The document discusses the key elements that should be included in a profile of a person. It notes that profiles tell the story of individuals by providing insights into how they live their lives and the important events that shaped who they are. The main parts of a profile are described as life facts not widely known, pictures of the person at home or work, the major turning points in their life, their goals and obstacles, what motivates them, and how they are similar or different from others. The document provides guidance on gathering necessary information through primary interviews with the subject, secondary interviews, background research, and observations. It also outlines the typical structure of a profile including an attention-getting lead, nut graph summarizing the theme, body with

1. Writing the feature profileTommy Thomason

2. 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

3. What’s in a profile?The life facts not generally knownWhat’s in a profile?The life facts not generally known

4. A picture of the person at work or at play or at homeWhat’s in a profile?The life facts not generally known

5. A picture of the person at work or at play or at home

6. What has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s lifeWhat’s in a profile?The life facts not generally known

7. A picture of the person at work or at play or at home

8. What has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s life

9. Goals/obstaclesWhat’s in a profile?The life facts not generally known

10. A picture of the person at work or at play or at home

11. What has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s life

12. Goals/obstacles

13. How the target is different from others/how the target is the sameWhat’s in a profile?The life facts not generally known

14. A picture of the person at work or at play or at home

15. What has made this person who he/she is -- the turning points in the target’s life

16. Goals/obstacles

17. How the target is different from others/how the target is the same

18. What motivates the targetGetting started on your profileWhat will you need?

19. Scheduling and conducting the primary interview

20. A theme/focus for the storySecondary interviewsBackground info on your sourceObservations

21. 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

22. A checklist on profiles… What will you need to produce a good profile?a controlling idea/themethat theme expressed in a nut grafan attention-getting lead elementinsight....whysanecdotes/storiesvisual writing...show, don’t tellmultiple sources; visual as well as oral good quotes and judicious use of paraphrases at least a good attempt at an ending

23. Want to seesome examples of profiles?