shift narratives, and stick with people long after they’ve tuned out.

If you’ve been wondering how to craft attention-grabbing interview questions, start with this: know your mission. Then write the kind of questions that don’t just elicit answers, but reveal something real.

That’s where the power lives. And that’s what every great interview delivers.