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Last week I wrote about the kind of research I do when I get an idea. I have to answer two key questions: Is it kid-friendly, and is it a new idea or new slant on an old subject?  Henry Ford's plastic soybean car fits the bill, so I move to question number three: Will there be enough information about the subject to make the project viable?

I have run into dead ends before. Getting my hopes up about some arcane topic only to discover that the little tidbit that tantalized me initially was all there was. No historical records existed.  I suppose I could have made it my life's work to scrape together the few remnants that remained and built on it so that I became the expert, but my heart, and my attention span, was just not that into it. I'll leave that to some grad student looking for a dissertation topic.

But my gut feeling is that there is more to my plastic car story than what I have uncovered so far. After all, Henry Ford is one of the most famous innovators of the 20th century. So, my first task is to read as many biographies as I can about the man. Doing research for a nonfiction book is like creating backstories for fictional characters. You need to find out what makes them tick. Where did they come from? What and who influenced them?  There are a lot of biographies about Ford, so I select the ones written by reputable researchers; ones with lots of end notes and a big bibliographies that will direct me to other sources.  I start to build my own working bibliography.

Your real characters need to be grounded in a time and place. You need to know about the world they lived in. For this project that means reading about the Roarin' Twenties, the Great Depression, and about life in Michigan.

I also read up on ancillary topics, too, like soybeans (Did you know there are more than 300 kinds?), and about the Ford company (FYI: The ill-fated Edsel was named after Ford's son, who was named after Ford's best friend, who was a food chemist at the plant.)

My working bibliography grows exponentially, and I know that there is more than enough information out there to make my Henry Ford story a go. And that's a good thing, because my editor already approved it. :)

Next Week: Step 3 -  Looking for those Primary Documents

In the upcoming weeks, I am lucky to be able to interview both an area sculptor and a Christian rock band that's on a nationwide tour raising funds for Haiti earthquake victims. Both artists expressed thanks for giving them the opportunity to promote their work.

When reading art profiles, I often finish with an empty feeling, like the writer barely skimmed the surface and wrote a bare-bones article that doesn't make me want to learn more about the artist or his/her/their work.

I refuse to write fluff.

I want to produce more than a puff piece that barely skims the surface. I want to write an in-depth profile of this artist and group of musicians and showcase both the work ethic and product, as well as the human interest side of the story.

Since I write regularly for a regional publications, I've had the opportunity to interview many artists. During these interviews, I've sharpened my approach to writing the artist profile. Here are my tips for finding the real story, instead of producing a bunch of fluff:

• Research, research, research. Accuracy should be a top priority for the arts profile writer. Dig into the artist's background, look at previous projects, and familiarize yourself with upcoming launches. Don't simply check out the artist's personal website. Go beyond! Check out databases that cater to a particular art genre, a publisher's website or artistic organizations. Read older articles about the artist you're profiling. You'll be amazed at the new questions you come up with!
• Make your list, check it twice. Then, interview. I like to come up with a list of simple questions based on background. These basic facts are the first points I go over during the interview. Then, I have a list of 15 to 20 questions that focus on the current project and past work. Look for a pattern and you'll usually find a common thread that runs through their work. Still, some questions may require deep thought. Sometimes, a basic question draws the best responses simply because the answer seems so obvious, but after consideration, the artist digs to find the answer. I once interviewed an author who, at 60-something, hadn't thought about why her main characters aged along with the author. "Write what you know," summarized her response.
• Search for secondary sources. After interviewing the artist, I like to talk to others involved in the new project. This tactic gives me a new, fresh perspective, and usually, it covers new material not covered in the interview. Plus, I often get fantastic sidebar material.

Remember, the artist profile doesn't have to amount to fluff. Rather, it should engage readers and give them an up close and personal view of what motivates the artist while motivating the reader to discover more about the subject.

What artists profiles have you read that stand out in your mind? What made them unique?

by LuAnn Schindler. Follow LuAnn on Twitter @luannschindler or visit her website to read more of her work http://luannschindler.com .

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