HOW TO CRAFT A PROFILE

After having followed the directions for the three series interview, you must organize your information. Take out your notes. Ask yourself these initial questions:

• What does your reader already know about the subject?
• What you know about your subject now?
• What surprises have there been?
• What information is consistent with prior knowledge?

Then follow these steps:

1. Mark out what is of interest (use a highlighter).
2. Cluster like things.
3. Take a look at the information in your interview notes. Next to each item/quote, put a 1,2,3 or 4 next to it.
4. Write the profile. (See Below.) USE TRANSITIONS! If you do not have enough information, or if you think of new questions as you are writing, ask the interviewee for more information. WORK TOGETHER.
5. When you have finished the writing, read your article to the person interviewed. He/she should tell you if anything is missing, or if he/she thinks anything should be added or deleted. ASK THE INTERVIEWED SUBJECT TO SIGN THE INTERVIEW DEMONSTRATING TO MS. G THAT YOU HAVE COMPLETED THIS STEP. Have the person write: "I have read my interview piece by ____" and sign their name.
6. Peer edit.
7. Revise.

HoW To WrItE uP aN iNtErViEw

When you write up your interview, you are writing a feature story. When you read an interview in a magazine or newspaper, you are reading the results of the interview process now organized to make sense. The author chooses what to include and where, as well as what to OMIT. Remember, not everything is necessary to make your story stand.

A basic outline you may want to follow is divided into four parts. You will notice that depending the approach you choose for organization will determine what information you include. If you writing chronologically, follow the model on the left; if you are writing by topic or event, follow the model on the right. You may also combine the two when appropriate.

PART 1= The Introduction
PART 2= The Subject's past                OR                   the First Main Topic
Part 3= The Subject's present                  OR                the Second Main Topic
Part 4= The Subject's future                        OR              the Summary/Final Comments