A feature story aims to educate and entertain the readers. It reflects the best in a writer.

It can be personal,
colorful, and opinionated, but without deviating from the facts. It may be longer and in-depth compared to a
straightforward news story. It carries feelings and impressions. It should be able to grab the reader’s attention
instantly and hold that attention.

Writing a feature story is not always easy. It comes with a lot of elements that should come together to make it
whole. Also, the style of writing a feature may vary depending on the writer or the subject. However, at the very
heart of it, the purpose is the same – it aims to explore a range of issues, opinions, experiences, and ideas while
captivating the audience.

On July 1, we attended the Feature Writing 101 workshop hosted by Writer’s Block Philippines. We learned tips
and tricks about feature writing to help us improve how we share stories on WhenInManila.com. Here, we’d like
to share what we’ve learned with you.

 There are different types of feature stories

o Feature stories are created to inform, entertain, persuade, or simply satisfy the audience’s curiosity about a
certain topic. It may provide additional information that may not be found on the news story, give an opinion
about a trending topic, or offer an entertaining personal perspective on a certain topic. Compared with news
stories, which can quickly become irrelevant, feature stories stick around longer even if they have been
published for a long time. Different types of feature stories are:
 opinion on trending topics
 personality profiles
 humorous pieces
 anecdotes
 human interest stories
 Feature stories don’t simply present dry facts, they provide a different take on reality from a different angle.
 Steps in feature writing
o brainstorming
o finding the angle
o creating an outline
o researching
o going through the facts to produce an enticing story
o 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
o use important keywords
 Creating the introduction
o The introduction sets the tone of the whole story
o It can have an unusual statement to keep the reader’s attention
o It can invite the reader to take a stand especially if it is a controversial topic
o It should have the important background information
o It should intensify the appeal to keep the reader hooked
 Creating the body
o It should have additional facts and statistics
o It can have opinions from authorities
o It can have sound bites from interviews
o It can have personal opinions
o It can be visual using photos, diagrams, and graphs
 Putting a conclusion
o The conclusion leaves the impression to reader
o It should remind the reader what the story is about
o It can suggest a course of action and/or change of attitude or views
Remember…

When writing a feature story, it should:

 be well-researched and well-written

 inform
 entertain
 have authority
 present viewpoints

The purpose of feature writing

In the previous chapter, we touched on using the news media as an informational tool to achieve your
organization’s communication goals. One useful writing material is a feature article. Features are more in-depth
than traditional news stories and go beyond providing the most important facts. The purpose of these stories is
to provide a detailed description of a place, person, idea, or organization.
Although reporters and editors classify features as news stories, they are not necessarily structured using the
inverted pyramid style. Instead, features use storytelling devices to help the reader connect with the overall
narrative and its central characters. Features are particularly common in magazine writing, although they
frequently appear in other mediums.
Profiles or personality features that give insight into a person’s role, experience, or background are one type of
feature. Among the most common subjects of profiles are celebrities, athletes, individuals who overcome
challenges, and high-profile executives.
Click here for more information on the different types of features.
It is important to understand the circumstances that warrant a feature piece from a strategic communication
perspective. Communication professionals write feature articles to provide in-depth exposure for their client or
organization. A feature can increase a client or company’s visibility and even help find new key audiences.
If you need to quickly get information about your client or organization to the media, a feature article may not
be the best tool because it typically is longer than a traditional news story. However, you could write a feature
article on, for example, your company’s new CEO to provide more background information to key audiences.
Feature stories are also used in an organization’s internal communications, such as newsletters and magazines.
Overall, feature articles use an informative tone while incorporating creative and descriptive devices in order to
increase audience appeal. Here is an example of a feature article from the New York Times.
What Is Editorial Essay?

Many young authors ask, "What is an editorial essay?" One must understand what editorial stands for: it is a newspaper
article that tends to contain and explain author's ideas. This piece of writing can be on any topic. It usually deals with
social issues. Just like in your research paper, you have to provide enough credible evidence to support your opinion.

Detailed research has to be conducted ahead to discover a particular point of view an author wishes to argue. An editorial
must contain both problems description and possible solutions to it. When writing about the issue associated with obese
population, the writer should end up giving specific recommendations on how to deal with this problem. He can develop a
message for both those who suffer from this disorder and healthcare professionals who should handle it.

The authors speak to the local governments hoping to motivate them to act. As you can see, writing an editorial has a lot
in common with writing an essay or research paper. So, in case you were good at writing in your school, college, or
university papers, it would make no problem for you to come up with any writing piece, including an interesting editorial.

How to Write an Editorial Essay of Different Types?

Editorials have uncommon classification; instead of being classified by their nature, they are classified by their purposes.
There is no way to obtain an answer to the question "What is editorial writing?" without learning the basics of each type.
When you work on your piece, mind that you can either:

Explain/describe/interpret the topic

Explain how the chosen newspaper article covers the specific topic. An argument should be sensitive, debatable, and
controversial to attract the readers. Example: You're a high school newspaper editor who decides to interpret the recently
established writing standards to your peers.

Criticize the issue

Critical thinking is what every good writer needs to create a meaningful writing piece which covers a significant problem.
A good editorial criticizes specific actions or cases while providing solutions to the existing issue. The main goal is to allow
the audience see the problem instead of the solution.

Persuade the readers of the truth of the editorial's main argument

In contrast to the pieces which criticize, persuasive pieces focus on the suggested solutions without going into the
problem's details. From the opening paragraph (introduction), the author should motivate his readers to take a specific
action to implement the solution. Political endorsements are great examples of persuasive editorials.

Praise

Editorials of this type appreciate people or organizations that have done something special and beneficial.

Read the tips from experts below to better understand what is an editorial essay.

Tips on Writing Persuasive Editorial Essay

In the age of advanced social media and harsh competition in the writing industry, people wonder how to write a editorial
for a newspaper. Hopefully, these tips and advice from the industry's expert will help young authors to master the art.

Choose a credible newspaper which edition is no less than 100,000 copies. Try to pick newspapers read by millions of
people. They tend to discuss the most relevant topics as well as provide the most recent facts and possible solutions to
current problems.

Work with controversial topics. Controversial topics are debatable, and it is a time-tested way to get readers engaged in
the discussion by continuing with their own research or asking additional questions.

Writing an editorial is about making decisions. A writer cannot take both sides of the controversial topic; pick one which
you believe is correct according to your experience and knowledge.

There are many ways to explain how to write an editorial piece. Young authors should do the same; they must offer many
different solutions to keep in mind to provide people with choices. It is important to test the effectiveness of every
solution before offering it.

Read the expert advice which will help to understand how to write an editorial and what makes this type of paper so
special.

"To make your argument sound stronger, come up with several analogies. The author has a right to decide between
cultural, social, and political analogies because people tend to trust these fields. Example: Your research problem is the
effectiveness of mobile spying applications. Research similar cases in other technologically advanced countries where the
majority of the population uses such tools to guarantee family's safety. Writing an editorial always includes finding
solutions. Discover how other countries solved the problem."
Minyvonne Burke, Daily News, US

GET WRITING ASSISTANCE RIGHT AWAY

How to Write an Editorial for a Newspaper?

No matter what type of editorial you choose, the newspaper article has specific features every editor should keep in mind.

Introduction paragraph, several body paragraphs, and impressive conclusion. The structure is the same most academic
essays have.

An objective interpretation of the problem or question with the help of facts, statistics, figures, etc. Complex issues
deserve more attention than simple topics.

A timely news angle.

Arguments provided by the opposing side aimed to prove the information is 100% objective, unbiased, and complete.

Author's points of view written in a formal language (excellent editorials do not focus on personalities when trying to
persuade the reader).

Other possible solutions to the discussed cases obtained with the help of constructive criticism and professionalism.

A summary which encloses with the powerful Call to Action (CTA).

Check the instructor's guidelines (word count limitations, content, and formatting) before start writing the introduction.
The rest of the text provides a specific answer to the question, "How to write an editorial essay?"

Editorial Essay Topics

We would like to share top essay topics with the most interesting research problems and possible solutions to them.

Charter Schools Are About Making Choices

Example:"Public charter schools belong to the public schooling system. It means that they follow the accepted teaching
standards. These institutions must demonstrate the effectiveness of their established methods. Otherwise, public charter
schools risk being closing for inability to present high achievements. It is the responsibility of local staff to educate the
students in accordance with all standards of American school system."

Reality Television Shows Develop and Alternate Reality

Example: "TV shows categorized as reality make people lose the sense of reality. Directors force the audience to believe
that all challenges tackled by the players every day take place in real life, and the consequences are sometimes adverse.
Studies by Dr. Gibson from Michigan University prove excessive viewing of TV shows belonging to this category result into
a higher level of aggression among the general population of the United States. These shows should have different
rankings to prevent adolescents from watching them."

The Benefits of Higher Education in the U.S.

Subprime Crisis: Causes and Consequences

Opinion on Marijuana Legalization: Does Marijuana Help to Relax or It’s Another Harm to Human Brain?

Problem with Banning Cigarettes

NBA Season Summary: Preparation, Primary Goals, Expectations, Best Players, Forecasts, Results, and Discussions

Facts That Prove Gambling Is Illegal

Proper Treatment for Diabetes

Why Should Government Allow Capital Punishment?

You can find more great essay examples along with powerful research papers on the professional academic writing
services. Now, learn how to write a newspaper editorial step-by-step.

STEP 1. DECIDING ON YOUR TOPIC

The best idea is to select a debatable social opinion and discuss it from all possible aspects. Readers are always
encouraged to read an editorial from cover to cover when it has a loud and provoking title; it's another thing to consider.
Writing down all good ideas after the process of brainstorming is a must.

The topic must be up-to-date and relevant to the frequently discussed issues within one community. An interesting
subject guarantees that a reader will read your newspaper editorial from cover to cover. Use only the most recent sources
to grab necessary evidence from them.
The following link contains a long list of argumentative essay topics of all times which might be helpful when composing
your piece.

STEP 2. STATING YOUR OPINION

Developing an editorial is pretty much developing an argumentative essay. You have to pick a debatable, recently
discussed, or contradictive topic and highlight your position towards this issue using powerful evidence. A controversial
subject should describe both sides of the coin. Don't lose your piece of mind and become subjective as it is
unprofessional.

In the case of any difficulties, you may also count on professional writing and editing service, which will help to develop
and continue the main idea of your article.

STEP 3. WRITING AN OUTLINE

Remember doing an outline for your term or research paper? Working on a newspaper article involves this stage which is
done to stick to the point when new ideas appear in the text. Besides, your opinions will be organized and structured.

STEP 4. WRITING AN EDITORIAL ITSELF

Build an argument around your problem; then, select a headline that draws reader's attention automatically. You can
include an exclamation mark to attract more attention. You can also put a question mark at the end. When you come to
your main argument, make sure to support it with various examples or analogies. You might be interested in pointing to
negative and positive aspects of the same issue.

EXTRA PROMPTS:

Apply statistics and facts taken from the primary sources you found online or in the library to assist in proving your
argument.

The most persuasive argument should be left for the end.

Don't be passive in the rest of less powerful arguments; otherwise, your audience will lose interest to your editorial.

STEP 5. CONCLUSION, OR POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

The process of developing an editorial should end up with the conclusion. Make sure your editorial indulges in
constructive criticism. When there is one point of view, there always should be another one: let's say you are talking
about government's regulations aimed to reduce the number of tobacco usage. Discuss why these steps might be more
effective than some others, and propose alternative regulations.

Writing an editorial is a huge and responsible step in your career. You may order an effective newspaper article from
online experts to catch the eye of your readers. The offered website does not charge high fees on custom writing.