Beginning feature writers often wonder how much of each ingredient to include. Vividly described in colorful prose, it usually allows the reader to place himself in the eyes of the reporter or writer. The basics of feature writing journalism lecture brett atwood. Mar 27, 20 tips for writing a features article dont worry if you have never written an article before, read some top tips for people who are brand new to feature writing wed 27 mar 20 09. A feature can trail off like a news story or it can be concluded with a climax. Wherever possible, please buy and read all the texts referenced within. It uses quotes liberally and allows the reader to see the story through detailed description and vivid writing. Tips on writing a good feature article yourdictionary. With your download, get the 36 best papers relevant to this one, including 20 top related papers. Guide to writing feature films 1 a guide to feature film writing a screenwriters workbook by j. A feature article is a creative article that deals with real events, issues, and trends.
And, there are so many everyday applications for feature stories. If youre even luckier the work placement might lead to a staff job. The purpose of feature writing writing for strategic. But features are meant to be longer and to tackle their topics in greater depth and detail. Features are articles written in greater depth and with more incidental detail than straightforward news stories. Introduction our trainer was extremely good and very welcoming. A feature story aims to educate and entertain the readers. The art and craft of feature writing, william blundell, plume, 1988 note. First, write a straight news lead for each of the following stories. And, there are so many everyday applications for feature stories, that nonprofit professionals who have marketing and public relations responsibilities should consider the value of honing their feature writing skills.
True, very few newspapers would put a feature on the front page where a lead story ought to be although it has been known, but many writers would say that a lot. Windows is a vast operating system with plenty of features you might never stumble upon. A feature story is any piece of writing that falls between the cutanddried news story on the one hand, and the w holly fictionalized story or opinionated essay 011 the other. Pdf on jan 1, 2006, olusola oyero and others published writing feature articles find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. People look at you differently when you say you are an author. Often, a feature ends where the lead started, with a single person or event. It can be personal, colorful, and opinionated, but without deviating from the facts. Writing as craft and magic second edition, carl sessions stepp, 2007, oxford university press. You can comment here or you can comment via fb for.
However, unlike straight news articles, it places emphasis on the people involved rather than on the facts of the news. Improving english writing skills bloomsbury international. Features can come in a variety of formats including howto, profiles, interviews, behind the scenes, and color pieces that shed light on a topic. The key to writing a good feature article is to select the proper venue for your article and then to write the article directed at that audience. English writing english writing is thought to be an essential skill for success in the modern global economy. Whatever the reason is that you need to improve your english writing skills, you will need to work hard. Feature stories, on the other hand, are soft news because they are not as timely, not as swiftly reported. What follows is a proven process for researching, writing, and submitting professional feature articles the meet editors needs and enhance your reputation as a writer.
Feature writing 101 will be held on saturday, october 17, 2015 from 1 pm 6 pm at uview, fully booked, bonifacio global city. Eliot spitzer and his meetings with a prostitute in a posh washington hotel. Making a comebackstudents or faculty who have overcome incredible odds. Feb 21, 2015 the basics of feature writing journalism lecture brett atwood. Feature writing you must combine the rigors of factual reporting with the. So how much detail, description, and background information is too muchor too little. Develop a central point for each story and a list of sources.
Jan 22, 2010 the art and craft of feature writing, william blundell, plume, 1988 note. This twoday news and feature writing course covers the fundamental introduction to applying your writing to a range of styles, covering the essentials of article structure, style and. Feature writers have the extra time to complete background. Use drama, emotion, quotes, questions, descriptions your body of this article must keep any promises or answer any. It is the product ol tactual reporting and reporting to which are added story elements of imaginative writing and interpretation. Tips for writing feature stories you dont have to be an accredited member of the news media to write a great feature story. Feature writing think of the feature story as a news story written like a piece of short fiction 6. Feature writing you must combine the rigors of factual reporting with the creative freedom of shortstory writing 7. Jul 31, 2019 a feature lede can set a scene, describe a place or tell a story. Feature writing is the primary form of writing that concordias student newspaper produces.
Writing feature articles covenant university repository. Please refer to this powerpoint presentation for better understanding on the subject matter. Conclusion while the lead draws the reader in, the conclusion should be written to help the reader remember the story will wrap up the story and come back to the lead, often with a quotation or a surprising climax unlike hard news stories, features need endings. He is precise and straight to the point and is guided by the abc of journalism that is accuracy, balance and clarity. Tips for writing a features article dont worry if you have never written an article before, read some top tips for people who are brand new to feature writing wed 27 mar 20 09. Difference between hard news and features in magazines. Heres a lede from a new york times story about former new york gov. Sometimes, a great feature story will land in your. While these are not the only tips on writing a good. You can comment here or you can comment via fb for you questions. This article will guide you through the approach used by newspapers and. Feature writer definition and meaning collins english. Write a feature story about the trip, or about the garden or some interesting plants.
News story hard news stories move briskly through the five ws and the h, packing in just enough detail to give readers a clear picture of. How to write, publish, sell and promote your own book. Jul 23, 2017 a feature story aims to educate and entertain the readers. News and feature writing training course pa training. A unit that explores the writing of the feature story indepth and looks at the different types of feature stories profiles, backgrounders, etc. In features, the immediacy of the event is secondary. Magazines, newspapers, and online sites must provide their readers with content in the form of wellresearched, wellwritten feature articles. Students write a draft and a final paper as part of the unit. Jul 05, 20 a feature story is any piece of writing that falls between the cutanddried news story on the one hand, and the w holly fictionalized story or opinionated essay 011 the other hand. However, unlike straight news articles, it places emphasis on the people involved rather than on the facts. This journalism lecture focuses on the basics of feature writing. It may be longer and indepth compared to a straightforward news story. Tips the introduction is an essential part lure your readers, hook them in. Here are 15 ideas for feature stories that you can write on your campus.
The secret to writing stronger feature articles writers digest. Tips for writing a features article dont worry if you have never written an article before, read some top tips for people who are brand new to feature writing wed 27 mar 20. This is a project for our online journalism subject, and is not intended in any commercial purposes. Pdf on jan 1, 2006, olusola oyero and others published writing feature articles find, read and cite all the research you need on. The basics of feature writing journalism lecture youtube. Feature writing can stand alone, or it can be a sidebar to the main story, the mainbar. Unusual jobs or students who meet famous people as a result of their parttime job 4. Teaching students feature article writing and informational.
How to teach students to use all five senses to gather detail for a feature story. A sidebar runs next to the main story or elsewhere in the same edition, providing an audience with. Pdf feature writing in journalism caven masuku academia. A personality feature, also known as a profile, is an indepth look at a persons lifestyle, characteristics, emotions, hobbies, appearance or just what makes the person tick. Scott atkinson is a features writer for the flint journal and teaches writing at the university of michiganflint. Then interview students affected by the issues as well as authoritative sources. Guidelines in writing a feature article i help to study. A guide to feature film writing a screenwriters workbook by j. A sidebar runs next to the main story or elsewhere in the same edition, providing an audience with additional information on the same topic. Make the most of windows 10 with these expert tips. Having good writing skills in english is not something which is easy to achieve. Whatever approach is used, the lede must grab the readers attention and pull them into the story. Feature writing caven masuku, gweru, zimbabwe introduction a good feature writer is neither wordy nor flowery.
These types of articles are different from typical news stories in that they often are written in a different style and give much more details and description rather than only stating objective facts. Feature stories combine facts and opinion, with a focus on the human interest side of the story. If your objective is freelance feature writing, a staff job for a while will enable you to build a network of contacts. A personality profile is written to bring an audience closer to a person in. Tips for writing a features article global development. Feature writing is similar to any other expository or narrative writing as the main body of the feature is developed in the same way as that of any good piece of writing. Writing a feature article involves using creativity and research to give a detailed and interesting take on a subject. While somewhat dated, this book explicitly frames a strategy for approaching the kinds of researchbased, public. Feature articles are detailed pieces of writing which explore a range of issues, opinions, experiences and ideas. News story hard news stories move briskly through the five ws and the h, packing in just enough detail to give readers a clear picture of the news. But one of the hot tips for writing a feature article is to get rid of that old paragraph style and go for fastpaced, edgy writing with an exciting lead that means your reader cant do anything but keep on reading.
Jul 30, 2019 beginning feature writers often wonder how much of each ingredient to include. While somewhat dated, this book explicitly frames a strategy for approaching the kinds of researchbased, public affairs features this course encourages. Readers often scan through pages before settling on something they want to read in full. Interview at least five faulty members who have written textbooks. The students will learn the steps of writing an effective feature story including interviewing, taking. Feature writing techniques and style study lecture notes. Registration is now open and there are only limited slots available. The complete guide to article writing, a nononsense guide to the world of writing articles for online markets, magazines, newspapers, and more. Feature writing download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Oct 01, 20 feature writing think of the feature story as a news story written like a piece of short fiction 6. Click download or read online button to get feature writing book now. Looking for some tips on writing a good feature for magazines. It doesnt matter whether youre a fulltime reporter, a parttime blogger, or a freelancer, all writers need a steady source of feature story ideas. While they can report news, the news content is not of primary.
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