Interview transcripts contain hundreds of potential quotes. Strong journalism uses quotes strategically, selecting 8 to 12 that advance the story, reveal character, or express ideas better than paraphrase could. The skill is recognizing which quotes earn their inclusion and which waste precious space restating what you already showed.
What Makes a Quote Worth Using?
Not all quotes deserve inclusion. Strong quotes express something uniquely, reveal emotion, show how someone thinks, or say something memorable. Weak quotes just restate facts or information better delivered through paraphrase.
Use quotes that show personality or speaking style. When a tech CEO said: "Look, here is the brutal truth nobody wants to hear. We screwed up. We released the product too early because we were scared of missing the market window. That fear cost us," one reporter used this because the candid admission and informal language revealed character. A quote saying "We regret the issues customers experienced" would have been generic and forgettable.
Select quotes that express complex ideas elegantly. One scientist explained climate models: "Think of Earth's climate like a bathtub. We keep turning up the hot water tap while the drain stays the same size. Eventually it overflows. The question is not if, but when." This metaphor explained complexity better than the reporter could paraphrase.
Include quotes that reveal emotional truth. When a parent whose child survived a school shooting said: "I drop her at school now and watch until she is inside. Every single day. I know it is irrational. I cannot stop," this quote conveyed trauma that description alone could not capture.
- Shows personality or unique speaking style
- Expresses complex ideas through metaphor or analogy
- Reveals emotion that description cannot capture
- Says something surprising or counterintuitive
- Provides specific examples or anecdotes
- Contains memorable phrasing or imagery
What Information Should You Paraphrase Instead?
Many transcript sections work better as paraphrase. Factual information, biographical details, and explanations often read more clearly when reporters present them directly rather than through quotes. Save quotes for material that benefits from direct voice.
Paraphrase straightforward facts. Instead of quoting: "I was born in 1985 in Chicago and attended Northwestern University," write: Rodriguez was born in Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University. This delivers information efficiently without pretending routine biography needs quotation marks.
Condense rambling explanations. When a subject took 200 words to explain a concept, one reporter paraphrased: Chen believes the healthcare system prioritizes efficiency over patient care, creating perverse incentives. This captured the idea without the circuitous path the speaker took to express it.
Combine information from multiple parts of the interview. When a subject mentioned relevant details scattered across a two-hour conversation, one reporter wrote: Rodriguez has worked in education for 15 years, teaching in three different school districts before becoming a principal. This synthesis worked better than three separate quotes from different sections of the transcript.
How Should You Edit Quotes for Clarity?
Quotes can be edited for clarity and length while maintaining accuracy and the speaker's intent. Remove verbal tics, fix obvious grammar errors, and condense for space. Never change meaning or put words in someone's mouth.
Remove filler words and false starts. When a subject said: "So, um, what I think is, you know, the real issue here, if you ask me, is that we have, like, a fundamental problem with how we approach this," one reporter edited to: "The real issue is that we have a fundamental problem with how we approach this." The meaning stayed identical while readability improved.
Use ellipses to mark deletions within quotes. One reporter edited a long quote: "We considered several options including raising prices, cutting costs, and seeking new investors. ... We ultimately decided raising prices was the least bad option." The ellipsis showed material was removed while maintaining accurate representation.
Add brief context in brackets when necessary. When a subject said "He told me we had no choice," the reporter clarified: "[The CEO] told me we had no choice." This addition prevented confusion about pronouns without changing the quote.
Where Should Quotes Appear in Your Story?
Quote placement matters as much as selection. Strong stories use quotes strategically at key moments rather than scattering them randomly. Place quotes where they provide maximum impact or advance narrative momentum.
Use quotes to provide perspective after presenting facts. One reporter described declining test scores, then quoted a teacher: "We are teaching to the test because our funding depends on it. This means cutting art, music, and physical education. Are we really educating kids, or just training them to fill in bubbles?" The quote gave human reaction to statistics.
Place powerful quotes at section endings for impact. One profile ended a section about a doctor's career choices with her quote: "I could have made three times as much in private practice. But I can sleep at night. Money cannot buy that." This positioning gave the quote extra weight.
Break up long narrative or analytical sections with quotes. After 300 words explaining complex policy, one reporter inserted a quote providing an example or human perspective. This pacing prevented readers from drowning in explanation.
What Should You Do Next?
Read through transcripts identifying quotes that reveal character, express complex ideas elegantly, or capture emotion. Paraphrase factual information and biographical details. Edit quotes for clarity while maintaining accuracy and speaker intent.
Place quotes strategically at moments where direct voice provides maximum impact. When you select and place quotes thoughtfully, you let sources speak where their voices matter most while maintaining narrative control through paraphrase elsewhere.
Tools like River's AI writing platform can help you identify the strongest quotes in transcripts, suggest where paraphrase works better, and refine quote placement for maximum storytelling impact.