FEATURE WRITING

In news stories, you generally make your point, set the tone, and frame the issue in the first paragraph or two.

In feature stories you can develop the theme of the story and leave your point until the end, if that suits your style.

A news feature has a theme

True research and liberal use of factual material gives an original perspective to your feature article and also avoids the possibility of plagiarism.

Have you selected your intended subject topic and carefully planned out your idea?

•the introduction should entice your reader

• drama, emotion, quotes, questions, description

•keep promises to readers

• or answer any questions you pose

•maintain an "atmosphere”—style is king

•conclusion: help the reader remember the story

• use a strong punch line

Do you have a good lead, middle and ending? 

Choose the right amount of detail to include in your discussion; you don't have to tackle the less important aspects of your topic.

Give the most vital pieces of information that you want to get across, and choose the details that go along with it

However, be careful that you don't omit so much detail that you end up with a vague outline for an article

Get the details right

Be clear about why you are writing the article. Is it to inform, persuade, observe, evaluate, or evoke emotion?

Write in the active voice. In active writing, people do things.

Passive sentences often have the person doing the action at the end of the sentence or things being done “by” someone.

Write right. Syntax, all right?

Avoid clichés (cutting edge, world beating, revolutionary ) and sentimental statements - especially at the end of your article

Focus on human interest – the feel and emotion you put into the article are critical. Don't think about writing a "science" story - think about writing a "human interest" story

Avoid clichéd emotions

Don't subject your reader to the equivalent of linguistic torture. A feature article is supposed to be light, entertaining and informative-not deathly pedantic like a textbook

Watch your language

Tony Harcup

Interviews for features usually need to be in-depth and in person rather than over the phone - this enables you to add in colour and detailUse anecdotes and direct quotes to tell the story – write into them with paraphrase and observational statements

Decide on the ‘tense' of your story at the start and stick to it. Present tense usually works bestAvoid lengthy, complex paragraphs. Your article will appear in columns, so one or two sentences equals a paragraph

Show your reader instead of telling Why say a person is friendly when you can say how they bounce down the street, smiling at everyone and calling hello to strangers.

Remember you are telling a storyThat means characters, scenes and action. Who is there? What are they like? What are they doing and saying? What does the place look like?

Use concrete and specific words to get your meaning across. It was a pearl-grey Siamese – not just a cat.

It was a crumbling cement building with broken panes of glass where windows used to be — not an abandoned building.

Status detail adds colour and weight

Location, location, detail

Quotes should be something interesting and compelling, something that the source says better than you could.

Do not quote people stating facts:"The school board will hold a hearing next Monday night to find out what parents think of the school closures.“

Save the quotation marks for a person's opinion or their experience:"If parents don't turn up for the hearing, then I think we know that they just don't care about the school system," says Anne Smith, a school board member.

Make people earn quote space

Where do I come in?

Tony Harcup

The DNA of documentary style

1. Chronology – start to finish• Sequence of events

2. Non-chronological timeline• Events, but not in

sequence3. Compare and contrast• People / groups• Themes• Related ideas

Time-shifting

You don’t always have to start with the earliest event or moment in your story

A dramatic moment from ‘later’ can make a good lead – then you weave in the background to explain why it happened

Time-shifting helps to generate an interesting narrative that is not chronological

Time transitions

Two weeks before, … A month later, … At the same time, … Meanwhile, …

Transitions of space

Around the corner, … In another part of the hospital, … Across town, … Two blocks away, … A world away, …

Switching characters

Dan Brown does not agree, … A similar feeling is expressed by … The opposite viewpoint… Another expression…

Transition point

the transition points

the use of light and shade

contrast and reflection

structure as a series of short pyramids and inverted pyramids

makes links very obvious

robust, beautiful

SculpturalSharpShinySolid

Stylish

The main thing to keep in mind when writing a feature story is to have fun, and enjoy and get to know the people you are writing about.

Let yourself stay open to new experiences and ideas, and relax.

And finally…

Is it informative?

Think of your assignment as an adventure not a writing assignment. You will enjoy yourself much more if you do.

Your subjects and sources will be more comfortable around you and will open up to you.

The more they do, the better your story will be.

Enjoy the adventure