Media Writing

Feature Writing Part 2

Descriptives
Profiles
Narratives
How-to-do-its
Reviews
Analyses
Recap
A feature story is an article in a newspaper, a
magazine, or a news website that is not meant to
report breaking news, but to take an in-depth look at
issues behind a news story, often concentrating on
background events, persons or circumstances.

While there are no clear guidelines on what exactly
consists a feature story, they often add a more
human touch to reporting, while the time elapsed
between an event and breaking the story is less
critical than in traditional news reports.
Recap
The features themselves are written in a less urgent
fashion than news stories, sometimes taking several
paragraphs to arrive at the main story while trying to
engage the reader and keep them reading by
employing narrative hooks*.

Feature stories often delve deeper into their
subjects, expanding on the details rather than trying
to concentrate on a few important key points.

The writing style of the articles can be more
colourful and employ a more complex narrative
structure*, sometimes resembling the style of a
nonfiction book more than a news report.



Recap
As the print media faces ever stiffer competition
from other sources of news, feature stories are
becoming more common because they can be more
engaging to read.

At many newspapers, news stories are sometimes
written in feature style, adopting some of the
conventions of feature writing while still covering
breaking events.

Wire services such as the Associated Press which
previously made a point of distributing only news,
now also include feature stories.
*Narrative Hook
A narrative hook (or hook) is a literary technique in
the opening of a story that "hooks the reader's
attention so that he will read on. The "opening" may
consist of several paragraphs for a short story, or
several pages for a novel, but ideally, it is the
opening sentence.

One of the most common forms is dramatic action,
which engages the reader into wondering what the
consequences of the action will be.

But action is not, in itself, a hook, without the
reader's wondering what will happen next, or what
caused the actions to occur.
*Narrative Structure
Narrative structure is generally described as
the structural framework that underlies the order and
manner in which a narrative is presented to a reader,
listener, or viewer.

Theorists describing a text's narrative structure might
refer to structural elements such as an introduction, in
which the story's founding characters and
circumstances are described; a chorus, which uses the
voice of an onlooker to describe events or indicate the
proper emotional response to what has just happened;
or a coda, which falls at the end of a narrative and
makes concluding remarks.
Descriptive Feature Articles
(Descriptives)
Descriptives are features which depict a picture of a
scene in the readers mind: a scene which he might
never be able to visit in his lifetime. Or it made him
want to go there.

Descriptives can also be used to present a seamy
(squalid, unpleasant) picture which functions as an
effective way of exposing a wrong, such as a
degrading slum or the threatened destruction of a
wilderness.
Elements of Descriptives
1) A focus on distinctive characteristics
A place may have certain features that are not shared by
others.

E.g. The famous gym of Taylors University is set in a
Balinese environment.

E.g. A model may have chiseled cheekbones whilst an
elderly individual may have a wrinkled face and a child
may have a toothless grin.

Always focus on the uniqueness of the subject (positive
and negative).

Continued
2) Careful phrasing
One element of the descriptive is the way words are put
together to evoke the picture in the readers mind.

Through the phrasing of words the writer paints colour
and adds flavour to the picture.

Unlike a photographer, a writer can only depend on his
skill at stringing evocative words together.

E.g. Although her big blue eyes were filled with sorrow
and her frail hands trembled, she spoke with so much
conviction that I immediately realised that this was a
woman whose spirit could not be broken.
Continued
3) A reading and viewing experience

Its all about evoking human emotions and satisfaction.

When the reader completes his reading of a descriptive,
he/she should come away with the feeling that (he/she)
has been through a valuable reading experience.

The vivid descriptions used by the writer gives the reader
a viewing experience as well.


E.g.
Gloria Stevens is lying on her back, sedated but alert,
staring at an image of her own beating heart. Metaphorically,
Gloria's heart is the very core of her emotional selfnot to be
worn on the sleeve, much less displayed on an overhead
monitor. More literally, it is a blood-filled pump about the size
of a clenched fist whose rhythmic contractions have kept
Gloria alive for 62 years, and with a little tinkering will keep
her going for an indeterminate number more.

At this moment, her doctor is threading a thin catheter up
through her femoral artery from an incision in her groin, on
into the aorta, and from there into one of the arteries
encircling Gloria's heart. At the tip of the catheter is a small
balloon. The doctor gently navigates the tip to a spot where
plaque has narrowed the artery's channel by 90 percent. With
a quick, practised movement he inflates the balloon to push
back the artery wall, deflates the balloon, then inserts an
expandable stentit looks like a tiny tube of chicken wire
that will keep the passage open. As Gloria watches on the
monitor, the crimp in her artery disappears, and a wide
laminar flow gushes through the vessel, like a river in flood.

http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/feature1
Profile Feature Articles
Profiles are features which focus on interesting
characters, their hopes, their problems, foibles and
adversities, and how they finally go around
problems or over hurdles in their paths.

Profiles are about people interesting, tragic,
famous people; people undergoing unique
procedures, experiencing unusual circumstances;
people under the spotlight, under scrutiny, under
suspicion.
Elements of Profiles
There are different elements which should be present
in any profile article:

1) What the subject says
2) What the subject does
3) Description of the subject
4) History of the subject
5) What others think and say about the subject

Continued
What the subject says:
Quote or paraphrase comments made by the
subject.
Choose the comments that illuminate your focus
of the subject.

What the subject does:
Describe the subjects actions and anecdotes, that
which throw additional light on his character.

Continued
Description of the subject: This means details of the
subjects physical make-up
Weight
Height
Facial appearance
The way the subject moves
The way the subject speaks/gestures
The way the subject dresses
The way the subject wears his/her hair


The more details you can provide in your article, the
more vivid the picture you paint for your readers.


Continued
History of the subject:
The subjects historical background could help
show how he or she has evolved and developed as
a person.
It could provide an insight into the subjects way
of thinking and acting.

What others think and say about the subject:
Evaluations, comments and anecdotes
(stories/accounts) from friends and foes could
shed light on the subjects character.

E.g.
"I don't think of myself as a businesswoman," said Oprah
Winfrey in 2002. Well, Forbes magazine certainly does.
She's made their rich list every year since 1995. An
abuse survivor born to a teenage mum and raised in
poverty, the woman now known simply by her first name is
today the head of a billion dollar media empire.

Oprah Gail Winfrey was born at home in Kosciusko,
Mississippi, on January 29, 1954, her existence the result of
what she called "a one-day fling under an oak tree". Her
mum, a part-time maid, was 18; her father, 20.

After spending her first years on her grandmother's
Mississippi farm, the bright six-year-old went to live with
her single mother, who struggled on welfare in a poor
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, neighbourhood. She was just nine
years old when her life was changed forever when she was
raped by a teenage cousin. Over the next five years, she
was molested by three other men, all friends of the family

http://www.hellomagazine.com/profiles/oprahwinfrey/
Narrative Features (Narratives)
Narratives are stories. It is an account of (a
sequence of) events or happenings, written in an
evocative, descriptive manner.
It contains accurate, well-researched information,
and is also interesting to read.
It looks at intriguing people, human emotions and
real situations.
It provides the private story behind the public story.
It reaches past the ordinary by blending the
reportage of facts with the writing style of fiction.
Elements of a narrative
Narrative features can also be defined as writing
that contains the following elements:
1.Set scenes
2.Characters
3.Action that unfolds over time
4.Voice that has personality
5.A relationship with the audience
6.Destination a theme, a purpose and a reason
(for the story)
Continued
In Narrative Features, the 5Ws and 1H are extended
significantly:
Who becomes a character
What becomes an action
Where becomes a setting
When becomes a chronology (timeline)
Why / How becomes a process
E.g.
Relaxed maternity nurses lean against the
counter chatting. Babies cry in homey birthing rooms.
The scent of flowers, recently delivered to new
mothers, floats in the air.
But down a long hall, over the blue and pink
squares of the maternity ward's buffed linoleum,
through two locked doors, past scrub sinks and a
security camera, pulses a different world.
Life-support monitors, their screens a palette of
blues, greens and reds, glow in dim light. Motorized
Plexiglass covers glide down tracks and seal artificial
wombs that look like compartments for science fiction
travellers. Respirators hiss, staving off the collapse of
tiny lungs."
How-to-do-it Features
How-to-do-its are features which contain
information on how to accomplish certain tasks such
as:
building a house
decorating a home
changing your tires
keeping in shape
cooking for a party etc.



Elements of how-to-do-its
1) Information and Advice
The objective of how-to-do-its is to offer advice, give
instructions, extend suggestions, give tutorials etc.

2) Clarity
Write in a straightforward and clear-cut manner. Makes
sure that instructions are easily followed and leave out
technical words or jargon.

The writer has to keep to the subject matter, and not
go off on tangents.
E.g.
HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE
Whether youre rich or wanting to marry someone rich there are
online dating services which target the wealthy and provide a personal
service to their clients. So, are they for real, or just a con to make you get
your credit card out?
Herere some of the top online dating websites that may well open
the (virtual) door to your future happiness.
Berkeley-Sweetingham.com
This is truly exclusive dating with a service and price tag to match.
If youre not in that category, its worth a visit to the site just to find out
how the other half lives. Would you fly to Nice (in the south of France) for
a date for the day well, you get the idea!
Marry-an-ugly-millionaire-online-dating-agency.com
If you need a good laugh and want to enjoy a very amusing,
completely spoof online dating site youll want to check this out.
Someone with a good sense of humour set this site up and its clearly
popular and rightly so. If youre fed up with the online dating scene this
is the ONLY site for you to visit.
And finally...
There are plenty of genuine sites out there that offer free trials for
men and women simply looking for love. Take advantage of these to find out
which sites and forums you enjoy and best of luck!
How-to-do-its continued
Not all how-to-do-it articles are as shallow or
simplistically written like this.
Good how-to-do-its should incorporate solid
research and genuine facts and information, clear
instructions etc. that readers may otherwise not be
able to find all in one place (within one article).
How-to-do-its should also be based on topics
genuinely relevant and of meaning to your target
readers.
To maintain reader interest, how-to-do-its need to
be written in a lively, attention-getting manner as
well, complete with graphics and pictures if
necessary.
Analyses Articles
Analyses are background articles aimed at answering the
question whats it all about?
E.g. when a new war, social explosion, a political upheaval
or any other momentous events make the headlines.

Analyses are also sometimes called backgrounders.

These stories add meaning to current issues in the news
by explaining them further.

These articles bring an audience up-to-date, explaining
how this country, this organisation, this person happens
to be where it is now.
Elements of Analyses
Following are the elements that should be present in
an analysis story:

Dissection of the topic/subject matter
Anticipation of arguments and questions
Prioritisation of clarity and unity
Continued
1. Dissection
The analysis seeks to examine an important matter.
I.e. Shining a fierce light on an important matter
and dissecting it with words that reveal its
components and values.

2. Anticipation of arguments and questions
The writer attempts to give a balanced account of
the important matter that he or she is examining.
In the process, writer must keep in mind the
arguments and questions that may/will come from
the readers.
Writer needs to demonstrate expertise in the topic
from all angles/points of view.



Continued
3) Prioritisation of clarity and unity
The writer must present his/her analysis in a clear
manner.
The writers ideas must flow in a smooth and
coherent way, complete with well-researched,
credible support to his/her points.
The writer must be careful not to distract or
confuse the reader by going off on a tangent.
In summary: Stick to the argument and present
information in a clear, logical manner.

E.g. of analyses story ideas
What are some examples of analyses feature stories that
could be brainstormed from news stories?

Ask questions that arouse interest when you read news
stories. If you are curious, your readers would be curious
too.

Then develop an analysis story from the questions that
arose.
Did a culture of hierarchy cause the South Korea ferry
tragedy?
Whos really making the money out of the toll increases?
Malaysia: multicultural heaven or racism capital?
Selangors water woes: what went wrong?
The MH370 incident: lessons for Malaysia and the world
Review Articles
A review is an evaluation of a publication, such as a
movie, video game, musical composition, book, or a
piece of hardware like a car, appliance, or computer.

Reviews could incorporate:
an overview of features,
a tried and tested account,
a critical statement, and
a rating (for instance, one to five stars) to indicate
its relative merit
Film reviews
Film critics working for newspapers, magazines,
broadcast media, and online publications, mainly
review new releases.

Normally they only see any given film once and
have only a day or two to formulate opinions.

Despite this, critics have an important impact on
films, especially those of certain genres.

The popularity of mass-marketed action, horror, and
comedy films tend not to be greatly affected by a
critic's overall judgment of a film.
Film reviews: continued
The plot summary and description of a film that
makes up the majority of any film review can have
an important impact on whether people decide to
see a film.

For prestige films with a limited release, such as
independent dramas, the influence of reviews is
extremely important.

Poor reviews will often doom a film to obscurity and
financial loss.

Elements of a Review
The elements of a review are:
Dissection
Anticipation of arguments and questions
Prioritisation of clarity and unity

The additional element that a review has is:
The opinion of the writer


Continued
1) Dissection
Examine the movie/restaurant/gadget and dissect its
features, advantages and disadvantages to your readers.

2) Anticipation of arguments and questions
Support your arguments with credible facts, examples,
illustrations and other information.
Write a balanced review but bringing in counter
arguments and rebutting them with evidence.

3) Clarity and Unity
Present your views in a logical, well-argued manner.
Make sure that your reader is able to discern clearly
your final opinion (yes, no, maybe) it is a review
afterall.




How to write a review
1) Get familiar
2) Formulate an opinion
3) Create a good lead
4) Recap
5) Support opinion
6) Be interesting
7) Be honest
E.g. of planning a movie review
1) GET FAMILIAR this means research
After you have selected your movie, get familiar with its context.
Before you even see the movie, get to know a little about it.
What have the actors and director worked on before? Maybe
check out some of their past work. Are they Oscar winners? Are
they known for a certain style?
Is the movie based on a book or an historical event? Is it a
remake or a sequel?
All of this information will help you understand the movie better.
You'll pick up on details, allusions, trademarks of the actor or
director, and probably have more insight into important story
elements.
You'll be able to tell readers how it lived up to the original, say, or
the book. These are the things that help a critic offer a solid
opinion that is of interest to the fan
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
Continued
2) FORMULATE AN OPINION this is the gist of your
review
After you see the movie, formulate a specific opinion in
one sentence.
Your job is to give an opinion of the movie.
Ultimately, this may come down to a "thumbs up" or
"three stars out of five."
You want to have a specific thesis with credible support
to drive your critique.
For example, "I didn't like this comedy" becomes "The story
had funny moments but it went on too long."
"This horror movie is good" becomes "This horror movie
works because it builds suspense right up until the end."
So, try to find that very specific opinion that will be the
foundation of your review.
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
Continued
3) CREATE A GOOD LEAD attract attention from the start
You want your reader to be interested in what you have
to say.
Grab the reader in that first or "lead" paragraph in one of
several ways:
Start with a great quote from the movie, and explain
how it reflects the movie
Refer to the reputation of the actor or director and
compare it to how he or she did in this movie; compare
this movie to another well-known film in a few sentences
or two
Explain what your expectation was, and then if it was
fulfilled or not. Then end that first paragraph with your
opinion statement.
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
Continued
4) RECAP
Recap briefly, but don't give away anything big.

If you've read professional reviews, you know they
always include a little bit of recap.

Some readers like to know what they're getting into
before they lay down their money for a ticket.

You can tell people the basic premise of the movie. In
fact, you should give them the basic premise, and tell
them how the story builds, but don't give away key
moments, especially not the ending!

Keep it brief. Then get to reviewing.
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
Continued
5) SUPPORT OPINION
Back up your main opinion with specifics.

The readers now know you think "This comedy had funny
moments but went on too long." It's time for you to prove it.

Talk about how the teen actors had good timing like they did
in that other movie.

Talk about how the writers did a great parody of that famous
film. But then add that there were too many scenes involving
the family or the boyfriend.

Talk about the fact that there were multiple endings and all of
them were long.

Use specifics to make your readers understand your opinion.
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
Continued
6) BE INTERESTING
Just because this is a review doesn't mean it's got to be
dull.

From lead to ending paragraph, make the review
engaging, using metaphors, analogy, specific adjectives
and adverbs to create the images you're looking for.

But also be concise. A review isn't a place for long
diatribes or flowery prose.
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
Continued
7) BE OBJECTIVE
Your reader and the work you're critiquing both
deserve an objective opinion.

So even if you HATE that actor or LOVE that actress, be
sure to look at the actual quality of the film.

Have some standards in mind. A comedy should be
funny, a horror movie should be scary, etc.; judge the
movie against those standards, not against any pre-
existing opinions you may have.

It will make the review more valuable to the reader
and objective writing is always best.
Adapted from http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/a2206-how-to-write-a-movie-review.html
END