What is Feature Writing?

Excerpts from a lecture by Dr. Lourdes D. Servito

Sarah Jessica Carillo

WHAT IS A FEATURE ARTICLE?

 A feature article is a soft news story that can be delivered in a number of ways.
 A feature article is more free flowing and less restrictive than a straight news article.
 Feature articles are not meant to deliver the news, but they contain elements of news. Their
main purpose is to add the human element to the news, to add color and feeling. They often
recap major news that already has been re-ported.

Why is it known as the jewel of the newspaper?

What happens to a newspaper without the features?

FEATURE spells:
F – factual not fictitious
E – Entertaining
A – appealing to the emotions
T – timely or not timely
U – unusual
R – reader-oriented
E – explanation, extrapolation – extending or projecting known info

The jewel or gem (precious stone) of the newspaper – something treasured for “time and
eternity”

Where can we find these “jewels”?

1. newspapers’ entertainment sections
2. magazine stories – Reader’s Digest, Time Magazine
3. agency publications – Mabuhay (PAL)

Functions of Features
Profile people who make news
Analyze what’s happening in the world, nation, or community
Suggest better ways to live
Teach an audience how to do something
Examine trends
Explain events that move or shape the news
Entertain

Kinds of features

1. news feature – based on a news event. This is some kind of a news event but the story
goes deeper than a news item as more background information and related
details are presented and expounded on.

2. travelogue – travels, places. This maybe a combination or personal experience and

descriptive features. (Note: some types of features may interlap.)

3. profile or personality sketch – leaders, achievers, celebrities, or the man on the street. This
article features a person, popular or not, rich or poor, but has done something
worth publishing or is currently engaged in an interesting or profitable
endeavor.
4. how to’s or how-to-do-it features/ Service feature – practical guidance articles. This deals
with instructive articles that help readers cope with everyday living.
5. informative features – ex. All about roses; All about fart. This is an article that is highly
informative but entertaining. Eufemia Estrada’s item on “Flatulence” which
educates reader on the causes of producing such an unwanted air that may
come out with a loud sound or which is soundless at times but definitely with a
foul odor, is indeed informative but entertaining.

6. human interest features/ “Brights” – dramatic, touchy. are short human interest stories that
touch the readers’ hearts or make them grin, smile, or laugh.

7. string of pearls/ Featurettes. – opinion poll, collection of featurettes on similar topics.

These are very short features that can be categorized into “string of pearls”,
“bright” and oddities. “String of pearls” is a collection of ideas, views and
opinions on one common subject written by different persons. You may, for
example, ask some few persons to write about
their happiest moment, ideal teachers or how they celebrate Christmas.

8. oddities/ or even “incredible – bizarre, unusual, odd, extraordinary. ” are also short human
interest features that deal with unusual things, animals, and events designed
to entertain the reader or make him wide-eyed for amazement, surprise, or
awe.

9. personal experience feature - This emanates not only from earthshaking experiences like
riding an airplane that was hijacked; being caught inside a movie house on
fire, or being one of the survivors of a volcano eruption or earthquake but also
even from ordinary experiences that happen

10. Trend stories – people, things, or organizations having an impact on society. Ex. Latest
fads

11. In-depth stories – based on extensive research & interviews

12. Backgrounders – add meaning to current issues by explaining them further

HOW TO WRITE THE FEATURE

Structure or parts:
1. Title – “come-on” head
2. Lead (feature lead) – 1st sentence or paragraph of the story
3. Body – development of the story
4. Conclusion or ending

 A good introduction usually creates a mood for the reader to continue reading a feature
article and therefore you should choose an appropriate introduction to start your feature
article with.

Kinds of Feature Leads

1. short sentence lead – Ex.: Islam throughout the world, including our Filipino Muslim
brothers observe the holy month of RFamadan starting Sept. 17. Ramadan is the…
2. striking statement – Ex.: “Hindi Kami Bato!”
3. one word or two words or staccato lead – series of one-word or two-word sentences
4. parody lead – taken from lines of a song, poem, movies or literary pieces. Ex.: “Trees,
trees, everywhere, but no fresh air to breathe.”
5. quotation lead – direct or indirect. Ex.: “I learn while I earn.” She smiled despite of the
negative issues thrown to her outside and inside her work in show business.
6. question lead – Ex.: Who says age is a hindrance to Education?
7. descriptive lead- Ex.: Mrs. Alicia Banal, a third year evening student sends herself and her
13 children to school, acting as a mother and a father at the same time.
8. contrast lead
Feature Devices:
1. Figures of Speech – simile, metaphor, hyperbole, etc.
2. Adjectives & Adverbs
3. Descriptive words and phrases – “hyphenated” words – ex: a you-will-look-again beauty
4. Beautiful language and style – interest arousing

START WRITING A FEATURE8 ARTICLES

 Feature articles are usually not written in the traditional inverted pyramid form with a hard
lead. As mentioned previously, people usually have a little more time on their hands when
they read feature stories. That gives the writer the opportunity to bring the readers into the
story, to get them involved.

Sources of Feature Article Ideas (Seeds of Writing)

1. Topic File – collection of topics
2. File of Ideas – compilation, album
3. Interviews
4. Observation – have the nose for news and nose for features
5. Personal Experience
6. Printed Materials – books, newspapers, magazines (Reading good models… reading a lot!)
7. Rich media or multi-media

Suggested Activities for Feature Writing

1. Visit a botanical garden. Write a feature story about the trip, or about the garden or some
interesting plants.

2. Invite a resource person in the class. Interview the resource person and ask for a CV or
some basic info & interesting aspects of his life. Write a profile.

3. Think of an unusual person, place or thing or idea encountered – something that is bizarre
or extraordinary. Write an oddity.

4. Think about an interesting hobby or collection then feature its beauty, significance or value.

5. Recall an unforgettable trip, travel or experience. Feature it in such a way as to entertain

your readers.

6. Conduct extensive research and interviews to write an in-depth story about a significant
issue or concern. Ex. Global warning & Climate Change, Its Impact to Modern Society.

7. Compile ideas on a happy or funny topic then write a feature that is entertaining and make
laughter the best medicine. Ex. Flatulence, what babies do, kinds of nose.

8. Compile, clip & paste samples of feature stories that struck you. Write your own version or
parallel stories.

9. Read magazine stories, novels, feature books. Enrich your vocabulary by reading &
compiling interesting words & phrases. Write down your feature story using some of your
compiled/ new vocabulary.

10. Participate in a simple seminar like baking or making ice cream or malunggay delight then
write a how-to-story or practical guidance feature.

Writing A Good Title for a Feature Story

In writing a good title for a feature story, you should take time to plan, think, and
strategize. The title is oftentimes the most overlooked part of a feature story, when in fact it is at
times as important as the lead or introduction. It is actually the very first material your readers
will encounter, because the title is written above the lead. In print media, titles or headlines are
the initial magnet that draws people into reading, so writing a good title for a feature story is also
as critical as writing a good and effective lead.

Here are some tips in writing a good title for a feature story:

1. Make sure your title is still connected with the topic or the thoughts, ideas, and facts
presented in your feature story. Do not put “just any title.” Some writers have this
tendency to rush the writing of their title since it less important. Sometimes they write it
during the last minute, just before handing in their feature story to their editors,
teachers, professors, or feature writing contest judges, and therefore having only a little
time in conceiving and conceptualizing a good and effective one.
2. The title for a feature story could be likened to the lead, so make it strong and
interesting enough that it will draw your readers’ attention.
3. Playfully connect your title with the topic of your feature story. One of my favorite
entrepreneurial books is Joey Conception’s “GoNegosyo, Celebrity Edition.” It is a
compilation of feature stories on celebrities own businesses. Aside from I love how the
stories are presented; the titles are likewise skillfully written. A feature story about a
business owned by famous celebrity make-up artist Fanny Cerrano was titled “A
Fanny Story.”
4. Present your title with a tinge (touch) of ambiguity. In the same entrepreneurial book, a
feature story on a lingerie business owned by sexy star Joyce Jimenez is entitled “Not-
so private Joyce.” Her business name is “Private Joyce.” You see, her business name
itself is ambiguous. It could suggest something about her being a sexy actress and it
also conveys something about the nature of her business — a shop for lingerie,
underwear and the like. The title of the feature story about her business could also
mean a lot of things — her work in show business, her personality as a sexy celebrity,
her business and how it’s not supposed to be “private” (or kept in secrecy) since it is
something to be promoted to the public.
5. Use your wits in thinking of a good title that matches your feature story’s topic. In the
same book by Joey Conception, a feature story on a restaurant business owned by
actor Dingdong Dantes is entitled “Success on a Plate.” You could just sense at once
the wit that comes with the writing of the title. The word “success” refers to
the flourishing business, and the word “plate” refers to the nature of the business,
which is food business. Very witty, indeed!

 Writing a good title for a feature story includes wits, skills, time, organization, planning,
and an ample amount of thinking and pondering.

gracemonton
jabonganhs
9/23/2015