Snakes, interviewing, finding news and other slippery topics

Today in Magazine Writing class we’re going to talk about the immensity of the World Wide Web, the importance of including news even in feature stories, and conducting interviews.

How to write profiles

Today in magazine writing class we are going to talk about people profiles. Tips are below. Feel free to send in your suggestions.

A profile isn’t a biography. It isn’t a recounting of a person’s work history. It’s a story about some interesting aspect of a person’s life.

When choosing a profile subject, do not pick a friend, co-worker, boss or a family member because that is a conflict of interest.

Key elements of a profile include:

• An interesting lead. You need to hook the reader right away. Try to capture the reader’s attention and then keep it.
• Lively quotes. The reader needs to know you were there. You interviewed your subject. This isn’t some second-hand story taken from a press release or a web site.