FEATURE WRITING

WHAT IS A FEATURE STORY?

 Feature stories detail with
aspects beyond the base facts
of the news. They may inform
but the dominant purpose is to
entertain. A feature story may
have anything under the sun
for a subject.
WHAT IS A FEATURE STORY?
A feature story, just like the news story, has
interesting information to tell. But the feature
story does not simply inform. It may
entertain. It may amuse evoke sympathy. It
may explain or supplemental news. Yet, while
it may explain, it is not opinionated like the
editorial.
 Of all the articles in a newspaper or
magazine, the feature story is the most varies
in scope, purpose and style. But whatever the
purpose or style, features add life and zest to
any publication.
CHARACTERISTIC
S OF A GOOD
FEATURE STORY
 Creativity

- feature stories allow the writer to write

about anything from the most ordinary
or common things to the bizarre or most
unimaginable subjects.

Creative presentation and use of

language matter a lot. But feature
articles, however creative, must be
anchored on data gathered, not merely
on imagination.
 Human Interest

- Features stories may be written as

first person accounts. This allows the
writer to put in his own thoughts and
emotions. While the writer sticks to
objective reporting with the use of
facts, he makes the feature
entertaining through imaginative
treatment of the material.
 Factual Content

- A feature story informs the readers of

the situation, event or aspect of life
which might not have been covered by
hand news.
 Entertaining Value
- A feature story provides the break in the
monotony and morbidity of war, murder, rape,
scandal, disaster, corruption, controversy which
mostly fill the news pages.
The feature writer may give color, life or mood t
the event of subject. He talks to people in the
scene or behind it, like the sidewalk vendor, the
taxi driver, the security guard, the maid or the
houseboy, the principal or the teacher, the
business executive or the wife. In so doing, the
feature writer produces a highly entertaining
piece about people, their thoughts and feelings,
give the piece humanness that has a great
readership appeal.
 Timeliness or Imperishability

- Feature stories can be had for weeks

or months without losing their
usefulness unlike news stories w/c get
stale as soon as they are told.
 Variety of Tone and Style

- Features stories rarely begin with the

summary lead. The writer can use
novelty leads and employ any
treatment suitable to his material.
 Organization

- Features apply the principles of

creative writing to achieve unity,
coherence and emphasis. Sentences
may be longer allowing the use of
colorful phrases and figurative
language. However, discretion must he
observed regarding sentences length in
the interest of readability.
STRUCTURE OF THE FEATURE
STORY
The Lead

The introduction or lead should be

able to attract outright the
attention or readers. It is important
that the introduction immediately
draw the interest of readers so that
they will decide to read on.
Here are some kinds of leads which
can be used for feature stories:

1. Question Lead - Asking the

readers a question the answer to
which in the story is a very
convenient yet attractive
beginning.

a. What is the millennium bug?

b. Do you like eating vegetables?
2. Exclamation Lead - The opening
sentences by very nature compels
attention.

a. Sink or swim
b. A millionaire at ten. Fanstastic!
3. Quotation Lead - The story begins
with a quotation which will draw
interest.

a. "Nothing is rich but the

inexhaustible wealth of nature. She
shows us only surfaces, but she is a
million fathoms deep.“ -Ralph
Waldo Emerson
b. "Gone are the days when children
are only seen and never heard".
4. Descriptive Lead - This kind gives a vivid
description of a person, place or situation so
that the reader creates a mental picture of
it.
Umbrellas. Jackets. Raincoats. Sweaters. Rubber slippers.
Wooden shoes. Rubber boots. Buckets and pails and
basins. Brooms and dust pans. Mops and mop heads. Extra
food and water. Dry clothes. Candles and
flashlights.Bancas. These are among the things people of
Malabon and Navotas cannot do without when the months
of June come around.
 Non-stop beatings, 24-hour week-long street dancing,

Soot stained faces, arms and legs. Colorful costumes.

Overflowing food and beer. The shouts of "Hala-Bira!" and
"Viva! Viva kay Seno Sto.Nino!"
5. Striking Statement - A short snappy
statement set off in a paragraph by
itself.

a. The boat people are the here to

stay.
b. The convict hanged himself
6. Contrast Lead - This lead points out
the opposites and extremes. It should
be sharp and witty.

a. Theywere given a new house and are

P50, 000 richer but the fire victims
could not get over the death of their
loved ones in the fire that razed the
squatter’s area in Tondo, Saturday
night.
7. Narration Lead-The lead is written in
the form of a narration.

a. The day started with a parade

participated in by different
government officials and employees
which ended in the quadrangle of the
provincial capitol. They were
celebrating the golden anniversary of
the province.
8. Summary Lead-This is the introduction
that sums up the subject of the feature
story

a. Juan Pedro Cruz supports his

brother's studies by cleaning the
animal cages in Manila Zoo
STRUCTURE OF THE FEATURE
STORY
The Body
As in almost every kind of story, the body
of the feature story must have unity,
coherence and emphasis. It must be able
to hold and sustain the interest of readers
The paragraphs of feature stories are
shorter that those of literary short stories
of novels but longer that paragraphs in a
news story.
In the body, the writer makes use of
descriptions, narrations, figures of
speech, idiomatic expressions,
quotations, surveys, statistics,
interviews, incidents and anecdotes
that give color to the story.

A central idea or theme must be carried

all throughout the story. Unnecessary
details not directly related to the main
subject must be set aside.
The Conclusion

Make sure your conclusion has

impact. You may give a condensed
summary or state the salient points in
the story. Or you can give the highest
point of interest or the most important
fact in the feature. Whatever device you
employ, use your imagination. Be sure
you come up with something for the
readers to remember.
 HOW TO WRITE THE FEATURE STORY
1. Choose an interesting subject.
2. Narrow down your subject to just one specific area or
sub-topic. Think of a fresh angle to the topic
3. Give it a tentative title.
4. Prepare your outline
5. Highlight the important things you wish to feature
6. Focus on the main or most important feature with
specific details. Use data gathered from interviews,
surveys, researches or personal experiences.
7. Use devices such as figures of speech, idiomatic
expressions, quotations and the like in order to give
color to the feature and hold the interest of the readers.
8. Read what you have written paying attention to what
should be added or omitted.
9. Rewrite your piece.
10.Give it catchy head title.
11.Make the final copy.
KINDS OF FEATURE STORIES
Informative Feature
It gives information to the
readers. This includes stories
about subjects of current
interest. This kind of feature is
usually based on interview and
research
Human Interest Feature
This deals with minor incidents that
may deserve attention because of
dramatic, humorous, tragic,
sensational or odd angles of the
story. This kind appeals to the
emotions. While it may have lesser
news values, it enjoys wide
readership because of human
appeal. Readers can easily relate to
the incidents and emotions.
News Feature
Itgets its materials from current
events. It covers details that may
have been omitted by the news.
How-to-Feature
This kind of feature gives
information on the process of doing
things and how certain products are
made. This story easily attracts
readers because of the value of the
information it offers.
Personality Sketch
 Itis natural for people to be interest in people
to be interested in people, especially those who
have become successful and popular.
Celebrities like actors, actresses, singers,
painters, models, beauty titlist are very often
the popular choice for personality sketches.
This kind of article reveals the character of the
subject by telling of such topics as the way he
talks and acts, his taste in clothes, his daily
morning habits and routine or what others think
about him.
Personal Experience
This type tells of some unusual
experience and as a first person
account. Sometimes, it is told in
the third person and we call the
"As Told to” story.
Humorous Features
One of the functions of feature
story is to entertain and what could
be more entertaining than a
humorous story? It is said that it is
more difficult to write a humorous
story than a human interest story.
Interpretative Feature
It instructs, informs and clarifies to
the reader the background and
significance of social, economic,
political and other problems of
everyday life.
Seasonal or Holiday Feature
This includes subjects such as
events celebrated at least once a
year or during the season like New
Year Christmas, Independence day,
Fathers Day, Earth Day, etc.
Travelogue
an account of one's travel
experiences and a vivid
description of the place visited