Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T.

SANTOS
FEATURE WRITING

What is Feature Writing?

It gives a factual discussion of definite subjects is informative and factual rather than imaginative and
speculative direct and object, not subtle and subjective writer is an authority rather than a personality deals with
every possible subject more objective than the essay less expressive of opinion than the editorial written in
greater depth than the news story
A feature story is … ………… A feature story is not ………
one that deals with perishable like news stories
realistic situation of definite
subjects that appeal to moods
and emotions and satisfy the
hunger for information
informative and factual imaginative or speculative and
suggestive
direct and objective
based on facts based on personal impressions
one that deals with every (any)
subjects under the sun
less expressive of opinion
than the editorial
written in greater depth
than the news story
Comparative Analysis of the Basic Differences
Between Straight News and Feature
Hard news Soft news
(straight news) (feature)
Time element timely timeless
Language direct/simple Indirect/elegant
Appeal to the physical the emotion
Structure inverted pyramid pyramid/square
Function to inform to entertain
presentation objective subjective
Contents facts/factual facts but can be interpreted
Effect passing lasting/permanent
Theme parochial universal
Scope/Reach limited unlimited
As you can see features are not meant to deliver the news firsthand. Although they are based on facts, their
main functions are to humanize, to add color, to educate, to entertain, to illuminate. They often recap major
news that are reported in the newspapers or tell of future developments that would affect the people and the
community.
Since the writer is no longer bothered with constraints such as timeliness, proximity or significance of
an event, he can be freewheeling and imaginative in his approach and style.

Types of Feature Stories

News Feature
Based on a news event that foes deeper than the story
Personality Sketch on Profile
Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
Persons who may have unusual hobbies, jobs or interesting experiences, students, athletes, teachers and who
are currently in the news may be the subject of the feature story. He/She must currently be engaged in
something that makes him newsworthy.
Organization or Project Profile
An organization or a project is the subject of a feature. Waiter should avoid coming up with a feature that
sounds like a press release. An interview in addition to paper research can be done.
Service Feature on How to’s
These are instruction features that help readers cope with everyday living like “how to survive in the jungle and
how to survive a boring speech.
Example: How to Cope with School Opening Traumas
Informative Feature
Gives information in various subjects of interest to all
Personal Experience
Ordinary experience narrated by the writer can be made interesting reading.
Example: It could Happen To You
On the Street where I Live
String of Pearls
This is a collection of features on one subject written by different persons. You may ask a few persons to write
about their first valentine, a moment in their life when they felt most loved.
Brights (Brites)
There are short human interest stories that may make readers smile or touch their hearts.

Example: The school campus still remain the untapped source of human interest stories.
Miscellaneous
There is nothing under the sun that cannot be written about as a feature and many features simply defy
classification.

Where to Get Ideas for a Feature Story

Develop a friendly lively interest in people.

Be a good listener
Be ever observant
Watch out of tips in your readings
Friends and acquaintances sometimes provide precious tips.
One interview can lead to another
Look into your backyard - Your own experiences can be interesting reading if written in an interesting style.

Gathering Materials for the Feature Story

How to Go About Giving Substance to the Feature Story

Do reportorial research and interview

Before the interview the writer should formulate his purpose. This will help the writer decide what angle he
will pursue in the interview.

Tips for Painless Interview

Bone up on the subject of your interview.

Don’t get emotionally involved in your story.
Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
Don’t get sidetracked.
By all means interview.
Look for a lucky break in your interview.

Note: If the interviewee is busy and just hands you some printed information, accept the material and say
you’ll be back for more questions after you’ve gone over them.
Don’t get easily discouraged.
Keep your word.
Make an outline of your story. Outlines are one’s recipe for success.
Categorize all ideas and eliminate irrelevant items. Choose a logical arrangement of your facts.
How to Begin
Hook your reader from the start. Begin with any detail so long as it is interesting. Choose an interesting fact
that has a bearing on the main point you want to bring out in your story. This will determine the kind of lead
you should write. Use lead questions only when they are appropriate.
Example: A fund-raising campaign made use of balloons and its lead question was “When balloons are
released, what happens to them?

How far will they go? Do they go to different or similar direction?

How far should one go when dating?

What are the dangers of going steady?

Contrast lead - cites the views of different interviewees. It points out opposites and extremes. It should be
sharp and vivid to be effective.

Description lead - Makes use of strong adjectives, adverbs, verbs and nouns in living readers to read on.

Striking and unusual fact - Makes the reader sit up and take notice.

Anecdote lead - Sure fire method of hooking the readers’ interest.

Flash by - It is factual information flashed quietly before the reader in staccato fashion.

Example:
A twinge of regret. A bit of nostalgia. A wish of childish excitement. Going the rounds of Q.C.

Attractive pay. Free transportation. Settling in allowance. Free food. On top of all that, a big bonus at the
end of one’s service to the company. They are some of the come ons that make the Middle East the Mecca for
Filipino workers today.

Suspended interest- Consists of several sentences in which the reader’s interest is intensified as he continues
to read.

Example:
Millions of Americans Will lose sleep the night of July 20-21. Europeans will be late for work. In India
much activity will stop at midday. I Japan it will be late afternoon. Hawaiians will be in the prime time zone.
Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
The event that will stop the world almost cold is one of the great adventures of all time, the first
footsteps of man on the surface of the moon.

Literary, Historical or Mythological Allusion

Lead - This consists of a quotation or a reference to a literary, historical or mythological character.

Example:
This is the true story of a poor little rich girl who married her Prince Charming and did not live happily
ever after.

Quotes - They can get feature story going.

Example:
“I can hear! Doctor! I can hear!”

The No-Nonsense General Statement

Example:
Chronically ill children confined at the PGH are luckier than those confined elsewhere in the country.
Because PGH, has a school for them in Ward. These youngsters don’t have to miss classics while undergoing
treatment.

How to Hold Reader’s Interest

Devices used by fiction writers can also be applied in feature writing. Thus some writers say, “The
feature is non-fiction written with the liveliness of good fiction.”

Anecdotes - Brief reports of true incidents and happenings that are used to illustrate points. The
anecdote follows the pattern – situation complication and conclusion.
Narration - Presents the material in more or less chronological order, helps sustain the reader’s
interest. It makes him feel “Now, what next?”
Quotes - Makes a feature story more colorful, credible and give it more impact. Take care not to
quote a statement that is common and obvious it won’t create any ripples. Do not depend only on full quotes.
Learn how to handle partial quotes and how to weave them into your story.

Example: An article on twins shows how to do it.

Do twins mean double trouble? Double expenses? Double expenses, yes but double trouble, no.
Having a twin is double fun,” the twin chorused.

Historical Present - Makes the reader feel he is part of the action. This is particularly applicable in description
and narration.
Generalization - General statements should be supported by examples. If you stop at generalization, you
will lose your reader.
Use of statistics - The use statistics adds interest to your stories.

Example: A feature on the movie, “War and Peace,” the writer says:
Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
It was produced in a span of five years from 1963-1968. It was filmed entirely in the USSR
with a budget of roughly $100 million.

Characterization. December somebody you know very well.

Example: Think of an incident that will bring out this characteristic.

Exercises
Using Strong Verbs pp. 88-92.

The Feature Article

Articles that appear in the newspaper are usually roughly classified into news stories, editorials, and
features. The news story presents the news as it happens, with no opinion or other embellishments, the editorial
presents an opinionated interpretation of these happenings. The feature is the most varied in scope, treatment,
and purpose. It may supplement the news, it may entertain, it may explain. It may amuse, it may invoke
sympathy, or it may inform. Considered the “jewel” of feature materials is the feature article, often called
simply “feature.”

Characteristics of the Feature Article

Variety of subject matter. It may deal with the commonplace or the bizarre.
Variety of tone. It may be light or serious, according to its purpose. However, as a rule, the treatment of the
feature is more informal than that of the straight news.
Variety in form and style.
Usually more entertaining more often than it informs, instructs or advises.
Factual and requires reporting.
Well-organized. Applies all principles of creative writing to achieve unity, coherence, emphasis.
Rarely 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.
He makes liberal use of quotations and statement of facts.
Length of the story: A feature has no approved length, the reader’s interest determines the length of the story.
The instructional or informative feature is more inclined to be consistently long. Unlike the news story, the
feature should not be cut by the compositor. It is a composition with each part in a specific place for a purpose,
supposedly with no extra words that could be cut. Many short features, especially the short human-interest
story, are boxed.
May or may not be timely - the good feature story is usually dependent upon some current issue or happening
or upon somebody connected with the current news. However, some features ignore the current scene and still
catch the reader’s interest with some humanity interesting angle.
Literary - Although the feature often springs from something of current interest, it appeal seldom depends
upon the significance of that news, but rather upon the treatment given to the story by that reporter. Thus, it is
the perfect vehicle for the creative writer.

Kinds of Feature Articles

Because of its breadth of style and scope, the feature article almost defies classification. The following
are some of the more common types. It will be noted that they overlap.
Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
The feature story (or news feature) - takes its material from a subject of current interest. Unlike the news
story, it is less concerned with information that with the deeper meaning of the incident. The feature story is not
meant to supplant the news story, but to add variety and contrast and to play up the substance of the news.
The human interest story - has its origin minor happening that merits attention only because of some
dramatic, humorous, tragic, odd, or sensational angle caught by an alert imaginative reporter.
The interview article - may be further classified according to purpose and emphasis. (See kinds of interview,
Chapter 7.)
The interpretative feature - instructs, informs, makes clear to the reader the background and significance of
social, economic, political problems and other problems of everyday life.
The informative article may deal with scientific facts presented in non-technical language, or some interesting
or useful facts to other areas. In school paper this may deal with instructions, rules, procedures, office
personnel, policies.
The practical guidance article (“know-how-to-do-it” feature) is usually meant to inform. Occasionally, a
how-to-do-it article is written as a spoof and aims merely to entertain.
The seasonal or holiday feature - is presented from some new angle on an old theme or with some fresh
insight or information.
The entertainment article
The travelogue
The historical feature
The personal experience or accomplishment story - must deal with an unusual experience. Unusual hobbies
make good subjects for the school paper.
Personality sketch (Profile) brings out some distinctive trait or traits of a well-known personality.

Sources of Feature-article Ideas

News 6. Experience
Magazine articles 7. Special events like anniversaries
Books 8. Advertisements
File of ideas 9. Speeches
Scrapbooks 10. T.V., radio

Movies 16. Familiar places

Files of old materials 17. Fads
Museum 18. Interview
Casual conversation 19. Observation
Travel 20. Imagination

How to Keep the Reader’s Interest

Choose an interesting subject

Decide your purpose and keep it in mind as you write. Features may aim to

a. focus on an interesting subject g. warn the reader

b. share experience h. bolster the reader’s age
c. portray personality i. interpret
d. change reader’s mind j, predict
e. tell an exciting story k. point out a moral
f. bring smiles or tears

Use special devices to pinpoint highlights

Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
Be specific
Use specific vivid words
Get the reader involved. Use the “yon” approach
Use quotations

To move the story along

To establish a characteristics or mood
To make the person come to life
To bring the reader close

Use analogies
Use vivid, fresh figures of speech

Writing the Feature

Feature writing, like any expository or narrative writing makes use of 1) an introduction or a lead, 2) the
body, and 3) the conclusion.

The Lead. The feature, like the news story, should attract the attention of the readers in the first few
sentences. The lead for a feature article may be any one or a combination of two or more of the following types:

The news summary lead - is a condensed version of the whole story and embodies the “five Ws” – who, what,
where, when and why.
The distinctive incident lead – snaps a word picture of the story in its most characteristic moment at a point
when it has reached its summit of dramatic interest.

The quotation lead – an apt familiar quotation indicates to the reader what the article is about.

The short sentence lead – consists of a single striking assertion which may be either a summary of the whole
story or a statement of the most significant fact in it.

The question lead – is similar to the short sentence lead but it is phrased as an interrogation, instead of an
assertion, to challenge the knowledge and interest of the reader.

The contrast lead - is a statement of two obviously different facts with the purpose of emphasizing the fact that
will be the theme of the article.

The analogy lead – is similar to the contrast lead but it gains its effect by showing the similarity between some
well-known object of situation and the fact that will be the theme of the story.

The picture lead – a graphic description of the setting of the story told in the article serves as an introduction to
its action or the characters in it.

The Janus-faced lead – may look backward into the past or forward into the future for the purpose of
comparison with the situation in the present which is the theme of the story.

The body. Insofar as feature writing is similar to any other expository of narrative writing, the main body of the
feature article is developed in the same way as any other good writing. It should exemplify the 3 principles of 1)
unity 2) elimination extraneous material and closely relating all the material in the article to the central theme 3)
Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
bridging the transition from each paragraph to the next one easily and smoothly and avoiding abrupt changes of
thought.

The conclusion of the feature article also resembles the conclusion of other forms of expository and narrative
writing. 1) it may be a condensed summary of the whole article, reviewing briefly the salient facts brought out
in the article; 2) it may be the climax or highest point of interest in the article as in frequent in a short story; or
3) it may be a “cutback” or “flashback” to the introduction i.e., a restatement “lead” phrased in somewhat
different language but serving to emphasize the important statements made at the beginning and to “roundout”
the whole article.

Possible Assignments for Feature Articles

Queer mistakes made during the recent examinations. To avoid causing embarrassment, don’t use names.
Suggestions for trips during the semestral or Holy Week break. Give descriptions of amusements available,
length of trips, places to stay, estimates of the costs, equipment, etc.
Rehearsals for a play.
Student-faculty opinion the possibility of a bloody revolution, a successful coup or a civil war.
Statistics on costs of maintenance, including volume of material used, i.e., number of brooms, brushes, fuses,
etc.
Unusual experiences of the maintenance department.
“Choosing synonyms.” Try for each synonym to be a shade away from the original meaning.
Instructional feature on how to protect one’s things in the locker or in the class-room.
Evaluation on the new hall-system.
“South-paws;” amusing advantages and disadvantages.
Twins.
Complaints from the grade school department about trespassing by high school students.
Attendance records.
The cafeteria – daily cost; favorite dishes on campus.
Lost articles – with descriptions and comments
Scholarships available – method of applying, privilege.
Effect of food on disposition.
Unusual classroom procedure.
Unusual hobbies.
Ways of keeping track of students.

Steps in Writing a Feature Article

Pick your subject.
Limit your subject to a 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

Feature Writers Are The Descendants Of A Long Line Of A Story Tellers. – SPA DONNA T. SANTOS
The ability to write. (Because feature stories are less stereotyped in form and style than news stories, more skill
is required to write feature stories than news stories).
Professional writing know-how.
Devices and patterns.
Creativity.
Keen interest in life.
A realization that in nearly every news event there are possible feature stories.
A willingness to probe for feature stories beneath the surface of everyday events. He needs numerous fresh
ideas.
An intellectual curiosity – a willingness to investigate the story from every angle before starting to write.
Keen observation.

ESSENTIAL PARTS OF A FEATURE ARTICLE (CAPSULE)

LEAD
LEAD – SHORT, WITH AN ELEMENT OF SURPRISE, MAGICAL, MYSTERICAL, INTRIGUING
SCENE SETTER, ENTRANCE OF THE STORY (ANECDOTE), USE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGES
BODY
NUT GRAPH (EXPLAINS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TOPIC)
REPORTING
SIMILE/METAPHOR
QUOTES, QUOTES
PERSONAL REACTION (OPINION)
STAND (CALL TO ACTION)
ENDING
STORY CLOSER (ANECDOTE - WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT WILL HAPPEN?)
ENDING (ALWAYS HAVE THE CONNECTION)