Profile without Interview

At the same time, that approach only works for a specific type of source. It's either a "Where are they now?" or, as Wright Thompson pulled off, a "Where are they now?"

 

Should I pitch before I contact the former player? Or contact the former player and found out if he would be interested in an interview, and, if he is, then pitch?

 

It really depends where you're pitching the story. A lot of newspapers would be far more interested in the story if it could be pegged as an interview, which is unfortunately the way a lot of newspaper executives think. A magazine might be interested either way.

 

I'm shooting for magazines.

 

Seems to me like you're excited about the story idea, but don't have the gumption to face the subject of your story directly. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

I've found some of my best profiles or features have been on people who either wouldn't or couldn't talk to me. It's kind of a fun challenge, and once you have to do a few this way, you really start to see how getting to interview the subject may have been a crutch because you wouldn't have had to research so much or contact so many other people.