You can ask questions of reporters in an interview, too -- before, during and after. Here's a list of 10 questions to pose to reporters.

1.  “Are you on deadline?” Make this your first question, whether you call or have been called. It determines how much time you have to respond, and reporters always appreciate a deadline-sensitive caller. If you are being called, ask “When is your deadline?” Responding late means you miss your chance to contribute to the story.

2.  “What are you looking for from me/us?” In addition to your message, what's on the reporter's mind? The answer to this question will tell you assumptions you may need to correct and the story's direction.

3.  “Who else have you talked to?” Learn the context that other sources will provide, so you can better understand your role in supplying information.

4.  “Is there a news event driving this?” The answer will tell you about the story's urgency, and angle. Is it a feature, analysis, or news?

5.  “Is there another time we can talk? I’m right in the middle of something at the moment.”  Except for the most extreme reporter deadlines (and even then), take time to prepare yourself before you answer questions. Most reporters' initial calls are simply to secure time to talk to you. Charging forward without taking time to prepare yourself only disadvantages you...and could mean the difference between a good story and a great one for the reporter.

6.  “Do you need to call me during the work day in your time zone?”  Be a thoughtful source and pay attention to time zones when you get calls from far-flung reporters.

7.  “What’s the best time to reach you?” Don't make assumptions about reporters' schedules. Deadlines now occur hourly or sooner, and multiple times throughout the day. It's best to ask to find out this particular reporter's schedule.

8. “When do you hope this will appear?” Reporters aren't in control of when stories appear, but may have some sense of what to expect in terms of publication.

9. “Why don’t you ask me…?” This rarely fails to result in the question you want to answer. But use it only if you've got a particularly relevant fact that the reporter hasn't probed and you haven't offered -- or, if you can only offer that fact if asked.

10. “Shall we review?”  Ask this at the very end of the interview, and use the opportunity to listen to the reporter’s sense of what you said, making corrections on the spot. This is far more effective than waiting until the article appears. Don’t ask to review the article or broadcast piece before it appears—the reporter may offer a review, but only rarely.

Reprinted by permission from the blog of don't get caught—creative communications consulting.