writing the feature profile

Writing the feature profile

Tommy Thomason

Why profiles?

Profiles tell the stories of people we know or know about. We know what – profiles tell us how, and give us the why behind the what

What’s in a profile?

The life facts not generally known

What’s in a profile?

The life facts not generally knownA picture of the person at work or at play or at home

What’s in a profile?

The life facts not generally knownA picture of the person at work or at play or at homeWhat has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s life

What’s in a profile?

The life facts not generally knownA picture of the person at work or at play or at homeWhat has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s lifeGoals/obstacles

What’s in a profile?

The life facts not generally knownA picture of the person at work or at play or at homeWhat has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s lifeGoals/obstaclesHow the target is different from others/how the target is the same

What’s in a profile?

The life facts not generally knownA picture of the person at work or at play or at homeWhat has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s lifeGoals/obstaclesHow the target is different from others/how the target is the sameWhat motivates the target

Getting started on your profile What will you

need?

Scheduling and conducting the primary interview

A theme/focus

for the story Secondary interviews

Background

info on your

source Observations

What will your story look like?•a lead or a lead

element•a nut graf•the body of the story, which may include several topics•an ending

A checklist on profiles…

What will you need to produce a good profile?a controlling idea/themethat theme expressed in a nut grafan attention-getting lead elementinsight....whysanecdotes/storiesvisual writing...show, don’t tellmultiple sources; visual as well as oral  good quotes and judicious use of paraphrases  at least a good attempt at an ending  

Want to seesome examples

of profiles?