How to Write a Feature Article

While news articles give the facts, feature articles dig deeper, exploring the why and the how of an
incident. Of the two types of articles, a feature article is often considered the more creative of the two.
Writing feature articles often looks at issues and trends while appealing to the human interest of a story.
Because features appear in newspapers and magazines, they present more opportunities to freelance
writers who know how to write a feature article.
Edit Steps
1.
Find your story.
o Look for not only at what interests you, ut what people are talking aout.
o !ay attention to the news. "ometimes feature articles come from looking at a news article
and asking why that incident occurred.
o #s there something happening in your community that might e of interest to the country
or the world$
%.
Learn more about your story. !roper research will provide the meat for your story.
o &ather information from interview sources and previously pulished material.
'.
Decide on what type of feature you want to write. (here are many kinds, from the personality profile to
the how)to feature.
o *ou might want to find out what people are thinking aout what+s in the news for a news
feature or put a human touch on an historical event.
o (he primary o,ective of an informational feature is educating the reader.
o (he most common type of feature writing is the human interest story that tugs on
heartstrings y recounting how someone overcomes insurmountale odds.
-.
Organize your feature article by thining of it as a three!act play.
o (he first act is the introduction, in which the freelance writer introduces the su,ect while
capturing the reader+s interest.
o (he second act of feature writing is the ody, which provides the information in an
interesting, logical manner. (his is where you+ll often see .uotes.
o (he last act of your feature is the conclusion, in which you pull everything together.
/.
"hin about the best style for a feature article. Often this is determined y the su,ect and the type of
feature.
o 0onsider whether the feature comes across as chatty or literary, humorous or serious.
1atch the style to the tone of the su,ect.
o Look for variety in sentence and paragraph structure. 2o one wants to read long
paragraphs exclusively and short sentences give feature writing a staccato effect.
3.
Add details to eep a feature article interesting. 4reelance writers use anecdotes, descriptive writing,
figures of speech, facts, comparison vs. contract, and even shifts in time 5flashack and foreshadowing6 to
keep a reader reading.
7.
#reate titles that not only add interest to a piece$ but communicate what a story is about.
o 4eature writing often includes suheadings. (hree is an average numer of sections with
suheadings. 8se too many and you+ll lose the interest of reader and editor, alike.
How "o Write a Feature Story

!opular content of print, electronic and #nternet media
What Are Feature Stories%
4eature stories are human)interest articles that focus on particular people, places and events.

4eature stories are ,ournalistic, researched, descriptive, colorful, thoughtful, reflective, thorough
writing aout original ideas.

4eature stories cover topics in depth, going further than mere hard news coverage y amplifying
and explaining the most interesting and important elements of a situation or occurrence.

4eature stories are popular content elements of newspapers, magazines, logs, wesites,
newsletters, television roadcasts and other mass media.
While ,ournalists reporting late)reaking hard news don+t have enough preparation time and copy length
to include much ackground and description, writers of features have the space and time to evoke
imagery in their stories and fill in details of the circumstances and atmosphere.
9 feature story is not meant to report the latest reaking news, ut rather an in)depth look at a
su,ect.

4eature articles range from the news feature that provides sidear ackground to a current event
hard news story, to a relatively timeless story that has natural human interest.

4eatures generally are longer than hard)news articles ecause the feature penetrates deeper into
its su,ect, expanding on the details rather than trying to concentrate on a few important key
points.

#n hard news stories, often referred to as inverted pyramid style, the reporter makes the point, sets
the tone, and frames the issue in the first paragraph or two.

#n a feature story, on the other hand, the writer has the time and space to develop the theme, ut
sometimes postpones the main point until the end. (he whole story does not have to e
encapsulated in the lead.
"ypical types
(here are many kinds of feature stories. :ere are some popular types;
Human Interest: (he est)known kind of feature story is the human)interest story that discusses
issues through the experiences of another.

Profiles: 9 very common type of feature is the profile that reveals an individual+s character and
lifestyle. (he profile exposes different facets of the su,ect so readers will feel they know the
person.

How-To: (hese articles help people learn y telling them how to do something. (he writer learns
aout the topic through education, experience, research or interviews with experts.

Historical Features: (hese features commemorate important dates in history or turning points in
our social, political and cultural development. (hey offer a useful ,uxtaposition of then and now.
:istorical features take the reader ack to revisit an event and issues surrounding it. 9 variation is
the this date in history short feature, which reminds people of significant events on a particular
date.

Seasonal Themes: "tories aout holidays and the change of seasons address matters at specific
times of a year. 4or instance, they cover life milestones, social, political and cultural cycles, and
usiness cycles.

Behind the Scenes: #nside views of unusual occupations, issues, and events give readers a feeling
of penetrating the inner circle or eing a mouse in a corner. <eaders like feeling privy to unusual
details and well kept secrets aout procedures or activities they might not ordinarily e exposed
to or allowed to participate in.
&on!fiction stories
4eature stories are ,ournalistic reports. (hey are not opinion essays or editorials. (hey should not e
confused with creative writing or works of fiction.
(he writer+s opinions and attitudes are not important to the story.

(he writer keeps herself or himself out of the story.

Writing in the third person helps maintain the necessary distance.
"elling stories
Hard news stories report very timely events that have ,ust occurred. 4eature stories, on the other hand,
are soft news ecause they are not as timely, not as swiftly reported. 4eature writers have the extra time to
complete ackground research, interviews and oservation for their stories.
:ere are some suggestions for polishing feature writing skills and developing an eye for feature story
ideas.
4eature stories give readers information in a pleasing, entertaining format that highlights an issue
y descriing the people, places, events and ideas that shape it.

4eature stories are really more like nonfiction short stories than hard news stories.

While there should a news peg for the existence of a story at a particular time, the immediacy of
the event is secondary in a feature story. #n fact, sometimes there is no immediate event.

(he power of a feature story lies in its aility to amplify the focus on an issue through first)rate
story telling, irony, humor, human appeal, atmosphere and colorful details.

4eatures have a clear eginning, middle and end and are longer than hard)news stories.
'athering data
=ournalists use three tools to gather information for stories; oservation, interview and ackground
research.
9fter completing these, the writer rings the story to life through colorful description, meaningful
anecdotes and significant .uotes.
(hese elements are otained when interviewing and oserving y ,otting down everything
encountered > smells, noises, colors, textures, emotions, details seen and heard in the
surroundings.

(he ,ournalist keeps an open mind while interviewing su,ects and researching sources.

(he writer avoids steering the story or imposing personal ideas on the sources.

(he writer avoids deciding on the theme of the story until sufficient information has een
gathered to show a direction or point of view.
Story format
(he information in a feature is organized differently from hard news stories. "ometimes a writer uses
several paragraphs of copy at the outset to engage the reader efore getting on with the main elements of
the story.
9fter the title and opening paragraph gra a reader, narrative hooks are used to persuade the reader to
continue reading. (hese hooks are attractive story elements such as action, mystery, drama or appealing
characters intended to pull the reader forward through the story. (hey are complex narratives that come to
life through colorful description, meaningful anecdotes and significant .uotes.
#n hard news stories, the reporter makes the point, sets the tone, and frames the issue in the first
paragraph or two.

#n feature stories, the whole story does not have to e encapsulated in an inverted pyramid lead.
(he writer can develop the storyline in a variety of ways and choose to postpone the main point
until later in the copy or even the end.
9 writer can choose to tell the story out of order to engage the reader+s interest.
9 story could egin with a dramatic moment and, once the reader is curious, the story could flash
ack to the history needed to understand it.

9 story)within)a)story could e used with a narrator in the outer story telling the inner story to
satisfy the curiosity of readers.

9 storyline could alert readers that the story egan in a way that seemed ordinary, ut they must
follow it to understand what happened eventually.
9s with any news reporting, feature stories are su,ect to the ,ournalistic standards of accuracy, fairness
and precision. (he .uality of a story is ,udged on its content, organization and mechanics.
4eatures writers use The Associated Press Styleoo! for correct ,ournalistic style.
How long are these articles%
2ewspaper features often are /?? to %/?? words in length.

1agazine features usually are /?? to /,??? words.

4eatures on wesites and logs generally range from %/?>%/?? words, ut hard drive space is
relatively inexpensive so the length could vary dramatically through the use of non)linear
hyperlinking of content.

9ny medium might use a shorter or longer story than usual, depending on its perceived value.

9ttention spans seem to grow ever shorter so revity is valued. 1ore than ever, all writing today
needs to e clear and concise.
(llustrations
@very story is illustrated, usually with one or more photographs, ut the art can e drawings, paintings,
sketches, video or machinima, colorful graphs and charts, or other creative expressions depending on the
medium for which the feature is packaged for dissemination.
(s this )ust for print )ournalists%
9s newspapers and other print media face stiffer competition today from #nternet news media, more
feature stories are pulished ecause they can e more engaging to read. Wire services, such as the
9ssociated !ress and reuters, which once distriuted mostly hard news, now send feature stories to
memers.
!ulic relations professionals fre.uently write feature articles. 4or instance, a company newsletter story
profiling employees voluntarily helping the local community could enefit employees and their families
as well as the firm+s stockholders. Or a profile of a corporate 0@O could e released to media when the
firm makes news.
Broadcast ,ournalists use human interest stories, profiles, historical pieces, seasonal packages, ehind the
scenes revelations and even how)to descriptions. (hese can e seen and heard everywhere in television
and radio news.
9 typical television news package includes an edited set of video clips for a story narrated y a reporter
following a written script. 8nlike a magazine article, for example, the (A feature story also will have
audio, video, graphics and video effects. 9 news anchor with an over)the)shoulder graphic will e seen
reading a lead)in introduction efore the package is aired and concluding the story with additional
information called a tag.