Profile Essay: Brainstorm and Sketch

Brainstorm:

• mom
• work colleague?
• friend
• little sister
• teacher

Sketch:

Listing Prompts: People
When I first heard of this assignment, I was stuck. I had no idea who I would want to write about. There is not really anyone in my life who I want to know more about. No cool stories. Well, my grandpa fought in WWII, but he is no longer alive. My 90 year old grandma had some experience growing up during the Great Depression. But she is very old, fragile and I don't want to make her upset. So, after a couple minutes of "fast-writing prompts", I came to the conclusion that I will interview my mom about what it is like to be a single parent.

Conducting the Interview: Questions
I already have background information, as I have asked my mom about this topic before. My research has been conducted over the past 18 years of my life. This experience includes the "before" and "after" of being a single mom: before and after the divorce. I am going to ask my mom the following:

• How long have you been a single parent? Do you think this affects your children?
• What type of person comes to mind why you hear the term "single mom"? Has your experience changed the way you view single moms you see?
• Are there common misconceptions about being a single parent?
• Would your life be different if you were not raising two kids, alone?
• What have you sacrificed for your kids? What have you had to sacrifice for yourself to make life easier for you and your kids?
• Have you ever considered dating, and taking the weight of being a single parent off your shoulders?
• How do you feel your life will be different after both your daughters go to college? You will still be a mom, just with less responsibilities.
• How would you describe your life as a single parent? Do you wish others knew how challenging it was?
• Can you remember a significant time during parenthood when you knew raising kids on your own was the right option?

Starting the Sketch: Elements to Incorporate

• At least two potentially revealing anecdotes about your profile subject
• Single parent
• ???
• At least two strong quotations from your subject
• I have yet to interview my subject
• A title
• Still trying to come up with a clever, creative title
• A paragraph of background information including your informant’s age, physical description, and perhaps even relevant job or personal history.
• 51
• Divorced, single parent raising two teenage girls
• Job with State Farm Bank for ___ years, it pays pretty well for her lifestyle
• She is fit, yet short. At 5'1, there is not much to see except her brown bangs she has had since the 80's. Her white, perfectly straight teeth take away from all other features of her face.
• A strong lead (perhaps one of the anecdotes)…
• I will probably lead with "imagine raising two daughters, all by yourself... This is no problem for Mardi Miller, she has been doing this for __ years.