Write down 50 questions you want to ask before you sit down for the interview. As opposed to a breaking news story, you may not know what angle you will use when you begin. You already have a particular interest in this person, but do not let it blind you from seeing other fascinating areas of their life that surface with a little patience. Do not lead your subject. "Getting off topic" may yield far better results than straight answers to your questions. The only way to get there, however, is to be prepared.
Look for creative angles. As Dr. Barbara B. Nixon of Southeastern University states in her professional blog, a common mistake her students make when writing their first personality profile is "treating the story as if it's a pre-obituary." In lieu of generic facts like occupation and hometown, find a shortcoming or a past failure that will help your readers relate to your subject. Struggle is universally understood. Take your subject's future aspirations or reflect on past goals as an interesting spin on their career.
Hook your readers' attention with your lead. In a personality profile, you have more options when it comes to opening your article. Take this opportunity to get creative with your lead. Starting with an anecdote that epitomizes your subject is a great way to intrigue your audience. Odd facts about your subject can also help hold attention.
Quote often. This is the subject's story. Take a general trait or event that you chose to write about and use the person's words to exemplify your point and create a more colorful picture of your subject. There is no correct number of quotes per article, but if you have not quoted your subject in three to four paragraphs, add a quotation to summarize the point.
Keep your article about 750 to 1,000 words long. Depending on how much pertinent information you have, this can be difficult. Use five interesting areas of your subject's life that you can tie together to make a bigger point--- if your subject has survived a rare disease, won an Olympic medal and risen to the top of the corporate ladder, your subject is determined and self-disciplined. If you need more, use unique factoids to support the rest of your story.