Personality profiles are a staple of most magazines--from small-town regional publications to glossy consumer periodicals. Their ubiquitous nature speaks to their broad appeal with readers and editors alike. But for the writer, they present a special challenge. Like most types of magazine articles, personality profiles require special skills and techniques that are mastered over time.
Here are five no-fail techniques for writing a compelling profile piece that is sure to impress any editor.
Tell a Good Story
Profiles require excellent narration and storytelling skills. Follow such fiction techniques as establishing setting, creating visual images in the reader's mind, and including revealing dialogue (quotes) to move your story forward. When interviewing your subject, jot down details about the environment, his or her dress, mood, and facial expressions. Include details in your article that evoke the reader's five senses. Help readers to see, hear, smell, and feel the story as if they were in the room with you and the subject.
Conduct Thorough Interviews
Interviews are the backbone of well-written profiles. In-person interviews, instead of phone meetings, are critical to writing a compelling personality profile. To get the full story, interview not only the subject, but also his friends, family, professional colleagues, and, if appropriate, his critics. Conflict lies at the heart of all good storytelling, so ask questions that reveal areas of struggle. For example:
- Your early years were hard. How did you overcome the obstacles you faced?
- What is your greatest struggle?
- Your critics say. . . . How do you respond?
- You've just won. . . . What do you see as your next big challenge?
- Any regrets?
- To conclude the interview, ask, "Is there anything else you would like to add?"
Use Direct Quotes
Direct quotes breathe life into a personality profile, so always keep a recorder, notebook, and pen handy. They may never be modified, changed, or used out of context to make a point, and to do so constitutes unethical behavior. Instead, use direct quotes judiciously to authenticate your points and to give readers insight into the qualities and attitudes of the subject.
Use the Flashback Technique
Personality profiles, more than any other type of magazine article, use the flashback technique. They present many pitfalls, but when used correctly, they can provide an emotional element to a well-written profile that is hard to match.
To start, grab the reader's interest with an interesting anecdote, a moving scene, or a quote that occurred in the past that hooks readers at the outset. Then, go back to the beginning and tell your story, focusing particularly on scenes that capture the essence of your subject.
Look for Contrasts
People's lives are chock full of incongruities. Listen for contrasts during the interview process, and then use them to grab the reader's imagination. For example, Arthritis Today ran a profile on Tina Wesson of Survivor fame who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, a disease characterized by pain, inflammation, and limited mobility. How did a woman with limited mobility end up on a show like Survivor? More important, how did she win Survivor: The Australian Outback without receiving one vote against her?
Don't let unfamiliarity with the techniques of personality profiles keep you from pitching or writing this type of article. The skills needed for successful profile writing are gained only through experience. Start small, with a regional or local magazine, and branch out from there. Enjoy the process and the rest will follow in time.
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