Feature journalismFeature journalism

Today:

oPresentation: Feature journalism oAssignment

What is a feature What is a feature story? story?

Features can be about any subject:

from the fluffiest lifestyle piece to the toughest investigative report.

from business to sports.

A way of writingA way of writing

Feature stories are defined by the style in which they are written.

A feature is like fictional writing – but true!

““What it was like”What it was like”

News = information

Feature = experience

DetailsDetailsTo write a feature you need to

focus on details!

Scenes and description depend on details

Observation is the key – be a fly on the wall

The lead is important The lead is important It doesn't have to have the who,

what, where, when and why in the very first paragraph like a news story.

A feature lead can use description, scenes or anecdotes to set up the story.

A feature lead can run for several paragraphs instead of just one.

Characteristics Characteristics

Pace

It takes time to tell a feature story.Don’t rush through it the waynews stories often seem to do.

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

LengthTaking more time to tell a story

means using more space, which is why features are usually longer than hard news articles.

CharacteristicsCharacteristicsA Focus on the Human Element

•People are people, not just sources!

•Features are "people stories“ because they focus on people

Example – Washington Example – Washington PostPost”He emerged from the Metro at the Plaza

Station and positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript: a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic, and began to play.”

Different kinds of feature Different kinds of feature stories stories The Profile

The idea is to give readers a behind-the-scenes look at what a person is really like

The News Feature

News features cover the same subjects as deadline hard-news stories, but do so in greater depth and detail.

The Spot Feature

Spot features are feature stories produced on deadline that focus on a breaking news event.

The trend Story

Trend stories take the pulse of the culture at the moment, looking at what's new, fresh and exciting in the world of art, fashion, film, music, high-technology and so on.

The Live-InAn in-depth, often magazine-

length article, that paints a picture of a particular place and the people who work or live there: Homeless shelters, emergency rooms, battlefields, cancer hospices, public schools and police stations. The idea is to give readers a look at a place they probably wouldn't normally encounter.

Important elementsImportant elements

Description

Description sets the scene for the story and brings the people and places in it to life. Good description makes a reader create mental images in his or her mind. Any time you accomplish that, you're engaging the reader in your story.

Example Example ”She lay on a torn, moldy mattress onthe floor. She was curled on her side,long legs tucked into her emaciatedchest. Her ribs and collarbone juttedout; one skinny arm was slung over her face; her black hair was matted,crawling with lice. Insect bites, rashesand sores pocked her skin. Though shelooked old enough to be in school, shewas naked — except for a swollen

diaper.”

Watch out for adjectives Watch out for adjectives in description in description

Show it – don’t tell it!

The man was fat.

The man's belly hung over his belt buckle and there was sweat on his forehead as he climbed the stairs.

Choose the right verbChoose the right verbHe hit the ball.She ate the candy.They walked up the hill.Vs. He swatted the ball.She gobbled the candy.They trudged up the hill. 

Dialog instead of Dialog instead of quotes quotes

People talk in dialog – not quotes!

Observe people talking to each other and write down dialog

Example – The Oklahoma Example – The Oklahoma bombing bombing People could not stop looking at it,particularly the second floor, where achild care center had been. "A whole floor," said Randy Woods, afirefighter with Engine No. 7. "A wholefloor of innocents. Grown-ups, youknow, they deserve a lot of the stuffthey get. But why the children? Whatdid the children ever do to anybody."

Background InformationBackground Information

Background information sounds like something you'd find in a news story, but it's equally important in features.

All the well-written description and colorful quotes in the world won't suffice if you don't have solid information to back up the point your feature is trying to make.

Remember the nut graph Remember the nut graph

Usually the third or fourth paragraph

The “so what” paragraph

Explains the reason this story is being written!

The third way – a feature The third way – a feature modelmodelStart with a scene that sets the

mood of the story and capture the reader

Then write a fact-based paragraph with important background information

Write another scene to bring the story forward

Write another fact-based paragraphEnd your story with a scene

Example – domestic Example – domestic violence violence

Scene: A woman knocks on the door to a shelter. The door is opened. The woman looks terrified and nervous. Her face is swollen. In one hand she carries a suitcase. The other is holding a small hand - her sons.

Facts: 10.000 women in Denmark stayed at a shelter last year because of domestic violence. That is twice as many than 10 years ago…

Example – domestic Example – domestic violence violence Scene: The woman is invited in

and tells her story… flash-back scenes

Facts about why the problem is so big. Why do these women go back to their abusive husbands?

Scene: The woman gets a call. It is her husband who says he is sorry. The woman packs a suitcase and leave the shelter with her child.

Assignment Assignment

Write a description or a scene:

9/11

Violent protest in Greece

which background information would you include in a feature story about these two events?

LinksLinks9/11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0Qu6eyyr4c

Protest in Greece:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9FLQxMYiI4