1. Feature Writing

2. Agenda  Choosing Topics  Types of Feature Stories  Types of Feature Leads  Body of a Feature  Ending of a Feature

3. Background  Features stories read like nonfiction short stories  Beginning, middle and end  “Human Interest” or “Style” Pieces  May describe a person, place or idea more so than an event  May be less timely, local or “earthshaking” than hard news  Explore topics in greater depth than news  Still not personal opinion!  Fair, balanced, based on reliable information

4. Items to Include in Features  Borrow fiction writing techniques  Descriptions  Sensory details  Quotations  Anecdotes  Characterization  Setting  Plot structure  Other novelistic elements

5. Choosing a Topic  Fresh, dramatic, colorful and exciting  Universal  Examples: Food, Clothing, Shelter, Belonging, Money, Leisure  News stories often spark spinoff topics  Fight in hallway Student needs/safety

6. Types of Features  Personality Profiles  Historical  Adventure  Seasonal  Explanatory  How To  Personal Experience  Behind the Scenes  Participatory  Medical  Business  Unusual Occupation or Hobby

7. Personality Profile  Describe interesting people  Achieved success  Served community  Must reveal a person’s character  NOT just a list of achievements or important dates  Readers should feel like they’ve met the person

8. Historical  Commemorate dates of important events  Bombing of Hiroshima  Birthday of Nelson Mandela  9/11  Describe famous landmarks, pioneers, philosophies, educational initiatives, etc.  Consult historical documents or interview eye-witnesses to event

9. Adventure  Describe an unusual or exciting experience  Survival of an airplane crash  Climbed Everest  Quotations and descriptions are very important

10. Seasonal  Seasons or holidays  Be careful not to be mundane  Find a new angle!  Focus on an individual  Unique traditions  Volunteering or community events

11. Explanatory  “Local situation”  “Interpretive”  “Sidebars”  Provide a more detailed description of topics in the news  Act of terrorism article Examine terrorists’ identity, tactics, or goals

12. How To  Perform a task  Build a home  Plant a garden  Train a puppy  Psychological issues  Survival skills  Avoid preaching or advice with personal opinion  Gather facts and tips from experts

13. Unusual Occupation or Hobby  These jobs and hobbies tend to involve colorful or interesting people  Paint a picture  Person  How he/she got involved  Actual job or hobby

14. Personal Experience  First or second person  Writer appears in the story  Directly addresses audience  Do not give opinions Still focus on facts  Pick an interesting topic  Don’t dwell on insignificant details

15. Behind the Scenes  Take readers backstage  An inside look  Job  Event  Group  Conversation

16. Participatory  Writer actually experiences an event  Gives an inside look of goings on

17. Medical  Local health issues  Ethical issues  Common ailments  Mental illness  Gather facts from professionals and pair with quotes from subjects who have condition  Show experiences and feelings

18. Business  Promotions  New business ventures  Local economy  Elections  Look for the unusual or interesting

19. Types of Feature Leads  AP Summary  Similar to Hard News  Quotations  Questions  Action  Begin with the climax of the story

20. Leads Continued…  Descriptions  Sensory details to set the scene  Similar to setting and characters in a short story  Shocking facts  Anecdotes  Humorous play on words

21. Body of a Feature 1. Be coherent 2. Facts should fit together like a puzzle 3. Use brief and effective transitions 4. Be concise 5. Emphasize lively details and actions

22. Body Continued… 6. Use several paragraphs of summary and some quotations and details to explain ideas 7. Be specific 8. Use elements of literature 9. Slant the feature for a specific audience

23. Ending of a Feature 1. Include a satisfying conclusion a. Anecdote, quote, word or phrase that offers meaning 2. Avoid summaries a. They are boring and repetitive 3. Edit and rewrite