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Personality feature stories

Personality feature stories. PR Writing class. Feature profile or bio?. Bios provide factual information about the person – their current title and employer, work history, educational background, professional achievements . Bios usually accompanied by a photo. Feature profile or bio?.

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Personality feature stories

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  1. Personality feature stories PR Writing class

  2. Feature profile or bio? • Bios provide factual information about the person – their current title and employer, work history, educational background, professional achievements. • Bios usually accompanied by a photo.

  3. Feature profile or bio? • Feature personality profiles offer a window into the subject, using anecdotes, interesting facts and colorful quotes to bring the individual to life for the readers. • Feature stories can answer questions such as what makes this person special? What drives him or her? What are they known for? • Feature stories don’t have to follow a chronological order or tell everything about the person’s past.

  4. Lead paragraphs • Think: What is the purpose of a lead paragraph? • A lead paragraph (and most other paragraphs too) should not exceed 3 to 4 lines of type on an 8 ½ x 11 sheet. Keep it short! • Keep a tight focus. Don’t wander around.

  5. Quotes • Minimum of two quotes for this assignment. • Quotes must be full sentence, not fragments. • Quotes should add value and “flavor” to the story, saying things that aren’t just factual information and that reflect the character or personality of the subject. • Every new quote requires starting a new paragraph.

  6. Attribution • In quotes: Attribution is necessary and should come at the end of the first sentence. • In quotes: Stick with “said” not “says,” “exclaimed” or other words. Follow subject/verb order where possible, but story flow and easy reading take priority.

  7. Attribution • Attribution is required throughout the story, not only in direct quotes. • We, as writers, cannot know how a subject “feels” or what they “believe.” But we can say that “Sally said she believes … ” Use attribution in all such sentence constructions when opinion, feeling or belief is being expressed.

  8. Attribution example • She enjoys working for Dr. Bacon.vs. • She said she enjoys working for Dr. Bacon.

  9. Attribution example • Nicodemus feels passionate about the environmental issues …vs. • Nicodemus said he feels passionate about the environmental issues …

  10. Transitioning into quotes • Bad: Varner ended the conversation by saying, “ACU lives by their mission … ” • Bad: When asked about his dream job, Mendenhall said, “I think this would … ” • Better: Mendenhall’s love for kids is seen not only in his love for each of his children, but also in his commitment to coaching. “I’ve spent a long time coaching kids’ soccer,” he said.

  11. Precision and accuracy • Be specific, be precise and always be accurate. • Check stuff out! Look it up! Example: “Stephanie Carlton, the secretary for ACU’s JMC department, … ” Remember what we said about the word “professor.”

  12. Slang • “Joey started doing the Fire Academy … ” • “After getting his undergrad at ACU … ”

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