Increasing Interviews

When I started writing for TNH, I knew enough to prepare questions ahead of time. Okay, great. I had a formulaic way of asking them. I took notes, paid attention to what they had to say, and got as much as I thought I needed.
     When I later went back to my notes to write the story, I found that I had ideas that couldn't be expressed because I didn't have the back up. My quotes were weak. I didn't know what to listen for i the interviews. My questions were basic and not challenging enough. I struggled to write because I struggled to ask.
   Now that I've written a few stories, I am getting the hang of it. Whereas my interviews lasted maybe 20 minutes before, I'm moving past an hour now. Some interviews will still hang short because the person really isn't motivated to talk about what I'm asking about. Or they're just concise.
   Either way, I'm listening now.
   I'm picking up on the better quotes and writing them down with fervor to keep up with the interviewee. I'm calling more people to get interviews so that if one bails, I have a backup. Of course I'm still frustrated with people when they don't show up. I've just learned to compensate better.
   As for my interviews, they're going better. I'm asking more improv questions and hearing the good quotes. My interactions with the interviewees are more casual, more fun. I find myself laughing a lot. And in my stories, my subjects are starting to pop. They're telling the story with their personalities and I'm just a narrator.