Profiles and obituaries

“My theory of interviewing is that whatever you have, use it. If you are confused, use that. If you have raw curiosity, use that. If you have experience, use that. But figure out what is is you have and

make it work for you.”

– Terry Gross, NPR Fresh Air

Turning points – profiles

The heart and soul of a profile is making sure the reader understands the twists and turns and intricacies of human life.

• Patterns – Some lives build to a climax, as for a law school student who becomes a judge.

• Decisive moments or turning points – Most lives take turns along the way. Take the law school student; perhaps she want to be a great defense lawyer but became a prosecutor instead. Or maybe your subject was an accountant who became head of a river-rafting company.

• Future – Every profile subject has a future, and you need to ask your subject what could lie ahead. Let the person speculate, especially the career goals.

Basic elements of profiles

Focus – What is the main idea of the profile? What makes this person newsworthy?

Theme – What is the difference between a nut graph and theme? The nut graph is the reason for the story, but the theme is an angle or

recurring idea that weaves throughout the story. Some general themes for profiles might be overcoming adversity; succeeding against odds;

or coping with failure, illness or serious problems.

Basic elements of profiles

Background – Profiles should not be written in chronological order. The subject's background should be inserted where it fits best, often

in the middle of the story.

The GOAL method

Questions about obstacles the person faced can provide some of the most interesting parts of your profile.

• Goals – What were your original goals? What are your current and future goals?

• Obstacles – What obstacles did you face in accomplishing your goals, and what new problems loom?

The GOAL method

• Achievements – What pleasures or problems have these achievements brought?

• Logistics – What backgrounds (logistics of who, what, when, where) led to your current situation? How has your past influenced you?

Other elements to add

Age and physical description – Help the reader visualize your profile subject.

“Darden maintains a normalcy, a serenity that is surreal. His forehead is not cleaved by worry lines. His hair has not gone gray. He lifts his shackled hands and displays unbitten fingernails. 'Calmness is a nice thing to have in times of

stress,' he says.

He gives his age as 62, but prison records say he he is 52. He looks 42. It's as if the man has not only cheated the executioner, but time itself.”

Organizing the profile

• Supporting themes – Block each concept, use all relevant material.

• Time frames – Start with the present, go to the past, go back to the present, and go on to the next concept.

• Chronology – Look for a place in the story where chronological order might be useful, but don't write the entire profile in

chronological order.

Organizing the profile

• Point/Counterpoint – If the subject lends itself to a pro-and-con treatment, you might consider this method. It can be helpful in profiles of politicians. You can include reaction quotes from other people after each controversial person is

made.

• Sections – Splitting the story into separate parts may work if the profile is very complex. You might organize in sections, either by time frames of the person's

life, issues or different points of view.

• Q and A – The question/answer format is becoming popular as a format for profiles.

Obituaries

Obituaries are also profiles, but the subjects are dead.

You don't write about the person's death, you write about his/her life.

The importance of facts

A misspelled name or a factual error is a major problem in any story; in an obituary it is disastrous.

Obituary guidelines

Background research – Make sure you check any source or Website for accuracy. Was the site dated? Does it have any author? Do not use anything you

can't verify.

• Name – Use full name, middle name and nickname if it was commonly used.

• Identification – How do you describe a person's life in one brief phrase? Most obituaries start with a lead that identifies the person and summarizes the main

accomplishment of his/her life.

Obituary guidelines

• Age – In some cases, a family will request that you withhold the age. You should ask an editor before honoring this request.

• Date and place of death – Use the day of the week if the death occurred that week, the date if it was more than one week prior to the obituary. State the

name of a hospital, if applicable.

Obituary guidelines

• Cause of death – This fact is not required of all newspapers, especially if the cause of death was suicide or AIDS-related.

Address – Tell where the person lived when he/she died and previous areas of residence.

Background – Specify major accomplishments, organizations, educational background, military background and any other highlights. When people are

very active in their church, mosque or synagogue, mention that, too.

Obituary guidelines

• Services – Specify the time, date and location.

• Burial – Name the place and provide memorial information when available.

Obituary Former Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid, 83, who gave the country a

multiparty system before he was overthrown in a 1992 military coup, died Saturday at a military hospital, the state news agency said.

Mr. Bendjedid, who became president in 1979, presided over a series of political reforms that allowed for competitive legislative and municipal

elections. But when an Islamist party swept the first round of parliamentary elections, Algeria's powerful generals stepped in, ousted Mr. Benjedid and

canceled the elections in 1992.

The coup prompted an armed resistance that became a decade-long civil war, which claimed at least 200,000 lives.

Mr. Bendjedid was kept under house arrest hundreds of miles from the capital until 1999, when he was freed. - AP