FEATURE WRITING

By: Maria Dinah D. Abalos

What is a Feature story?

 Feature stories deal with aspects beyond the bare facts of the news.
 A feature story informs but the dominant purpose is to entertain.
 A feature story may have anything under the sun for its subject.
 It is the most varied in scope, purpose and style in all the articles in the newspaper or
magazine.
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

Characteristics of a good Feature Story:

1. Creativity- allows writers to write about anything from the most ordinary or common things
to the most unimaginable subjects. Creative presentation and use of language matter a lot.
2. Human Interest- feature stories may be written as first person accounts. This allows the writer
to put in his own thoughts and emotions.
3. Factual Content- a feature story informs the readers of the situation, event or aspect of life
which might not have been covered by hard news.
4. Entertainment 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. It gives color, life or mood to the event or subject.
5. Timelessness or Imperishability- feature stories can be had for weeks or months without
losing their usefulness unlike news stories which get stale as soon as they are told.
6. Entirety- most feature stories in newspapers are relatively shorter compared to magazine
features. Feature stories are read in their entirety so the writer can place the highest point at
the end unlike news which carries the most significant information right in the lead.
7. Variety of Tone and Style- feature stories rarely begin with the summary lead. The writer can
use novelty leads and employ any treatment suitable to his material.
8. Organization- features apply the principles of creative writing to achieve unity, coherence and
emphasis.

Structure of the Feature Story

Like any piece of writing, the feature story has an introduction or lead, body and conclusion.

The LEAD - The introduction or lead should be able to attract outright the attention of readers.
 It should be catchy
 It immediately draws interest of the readers to read

Here are some kinds of leads:

1. Question Lead- asking the readers a question, the answer to which is 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 sentence by its very nature compels attention.
a. Sink or swim! b. A millionaire at ten. Fantastic!
 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.
a. Umbrellas. Jackets. Raincoats. Sweaters. Rubber slippers. . . . . These are among the things
people of Navotas cannot do without when the months of June and July come around.
b. Non-stop beating of drums. 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 Sr. Sto Nino!”

5. Striking Statement- a short snappy statement set off in a paragraph by itself.

a. The boat people are 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.
Example:
They were 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 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 and his brother’s studies by cleaning the animal cages in
Manila Zoo.

THE BODY

 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 are shorter than those of literary short stories or novels but longer than paragraphs in
a news story.
 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.
 Discussions are comprehensive- always have the arrow pointing to the subject
 Must facilitate rich vocabulary
 Must have the 4 E’s – Explain, Evidence, Example and Extra Detail

THE CONCLUSION - Make sure your conclusion has impact.

 You may give a condensed summary or state the salient points in the story.
 It could be an inspiring message, advice, a call for action or simply food for thought.
 You can give the highest point of interest or the most important fact in the feature.

How to write the Feature Story

 Choose an interesting subject.

 Narrow down your subject to just one specific area or sub-topic. Think of a fresh angle to the
topic.
 Give it a tentative title.
  Prepare your outline.
 Highlight the important things you wish to feature.
 Focus on the main or most important feature with specific details. Use data gathered
from interviews, surveys, researches or personal experiences.
 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 feature and hold the
interest of the readers.
 Read what you have written paying attention to what should be added or omitted.
 Rewrite your piece.
 Give it a catchy head or title.
 Make the final copy.

Kinds of Feature Stories

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. News Feature-It gets its materials from current events. It covers details that may have been
omitted by the news.

4. 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.

5. Personality Sketch- it is natural for 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.

6. 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 it the “+As Told to” story.

7. Humorous Feature- one of the functions of a 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.

8. Interpretative Feature- it instructs informs and clarifies to the reader the background and
significance of social, economic, political and other pro0blems of everyday life.

9. 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, Father’s Day, Earth
Day, etc.
10. Travelogue- An account of one’s travel experiences and a vivid description of the place visited.