Writing profiles that are personal

A large portion of my day is spent plunking away at a keyboard from a jail-cell-gray cubical, which is why I jump at the chance to leave my digs and interview college students, faculty members, donors and other college community members face-to-face for web stories. Their success stories reaffirm the work I do for the college, and it is a pleasure to learn more about my interviewees on a personal level. Getting an interview subject to open up and reveal his or her story takes some skill, but being prepared and mindful of your goals will break down inhibitions on both sides of the table.

• Do your research. What are you trying to achieve in writing this profile? More often than not, the answer to this question is rooted in your audience, so having a deep understanding of your core constituencies is key. Next, gather some background information on your subject from internal folks so that you have a starting point when writing your questions. Be sure that you can answer some important questions yourself, including how and why this person’s story is important to advancing your organization’s goals.
• Write a set of questions prior to the interview, but don’t be beholden to them. Your pre-written questions are simply a road map. A successful profile interview will unfold into a more casual conversation. An answer to your initial question may yield numerous follow-up questions, and expanding on an interesting crumb will lead to a richer story.
• Go off topic. If your approach to a profile interview is “just the facts, ma’am,” you’ll miss out on truly getting to know your subject. Is she originally from the area? If not, why and when did she move? What does she like about living in City X? Sounds like small talk, but you’d be surprised how candid and relaxed your subject may become.
• Stay authentic to your subject and audience. When you reach the writing stage, try to reflect your subject’s personality in your word choice and tone. For example, if your subject is a 20-year-old college student, you’ll use different words and tone than if you were interviewing a corporate CEO. Choose your direct quotes wisely at this point. You’re looking for meaningful nuggets that advance the story and couldn’t be conveyed in any other way than how your subject phrased them.