Profile Template

Rules for writing profiles:

-Show Don’t Tell

-Write sections with scenes and ancedotes if possible

-Work on one section at a time, with a lede and ending

Elements of a Profile

1. Lede, including charges and imprisonment clause or clauses

2. Nutgraph

3. Quote supporting nutgraph and/or lede, optional but good idea

4. If the story has a really important second element (like your prisoner is now gravely ill), put it here. If not,

Begin the chronology here:

5. Short personal history ending with work as a reporter

6. Describe the journalism he/she practiced, their media outlet, and the last story they wrote/blogged before arrest

7. Moment of arrest with as much descriptive detail as possible

Short background paragraphs on (these don’t have to come as one big block. The bilateral section could go later)

8. The political context of the country around the time of arrest (like an election) or press environment (if, for example, this was a moment when many journalists were being arrested)

9. Larger political context of the country, including type of government, general political and economic stabilityb

10. Short paragraph on US bilateral relations with your country: what’s the most important thing driving the relationship and where does press freedom fit into it.

Pick up chronology here

11. Trial, if available. Often just one or two sentences since many are closed

12. Life in prison (circling back if that’s also your lede)