"The Nature of a Curious Mind"
An interesting interview (There's a link on the site for downloading a pdf.)
The Art of the Profile by Susan Orlean
Orlean is a guest in Dana Goodyear's profile-writing class. The real substance of the interview starts around 8:15. (The interview must be from the spring of 2011 because they refer to the Rin Tin Tin book that will appear in the fall.) In those first few minutes, she gives a good description of the 800-word "short" profile and how students might approach them. She also talks about what role the shadow day can play in showing the subject's world.
"Susan Orlean: The Real Adaptation"
Video of her talking about writing
An interview with Identity Theory
Print interview from 2008
www.SusanOrlean.com
Her site, where she keeps a blog and addresses frequently asked questions