• News Feature (Issue-based) -usually
based on a recent event that is of interest to
Campus Journalism
Chapter 7
-A feature is a longer piece of writing than a
news story. Features come in many
different types and are widely used in
magazines, newspapers and online.
-A feature will often cover an issue in
greater depth than a news story would do;
or it might look at an ongoing story from a
different angle.
-A feature story aims to educate and
entertain the readers.
Qualities of a Good Feature Writer
• Inquisitive
• Eager to learn
• Sympathetic towards other people’s
feelings
• Capable of seeing beneath the surface of
ordinary events
News Story vs Feature
-Key function is to humanize, to add color,
to educate, to entertain, to illuminate As
opposed to news stories, features are
generally believed to be more creative in
orientation.
- If news stories typically follow the “5W’s
and 1H format”, feature stories
are allowed—sometimes, even encouraged
—to deviate from this formula.
Different Types of Feature Stories
Informative Feature -usually based on
interview or taken from research materials
Possible topics: drug menace, starvation in
Negros, street children of Metro Manila,
unemployment problem, current issues
• Human Interest Feature -deals with minor
incidents that may deserve attention
because of dramatic, humorous, tragic,
sensational or odd angles of the story. -
basically appeals to the emotion -based on
people, their (life) stories; not necessarily
famour personalities
the public
• How-to-Feature -gives information on the
process of doing things and how certain
products are made. Example: The art of
making whiskey
• Trend stories - Document a trend in
society i.e food/restaurants, jobs, music,
fashion
• Personality Sketch - -profiles a person
-reveals the character of the subject by
recounting the way he talks or acts or what
others think of him. Popular choices for
personality sketches: Celebrities like actors,
actresses, singers, models, beauty titlists
• Personal experience -it is an unusual
experience, usually written in the first
person.
• Humorous Feature - If one of the more
important functions of a feature story is to
entertain , then nothing entertains more
than a story with wit and humor.
• Interpretative Feature -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 -includes
subjects such as events celebrated at least
once a year or during the season like New
Year, .
• Travelogue -An account of one’s travel
experiences and a vivid description of the
place visited. - new places of interest
Steps in Feature Writing
• brainstorming
• finding the angle
• creating an outline
• researching
• going through the facts to produce an
enticing story
• creating a punch line to leave an
impression
Tips on writing the feature story
• Creating the title/headline
o hook the reader
o highlight the main idea of the story