This document provides guidance on writing profiles and obituaries. It discusses key elements to include such as the person's focus, theme, background, and turning points. Methods are presented for finding turning points and organizing profiles with leads, bodies, and endings. Snapshot profiles of 400 words or less with short sentences and quotes are also covered. Obituaries should include background details but not factual errors. The document provides an example of a profile and discusses writing guidelines for obituaries. It concludes with discussing a video case study of a professor to brainstorm potential profile questions.

1. Profiles and
Obituaries

2. Profiles
● Everyone has a story to tell if you talk to
them long enough
● Celebrities or everyday people
o Usually a news hook, like a recent award or
accomplishment
o Sometimes just an interesting person

3. Turning Point Questions
● Twists and turns of human life
● Decisive moments
● Look for patterns - some lives build to a
climax, such as a lawyer who becomes a
judge
● Future - every profile subject has one. Ask
what could lie ahead

4. Basic Elements of a Profile
● Focus - What is the main idea; what makes
this person noteworthy?
● Theme - Angle - could be overcoming
adversity, succeeding against odds, coping
with serious issues, etc.
● Background

5. Finding Turning Points
G.O.A.L. Method
G. What were your original goals? Next goals?
O. Obstacles - What did you overcome?
A. Achievements. What are they; what pleasure
or problems have they brought?
L. Logistics. Background and influences that
have led to the current situation

6. Organizing the Profile
● Leads
o Descriptive, show-in-action
o Anecdotes
o Contrast leads
o Scene setting

7. Organizing the Profile
● Body
o Supporting themes - block each concept, use
relevant material, then move on
o Time frame - Start with the present, go to the past,
back to the present, then to the future.
o Chronology - parts can be written in order
o Point/Counterpoint
o Sections
o Q&A

8. Organizing the Profile
● Ending
o Quote kicker, summarizing accomplishments or
source’s feelings
o Circular ending - return to the lead for an idea
o Future theme - what lies ahead
o Simple factual sentence that conveys emotional
impact

9. Snapshot Profiles
● Typically 400 words or less
o www.lc.edu/spotlights
● Short sentences
● Few adjectives
● Few quotes (but goot ones)
● Many details
● Example p. 353-354

10. Example

11. Obituaries as Profiles
● “Life Stories” or profiles on people who have
died; not to be confused with a death notice
● Not sanitized portraits - “It is the irregularities
of our lives that give us identity.”
● Misspelled names or factual errors are
disastrous
● Check to be sure the person is dead

12. Obit Guidelines
● Always do background check before
interviewing family; always check for
accuracy
● Don’t use anything you can’t verify
● Full name with middle initial and nickname if
commonly used, age, identification (job,
etc.), date and cause of death

13. Obit Guidelines
● Address, background, survivors, service
information, burial information
● Around here, obits are usually written by the
funeral homes or families, edited and
printed. Life stories are usually people who
were in the public eye.
● http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/news/152136285/Fo
rmer-Telegraph-reporter-Yakstis-remembered

14. Terri’s Story - http://www.lc.edu/spotlights/
● We will watch a 1:45 video about L&C
professor Terri Hilgendorf.
● During the video, jot down some notes on
what you observe, and what she says.
● Afterward, as a class, we will brainstorm
some questions you would ask if you were to
write a profile on Terry.