Module 5 Feature Writing
Module 5 Feature Writing
Module 5 Feature Writing
OVERVIEW
Dear learner,
As a student of journalism, you may have observed different scenarios and situations
in the society that have evoked your emotions and you might want to write feature stories
about those. However, you might don’t know how to start and what are the things to consider
in writing feature articles.
Writing a feature story is not always easy. It comes with a lot of elements that should
come together to make it whole. Also, the style of writing a feature may vary depending on
the writer or the subject. However, at the very heart of it, the purpose is the same – it aims to
explore a range of issues, opinions, experiences, and ideas while captivating the audience.
Basically, Feature writing aims to educate and entertain the readers. It reflects the best
in a writer. It can be personal, colorful, and opinionated, but without deviating from the facts.
It may be longer and in-depth compared to a straightforward news story. It carries feelings
and impressions. It should be able to grab the reader’s attention instantly and hold that
attention.
Hence, this module aims to equip students with the knowledge, skills and
professional values of feature writing. By the end of the module, students should be able to
produce a full-length feature that displays craft in writing, strong research and critical and
creative thinking skills.
A feature story differs from a news story in one respect- its intent. A news story
provides information about an event, idea or situation. A feature story does a bit more-it
also interprets news, add depth and color to a story. It also instructs or entertains. A news
story tells about important events. A feature story tells about interesting matters. It relates
to man’s inner feelings.
Okenwa(1990) observed that while a news writer will normally stick to facts and
report them as a matter of fact, without embellishment or comments of any kind, the
feature writer offers more than bare facts, background them, entertain comments…and
interpret them. He uses anecdotes, descriptions, and humor. He uses more factual and
imaginative language. And his story can be more subjective; maybe, even more
entertaining.
Its nature…
A feature story must be unusual. It should not be about something that usually
happens, e.g. car crash (except if it involves a prominent personality). It must have the
human interest dimension as this gives the reader or listener a sense of personal relationship
with the subject. When human interest feelings or suffering is narrowed down to a particular
human being, then the reader readily identifies with the subject. Usually, a conflict (serious
or trivial) gets resolved either way i.e. negatively or positively in a feature story. Thus, a
feature story has universal appeal to its readers.
1. Journalistic. It is fact-based. The story is real and the events narrated in the story were
experienced by the one telling the story.
News Feature
This type of story has its basis upon timely news happening with a human-interest
angle is called a news feature. Often a news happening can be made much more interesting or
newsworthy by writing it in a semi-feature sort of thing. A news feature is generally timelier
than a straight human interest or a long feature story.
Informative Feature
This type does not use many of the fiction writer’s devices, since its purpose is to
inform more than to entertain. It may be very closely related to the so called “New
Journalism”. Facts for this type are usually obtained from interviews, library research and
personal observation. To create interest feature writer, includes human-interest elements in
his feature. Its success depends upon the accuracy facts and the style and form with which it
is presented.
Personality Sketches
It is very popular among the readers as everybody wants to know about other people.
These features are written about those men and women whose stories are worth telling
because they are historical characters in whom interest survives long after they are dead.
This type is not easy to write as it is an uphill task to portray a personality with artistic
preciseness. Facts about the person are obtained from his friends, teachers, relatives and
associates. While writing a personality sketch a feature writer must avoid, stereotyped pattern
that finds it way into these features very often.
Interpretative Feature
Interpretative features inform, instruct and throw light on the background of certain
problems. The following topics are usually discussed under the heading or interpretative
feature.
Social problems
Economic problems
Political problems
Problems of everyday life
LEAD
The opening sentence must grab and hold the reader's attention by using specific, interest-
arousing words. Focus on action verbs and specific nouns. And limit the use of adverbs and
adjectives.
It should create an image, send a verbal message and capture the reader's imagination.
The tone should fit the mood of the story and supply the theme or angle.
It should lead the reader into the story.
What makes a good lead:
An anecdote that represents the universal truth.
The description of a scene that helps to establish a tone or mood.
A description of a subject: face, demeanor, posture.
A powerful quote.
A startling statement.
Journalism Module 5: FEATURE WRITING 4
Ex.
"Fall is here and that means the start of football season" tells the reader nothing.
The following lead is much better:
"Fall is here, a fact that head coach Bill Smith may view with some trepidation. Not
only does he have to replace 14 seniors from a 2-8 season, he must deal with the recent
season-ending injury to returning quarterback Dave Jones."
A Few Types of Leads
Narrative - tells a story
Descriptive - describes a scene, person or subject
Direct Quote – must be used with narrative
Startling statement
Contrast and Compare (then and now)
Twist
“I started screaming, crying and swearing at my dad, trying to figure out what was
happening”. That's when her dad told his 17-year-old daughter he had put her up for
adoption.
2. DESCRIPTIVE – of a scene/person
Andrew, an electrical engineer, looks better than your average 37-year-old, college-
educated man from Canton, OH. Clean-shaven, wearing a fitted maroon polo shirt and black
dress pants. Athletic. Energetic. Flirtatious. He sits on the patio of a local restaurant, sipping
his cocktail, skimming the menu at the kind of place you take your kids to after soccer
practice. "Yesterday I had drink. Today I had two. Tomorrow, I don't know," Andrew says,
both hands cupped around a sweaty vodka-soda with lime. "But it's not heroin.
3. DIRECT QUOTE - Must be powerful
“Don't be mad. I took some pills,” Karen Keaton cried as she stooped over the toilet.
A few hours later, the 14-year-old freshman died after a series of coronary arrests.
4. QUOTE WITH NARRATIVE
"Don't bury me." 6-year-old Fareed Shawky cries as doctors treat the shrapnel wounds
that cover his body. He is just a child. But more than six months of war in his country,
Yemen, had taught him the bitter realities of conflict. People die, then they are buried. "Don't
bury me," Fareed says again through tears. His young father stands across from him and
smiles trying to ease his child's fears. "I was trying to calm him down and at the same time
6. TWIST
Nigel Davis has had plenty of unfunny days. A father shot. A mother taken by cancer.
A childhood in the ghetto. He served in the Persian Gulf war, worked in a mail room and
waited tables at a Mexican restaurant where he hated singing Happy Birthday to customers.
He’s sung in a blues band and had his heart broken after moving 1,000 miles for a woman.
But always, he’s been able to make people laugh.
A good lead makes you want to read more …
Zackary Jargowsky hates pronouns. He hates the “she” that sometimes slips out when
he's playing Quidditch with his friends, and the “it” he's been labeled by the ones who don't
understand. He hates the prolonged stares as people try to figure out what is going on beneath
his “Nightmare Before Christmas” hoodie and plaid, vertical striped shirts — the ones the
stylist said would help.
NUT GRAPH
Basically, it is a summary of what the story is going to be about. It's the 5 Ws and H
that you didn’t answer in the lead. It's the thesis sentence of your story.
After a strong lead and an informative nut graph… Use the Transition/Quote formula
in the body of the future article.
CONCLUSION
The ending should give a sense of finality and resolution to the reader. It wraps up all
loose ends and leaves the reader with a single, significant thought. It stands alone as
the reader's final impression.
FEATURE ENDINGS
Lead replay — Refers back to the feature angle used in the lead.
Proximity ending — Uses info from the paragraph right before it.
Word play — Uses a play on words, alliteration, or a catchy phrase that leaves a lasting
impression in the readers mind.
Applying what you have learned about feature writing, write a four-paragraph feature
story about any topic. It can be any of the eight types of feature. Please do not copy from the