Write a Short Profile for a Newsletter
Newsletters are excellent ways to communicate information and developments on a narrow subject. The format is ideal for schools, colleges, companies and neighborhoods. Writing for a newsletter is rewarding because you will usually be writing to a group of like-minded people. They share your interests, live in the same area or perhaps went to the same school. So there is a lot of common ground. Newsletter profiles are usually on subjects who are of special importance to these groups of people.
Instructions
1. Begin with an anecdote about the person you are profiling that relates to the newsletter topic. For example, if you are profiling a famous author who once lived in your neighborhood, ask for a story that relates to the author's time in your neighborhood. This creates a point of common ground between the reader and the profile's subject immediately.
2. Write about why the subject is being profiled. Is there a special event going on that makes the person especially relevant? Is there a historical or social context? There are many ways someone might be interesting, but there must be one special reason why she or he has been chosen to be profiled in your newsletter.
3. Incorporate quotes from the profile subject. Look for unique or insightful quotes that shed new light on the context of your newsletter. For example, if you are profiling an alumnus of your school, then you might want to ask about his or her most interesting stories. The most important thing is to deliver information that your readers otherwise would not have known.
4. Ask other related persons for their opinions and quote them. Find out if they have any specific stories or opinions to share about your profile subject. Ideally, this will shed light both on your subject and on general theme of your newsletter.
5. Take pictures of your subject. Try to take the picture yourself or arrange to have someone take the picture specifically for the newsletter. An informal, friendly shot that somehow relates to your newsletter is preferable to a formal stock photo.
6. End with a conclusion that ties together the elements of your profile-the relationship of your subject with the newsletter, the subject's own quotes and the quotes of others on your subject. Add your own thoughts.
