The Feature Article

Feature Story• A feature story is an article in a

newspaper, a magazine, or a news website that is not meant to report breaking news, but to take an in-depth look at issues behind a news story, often concentrating on background events, persons or circumstances.

Characteristics of the Feature Article

Characteristics of the Feature Article

Variety of subject matterVariety of toneVariety in form and styleUsually more entertaining more

often than it forms, instructs or advises

Factual and requires reportingWell-organizedRarely begins with a summary lead

Uses the novelty lead more often.Usually strikes the keynote in the

opening sentence.The writer strives to give the

reader a first-hand sensation by reconstructing the original as closely as possible.

Length of the storyMay or may not be timelyLiterary

NEWS STORIES FEATURE STORIES

Timelydealing on current event

Timelessabout current topic or not

inverted pyramid style

fluid form; employ a more complex narrative structure, a definite beginning, middle, end

factual reporting

factual reporting pluscreative freedom of short story writing, more colorful

NEWS STORIES FEATURE STORIES

concentrate on a few important key points

delve deeper into their subjects, expanding on the details

Often preclude description

tend to be original and descriptive; original in ideas

objective add a more human touch to reporting

a few paragraphs can be scanned

whole story has to be read to understand it

Kinds of Feature Articles

Feature story Human interest story Interview article Interpretative feature Informative article Practical guidance article Seasonal or holiday feature Entertainment article Travelogue Historical feature Personal experience or accomplishment story Personality sketch

Feature story or news feature takes it material from a subject of current interest.

News Feature

•Mayor choose strike over SUVBy Dino Balabo Wednesday, July 23, 2008

News Feature

HAGONOY, Bulacan – Unlike other politicians who move around in gas guzzling vans and sports utility vehicles (SUVs), the mayor of this coastal town has been using a tricycle as his service vehicle for several months now.

Although born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, Hagonoy Mayor Angel Cruz can easily afford an SUV as service vehicle, but he has chosen a lowly tricycle.

Cruz is the older brother of Timmy Cruz, a singer/actress who earned fame in the 1980s and ’90s.

The STAR first saw and photographed the mayor riding his tricycle last Friday during President Arroyo’s visit here when she distributed relief goods to residents affected by typhoon “Frank,”

After the President’s convoy of black, full-sized vans left for Marilao town, Cruz casually walked alone towards the Sta. Monica Bridge and rode his service vehicle parked at the other end of the span.

It was a Honda motorcycle with attached stainless steel Bocaue-type sidecar.

The motorcycle’s low windshield is plastered with the logo of the municipal government of this town, signifying that it was an “official vehicle,” while the mayor’s political sign, a red triangular flag with a letter “K” emblazoned on it, hangs over the side car.The “official vehicle” was acquired months ago and has no license plates yet; instead, a “for registration” sign is clipped on the back of the motorcycle.Officials of the municipal government told The STAR that Cruz chose a tricycle as his official vehicle to move around town not only because of the narrow roads that connect the town’s 26 barangays, but also for practical reasons owing to the constant fuel price increases. “It saves him a lot of gasoline,” said municipal engineer Nemecio Sabino.Sabino said a tricycle can travel an average of 12 to 14 kilometers for every liter of gasoline, unlike SUVs that guzzle gas every time its engine is turned on.“Local officials should set the example,” Sabino said, noting that he himself had a tricycle as a service vehicle, which he uses to go to work and bring his children to school.Other residents who have seen the mayor on his new “service vehicle” said that they have not seen a local mayor ride a tricycle before.

Human Interest Story• Has its origin in some minor

happening that merits attention only because of some dramatic, humorous, tragic, odd, or sensational angle caught by an alert imaginative reporter.

Interview Article•May be further classified according to purpose and emphasis.

Interpretative Feature• Instructs, informs, makes clear to the reader the background and significance of social, economic, political problems and other problems of everyday life.

Informative Article• May deal with scientific facts presented in non-technical language, or some interesting or useful facts in other areas.

Practical Guidance Article•“how to do it” feature is usually meant to inform.

Seasonal or Holiday Feature• Presented from some new angle on an old theme or with some fresh insight or information.

Entertainment Article

• The aim of such articles is to provide the best source of entertainment to the people who never get interest in the articles reading.

Travelogue • includes detailed information about travel. Travelogue writing is most effective accompanied by illustrations such as photographs or brochures. 

Personal Experience or Accomplishment

Story• Deal with an unusual experience. Unusual hobbies make good subjects for the school paper.

Personality Sketch

• brings out some distinctive trait or traits of a well-known personality.

Sources of Feature –article

Ideas

Sources of Feature –article Ideas

• News• Magazine articles• Books • File of ideas• Scrapbooks• Experience• Special events like anniversaries,

holidays• Advertisements

• Casual conversation• Travel• Familiar places• Fads• Interview• Observation• Imagination • Speeches• T.V., radio• Movies• Files of old materials like bulletins• Museum• Casual conversation

How to keep reader’s interest

How to keep reader’s interest

• Choose an interesting subject• Decide your purpose and keep it in mind

as you write.• Use special devices to pinpoint highlights.• Be specific• Use specific vivid words• Get the reader involved.• Use quotations• Use analogies• Use vivid, fresh figure of speech.

Writing the Feature

•The Lead•The Body•The Conclusion

The LeadThe beginning of the feature story must pull the reader in. The first sentence must make the reader want to read the second sentence. The lead may or may not contain a hook, a detail that draws in the reader’s attention.

Types of

Lead

Types of Lead• News Summary Lead• Distinctive Incident Lead• Quotation Lead• Short Sentence Lead• Question Lead• Contrast Lead• Analogy Lead• Picture Lead• Janus-faced Lead

–Body-– Should utilize the quote transition formula.

Use a variety of relevant sources. – Example: if the feature is on a specific

person, interview their family, friends, etc. – After you have written the lead, you need a

structure in which to place the information. A structure is an organizational pattern the writer uses to synthesize, that is to establish relationships between relevant pieces of information.

ConclusionAlways completely tell the story—have depth. Story should end with a strong quote that draws the story to a satisfying conclusion. (Students should not attempt to write their own conclusion or draw a conclusion. Allow a primary source quotation to bring the feature to closure.)

Steps in Writing

Feature Article

Steps in Writing Feature Article

• Pick your subject.• Limit your subject to specific area.• Write a tentative title.• Spotlight the main things you aim to do in the

feature.• Pinpoint the highlights with specific details.• Use devices and situations which will hold the

reader’s interest.• Rewrite.• Decide on your title.• Prepare copy.

Characteristics of a Good

Feature Writer

Characteristics of a Good Feature Writer

The ability to write.CreativityKeen interest in lifeA realization that in nearly every news

event there are possible feature stories.Willingness to probe for feature stories

beneath the surface of everyday events.An intellectual curiosityKeen observation

DON’Ts

DON’TsNever:Tell the reader what to do, e.g., “So the next time you’re walking down Main Street, stop in at Bagel Junction.” Nobody likes to be ordered around. Use ellipses (…) in spoken quotes to indicate omitted words. They are necessary when omitting anything from written material, however. Start a sentence with the word “Well,....” Leave that to Ronald Reagan.

Don’tsUse single quotation marks (‘like this’), unless you are indicating a quote within a quote. Indulge in comma splices, e.g., “He is graduating in May, he doesn’t have a job yet.” One particular kind of comma splice happens when you incorrectly use “however” as a conjunction meaning the same thing as “but,” e.g., “He is graduating in May, however, he doesn’t have a job yet.” The correct way to do it would be, “He is graduating in May. However, he doesn’t have a job yet.” Or: “He is graduating in May. He does not, however, have a job yet.”

Don'tsKnowingly use a cliché. Used “amongst” or “whilst.” Use the first-person singular (“I,” “me”) or plural (“we,” “us” “our”), unless it’s a first-person story. E.g., if you’re doing a profile of Harris Ross, don’t write, “He knows more about movies than anyone I’ve ever met,” even if it’s true. Use quotation marks to indicate a “funny” word or expression (as opposed to a quotation—something someone said). Use dialect in your own writing’.

DON’TsNever:

•Use single quotation marks (‘like this’), unless you are indicating a quote within a quote.

•Indulge in comma splices, e.g., “He is graduating in May, he doesn’t have a job yet.” One particular kind of comma splice happens when you incorrectly use “however” as a conjunction meaning the same thing as “but,” e.g., “He is graduating in May, however, he doesn’t have a job yet.” The correct way to do it would be, “He is graduating in May. However, he doesn’t have a job yet.” Or: “He is graduating in May. He does not, however, have a job yet.

DON’TsNever:

Knowingly use a cliché. Used “amongst” or “whilst.” Use the first-person singular (“I,” “me”) or plural (“we,” “us” “our”), unless it’s a first-person story. E.g., if you’re doing a profile of Harris Ross, don’t write, “He knows more about movies than anyone I’ve ever met,” even if it’s true. Use quotation marks to indicate a “funny” word or expression (as opposed to a quotation—something someone said).

DON’TsNever:

•Commit dangling modifiers, e.g., “Being a journalism professor, McKay Jenkins’s life has had its share of surprises.” McKay Jenkins’s life is not a journalism professor. •Invoke stereotypes about people of any age group, gender, race, religion, nationality, occupation, ethnic group, or hair color—even if you’re only bringing up the stereotype to prove it wrong. Your goal is to write about people as individuals, not as types.

10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer

by Brian Clark

• Write.• Write more.• Write even more.• Write even more than that.• Write when you don’t want to.• Write when you do.• Write when you have something to say.• Write when you don’t.• Write every day.• Keep writing.

Thank you!