Getting your name in the news is exciting, but it’s also risky. Your private life is now a public mirror that can reflect both your virtues and the parts of it you’d rather keep to yourself. If you find yourself in the spotlight, there are things you can do to ensure that the article about you is factual, fair and balanced.
Whether you’re writing an article about someone else or yourself, the first step is to know your audience. If your target readers are busy parents seeking quick tips, tech-savvy teens craving trends, or professionals in search of insights, you’ll need to understand their interests and habits so that your article will resonate with them.
Aim to cover a wide range of aspects of your subject, from birth and family to education and career. It’s also a good idea to interview other people who have known your subject well, such as close friends and colleagues, and ask them for their personal opinions and anecdotes. This can help to fill in gaps in your knowledge, give a broader context to your subject and add color and interest to the article.
Singular and plural you
The distinction between singular you and plural thou in English was maintained until the 17th century, when it fell out of use. In its place, special plural forms such as you-all, you-uns, yez and youse were contrived, but none of them became standard.
Using the right form of you is easy once you’ve got it down. The key is to remember that you’re a contraction of you are, so it takes the same spelling as we are or they are. You’re isn’t as flexible as other contractions, such as I’m and I’ll, but it still only works if you’re using it correctly. If you get confused, try putting together a short sentence that makes sense, but uses only the words your and are. Then see if you can spot where your mistake is.