JOURN 10 REVIEWER FOR 2ND GRADING

EDITORIAL AND FEATURE WRITING

EDITORIAL: is usually written by the editor or one of the writers on his or her behalf and it
represents the views of the newspaper. You’ll find other people’s opinions on the same subjects
or others. They are known as COLUMNS.
EDITORIAL STORIES HAVE:
-Introduction, body, solution & conclusion like other news stories
-An objective explanation of the issue, especially complex issues
-A timely news angle
-Opinions from the opposing viewpoint that refute directly the same issues the writer addresses
-Good editorials engage issues, not personalities, and refrain from name calling/other petty
tactics of persuasion
-Alternative solutions to the problem or issue being criticized. Anyone can gripe about a
problem, but a good editorial should take a proactive approach to making the situation better by
using constructive criticisms and giving solutions.
-A solid and concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes the writer’s opinion.
TYPES OF EDITORIAL:
EDITORIALS OF ARGUMENT: take a firm stand on the problem or condition, presents both
sides of an issue.
EDITORIALS OF PERSUASION: they attempt to persuade the reader to think the same way
EDITORIAL OF INFO&INTERPRETATION: attempt to explain the meaning or significance of a
situation or news event.
EDITORIALS OF TRIBUTE, APPRECIATION, COMMENDATION: praise a person or activity
EDITORIALS OF ENTERTAINMENT: have 2 categories (humorous treatment and slightly
satirical treatment)
EDITORIALS OF CRITICISM: critic w/ solid evidence
EDITORIALS OF ANALOGY: comparison (lighter than argumentation)
EDITORIALS OF SPECIAL HOLIDAY AND OCCASION:
EDITORIALS OF MOOD: about nature
STRUCTURE OF AN EDITORIAL:
Editorials are written according to a well-established formula
-Introduction: state the problem
-Body: expresses an opinion
-Solution: offers a solution to the problem
EFFECTIVE FORMULA FOR EDITORIAL WRITING:
State the problem
Position/Stand on the problem
Evidence to support the position
Conclusions: Who’s affected and how
Solutions to the problem
TIPS ON STRUCTURING YOUR EDITORIAL:
-Lead w/ an Objective Explanation of the issue/ controversy: Include the 5Ws and the H.
Pull in facts and quotations from sources w/c are relevant
-Present your opposition first: as the writer you disagree w/ these viewpoints. Identify the
people (especially the ones who oppose you). Use facts and quotations to state objectively their
opinions. Give a strong position in the opposition
-Directly refute the opposition’s beliefs: You can begin your article w/ transition. Pull in other
facts and quotations from people who support your position. Concede a valid point of the
opposition which will make you appear rational, one who has considered all the options.
-Give other, original reasons/analogies: in defense of your position, give reasons from strong
to strongest order.
-Conclude w/ some punch: Give solutions to the problem or challenge the reader to be
informed
HOW TO WRITE AN OPINION PIECE:
-Think of an opinion piece as a persuasive essay
-Pretend you are lawyer and you are making the case before a jury.
-You can do the same when you write a column or editorial
-The 1st thing you have to do is to start collecting facts.
-You must also consider the other side of the argument.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EDITORIAL
-Interesting, brief and forceful
-Clear and have more purpose, sound reasoning and power to influence public opinion.
-Factual and provides pertinent info
PLANNING THE EDITORIAL:
1. Start w/ 1 specific idea as your topic for the editorial
2. Establish a purpose well in mind
3. Gather sufficient data
4. Run through your topic and develop fully.
5. Have a definite stand on controversial issues
6. Use logical reasoning to use this to end your editorial
BEGINNING THE EDITORIAL:
You can use the following:
-A striking statement about the topic
-A quotation
-A narration
-An order
-A question
-A mixture of facts and opinion
-A news peg
THE BODY:
Include in this part:
-the editorial’s basic facts
-the causes & effects behind
-incidents and situations
-illustrations
-arguments
POINTERS IN WRITING THE EDITORIAL:
-Your lead paragraph should set the correct mood for your editorial
-Write simply, directly and vigorously
-Know your facts and be sure to stress a point
-Be impersonal
-Keep it brief
-Delimit the topic to 1 specific idea
-Maintain & sustain your objectives in writing the editorial.
-Use the positive approach in writing the editorial. State the problem or need. You can suggest
solution & give motivation for action
-Give it quality & freshness. Current topics have the tendency to become monotonous & so a
fresh treatment in your editorial can make people have the interest to read it.
-Use catchy titles
-End the editorial appropriately
FEATURE WRITING

FEATURE STORY: an in-depth look at what’s going on behind the news.

-it gets into the lives of the people
-it tries to explain why and how a trend developed
-Unlike news, a feature doesn’t have to tie to a current event or a breaking story. But it can grow
out of something that’s reported in the news.
-is usually longer than a news story
GUIDELINES IN FEATURE WRITING:
-start with a premise/theme
-present info & opinion that back your point
-bring the reader to a conclusion
The feature often explores different points of views, even when the story is about 1 particular
person
The NEWS STORY tells the audience what happened. The FEATURE will tell them why and
how it happened, how the people are reacting, and what impact the decision is having on other
people.
PERSONALITY PROFILE: indulge your curiosity—and that of your readers—with a profile of an
interesting person. You can look at someone who’s making news in your community, province
or country. Or it could be someone who’s relatively unknown to the public but who has done
something unusual or remarkable.
-Take a look at people from any other field
-You can choose a subject and find out the basic facts of the person’s life and work. What have
they learned so far? Are there any surprises? Is there an area of this person’s life/work that the
student would now like to focus on?
-Write your profile by telling your readers the facts of this person’s life—while adding the color
and details that make them unique.
-Talk to the person themselves whenever possible and use their own words to help tell their
story
TRACKING A TREND
-Many of the best stories come from reporters’ observation of the world around them
-What you have now is the basis for a really interesting feature. You have taken a little piece of
info and investigated further to find out what’s going on. The story will focus on the issue and
the thoughts and feelings of the people involved.
FEATURE WRITING TIPS:
-The basic guidelines for good writing apply to all types of writing. However, if you expect to hold
your readers’ attention for 1,000 words or more, your writing must be lively, specific and clear.
-As a student writer, you have to start with a lead that captures your writer’s attention
-Move your story along w/ descriptions of what happened, quotes from people involved in the
issue, and details that place the reader in the midst of the action. Make sure your ending is
meaningful. Your closing words should make an impact on your readers and tie the various
strands of your story together
-A powerful quote can often make for a good ending. Or you may want to come full circle and
refer back to a word/ an image used in your opening sentences
A good feature writer has SHORTS:
Stores a journal
Has a nose for good stories
Observes accuracy
Reads a lot
Takes charge
Simple in writing
STEPS IN WRITING AND ORGANIZING THE FEATURE ARTICLE:
-Narrow down the topic
-Start with a lead that hooks the readers: (quote, chronology of events, shocking moment,
rhetorical question, surprising fact, irony)
-Body: (background & other vital info, a thread should be present, transition words, dialogue,
voice)
-Test your limits, push your use of language and your ability to set a scene: You are the
storyteller now and there’s no 1 right way to write and there’s no single best way for to tell your
story
-Try to make your reader feel like they are there (Your writing can trigger all 5 senses, you can
think of a feature story as a series of mental images, presented one after the other. Well
described scenes results to a beautiful montage.
TIPS FOR WRITING FEATURE ARTICLES:
-What differentiates a feature article from any regular informative or news article is the novelty of
style, delivery and wordplay that the author uses to create a light, informative reading. Feature
articles give writers more breathing space to express one’s writing style and to tackle the topic
in question in a more creative and less straightforward manner.
-Originality is vital to a successful feature article which is something a writer builds through
time and experience, but for starters, there are only a few fundamental steps to keep in mind.
1. Keep a brainstorming notebook handy
2. Do your research
3. Start with something light, like an anecdote or a descriptive passage
4. KISS (keep it short and simple)
5. Hold it w/ the highfalutin language
6. Reread your article
REMEMBER THIS: It takes a lot of PATIENCE and EXPERIENCE to overcome hurdles and
produce good quality output, but at the end of the day, you’d find that writing can be and
EXTREMELY NOBLE and REWARDING task