Feature Writing

SUGGESTED SKILLS AND STRATEGIES FOR WRITING

FEATURE ARTICLES
Thoughts on Features

 “It is hard news that catches the readers. Features hold them” –Lord Northcliffe (a British
pioneer in magazine and newspaper publication; he was also a famous figure during WW1)

 “The joy of a feature is that we may know all the facts of a particular story, but a
slightly different slant in a person’s column, for instance, may reveal a side of story
that we had never previously thought about” ---D. Stephenson (How to Succeed in
Newspaper Journalism, 1998)

 “The feature writer’s aim is the dramatists’ aim: make ‘em laugh; make ‘em weep” –
Mary JJ. Wrinn (Elements of Journalism, 1929)
Feature Articles Defined

 Sumner and Miller (2013) define features as “human-interest stories”: feature writers
know what topics interest the masses and the reading public.
 Although she recognizes the idea that there is no single definition for feature articles, Dunbar
(2006) explains that features present factual information about people, places, events,
or experiences and attempts to explain the topic from a specific point of view or
perspective.
 Pape and Featherstone (2006) explain that features often provide background to existing news
stories and provide more depth; the news story tells the readers the ‘what’ about an
incident while the feature explains the ‘why’.
Feature Articles Defined

 Ricketson (2004) defines feature articles in contrast with news: features are articles
containing emotion and analysis as well as information, as opposed to news that is
primarily concerned about information. Features are analytical at the same time literary.
Ricketson further added that features add to the basic framework of the news or “put flesh to
the skeleton which is news” by revealing the emotions in news stories and analyzing the
meaning of news events.
 Hennesy (2006) defines features as something distinctive yet regular: it is regular in the
sense that feature articles are regular parts of a newspaper and at the same time distinctive
because it employs a certain perspective and purpose aside from providing information (to
narrate, describe, persuade, entertain, or sometimes all of these combined).
Feature Articles Defined

 Pape and Featherstone (2006) provided the following classifications of

feature articles common in newspapers:
 General feature articles= articles on general interest topics
 Specific feature articles= articles on health, technology, environment,
finances, and others
 Profiles of personalities, literary characters, historical figures, and people in
the news.
 Features on art and culture like book reviews, film reviews, theatre and TV
reviews
SUGGESTED STEPS, STRATEGIES,
AND SKILLS FOR WRITING
FEATURE ARTICLES
1. Introduce the genre to the students

 In order for the students to be prepared in writing feature articles, introduce them to the
genre first. Good feature articles are abundant in newspapers, campus papers, books on
journalism, and even websites. What is important is the appropriateness of the
topic/idea to the level of the students.
 Dunbar (2006) suggests that teachers should ask students to identify what is
unique about the article being read so as to strengthen notions about the genre.
 The columns “Young Blood” and “Looking Back” by the prominent historian Ambeth
Ocampo of the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippine Daily Inquirer as well as
articles on “Reader’s Digest” are good sources of feature articles to serve as examples
for the learners.
2. Select a Topic, Idea, and Angle

 The very first step in writing feature articles is to select an interesting topic
(Dunbar 2006). Interest for a particular topic is not limited to the target audience but
also includes the interest of the writer himself.
 Kessler (2010) provided the following list as important factors to consider in selecting a
topic:
 the purpose of writing the feature article (inform, describe argue, or persuade)
 the target audience or reader of the final output article
 what the writer feels confident and comfortable to write
 writing style of the writer/manner of writing
 Topic Selection for a Newspaper Feature Article

List some topics you are interested in and have some knowledge about:
1. _________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________________________

I know… I wonder…

Possible resources:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
 How to Choose a Purpose and Audience for the Feature Article

My topic is: ________________________________________________________

What is my purpose for writing?
• To notify?
• To amuse?
• To share?
• To convince?
• Other purposes?
Therefore, my purpose in writing is:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
__
Next, consider your audience
Am I writing for:
• Someone who knows a little about my topic?
• Someone who is an expert on my topic?
• Someone younger/older than me?
Therefore, my audience is:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
____
Selecting a Topic, Idea, and Angle

 Hennesy (2006) suggested that instead of looking for subjects, look instead
for ideas. Ideas are generated from subjects (subject is the broader topic while
an idea is a specific perspective regarding the subject). Ideas should be as
contextualized and narrowed down as possible.
Selecting a Topic, Idea, and Angle

 Sumner and Miller (2013) provided the following list as possible sources of ideas
for feature articles:
 Profiles of successful businessmen, people engaged in extraordinary activities/jobs,
experts for “how to” articles
 “What’s up” and “What’s down”
 Details of the work done by groups helping the underprivileged focusing on
remarkable/noteworthy events
 Old news and magazines to provide a fresh perspective
 Campus bulletin boards
 Personal experiences and observations
Selecting a Topic, Idea, and Angle

 Sumner and Miller (2013) argued for a tight focus in topic (in contrast to a broad)
and a stronger angle in feature articles. They claimed that the most common problem of
young writers nowadays is that they are trying to embrace too broad topics and they often
forget to adopt an angle to their writing. Sumner and Miller further emphasized that the
story’s angle makes a story interesting because it provides details about a topic based on
the view or perspective that is unique and different from the usual. With a stronger angle,
readers are provided with a fresh and original information about a particular topic.
 A good angle as suggested by Sumner and Miller (2013) has unity, action, and
concreteness. Unity refers to a unison in voice, mood, and even verb tense. Action
denotes that the article should describe people in motion: laughing, having fun, succeeding
in business enterprises and others. Concreteness implies that the article is accurate,
anchored on facts, and is really based on specific, exact events.
Selecting a Topic,
Idea, and Angle
Sumner and Miller (2013) suggest the
“Angle Tree” diagram on the left as a
simple yet effective way to have a
strong angle in feature writing.
 3. Researching, Recording, and Organizing
Information

 It is always important to bear in mind that the feature article still relies on
facts and is expected to be truthful and factual although it is literary and
analytical. Thus it is very important for students to be able to research, record,
and organize information that they will incorporate into their feature articles.
 The following is an ideal graphic organizer for note-taking (adapted from Dunbar
2006):
 Source 1 Source 2 Source 3
Book Title/ Book Book
Website (URL) Title/Website Title/Website
(URL) (URL)

Topic/Idea 1

Topic/Idea 2

Topic/Idea 3

A sample note-taking graphic organizer

4. Developing the Article

 Decide on a style to develop and present information in the feature article. Dunbar
(2006) explains that the organizing structure highly depends on the idea and
angle that the writer wishes to pursue. Students can use :
 Chronological
 Causal
 Problem/solution
 Cause/effect
 Pros and cons
Developing the
Article
Dunbar (2006) further proposes the use
of graphic organizers to help learners in
drafting their information and content. The
pros and cons organizer on the left is an
example.
Developing the Article

 Hennessy (2006) provides the following as guides in writing the body of the
article:
 Describe memorably: bear in mind that description for its own sake is out. Their should
be a purpose for describing and the readers should realize this purpose.
 Narrate compellingly: it means sweeping the readers along, making them want to
know what will happen next; this implies short meaningful sentences and active verbs.
 Explain fully: this is essential since a part of feature writing is analysis of news and
facts
 Argue convincingly: this is achieved thru the use of concrete evidence, accurate facts,
and precise terms
Developing the Article

 Hennessy (2006) further provided the following writing tips in the development of the feature article
body:
 Choose the precise words
 Put the meaning in your verbs; this will make your article less wordy but quick to the point and very clear
 Avoid circumlocutions
 Prefer the familiar words to the unfamiliar
 Be concrete than abstract
 Avoid clichés
 Vary your pace and rhythm: usually the intro is brisk to attract the readers’ attention, then the body slows
down in pace so as to linger and savor the description, then the pace speeds up again towards the
conclusion
Practice A
Practice B

Select any place that you visit regularly or that you remember vividly that seems to you
dangerous, or mysterious or eerie or otherwise memorable. It may be a building (disused
warehouse/rundown pub) or a street or a square, or uncultivated land (a wood/marsh).
Write four separate paragraphs of 150 words each under the headings:
 (a) Description. Describe the place and its atmosphere without story or explanation. Use
imagery, and all the senses.
 (b) Narration. Make up a story about the place that fits the description.
 (c) Exposition. Give factual evidence that explains the nature of the place (isolated?,
vandals?, scene of a murder?, haunted?).
 (d) Argument. The council have to decide to change the place in some way: repair it,
destroy it, build on it … Argue for a particular course of action in a letter to the local paper.
Importance of Writing Features

 Dunbar (2006) claims that necessary skills expected at middle school students (i. e.
read for information, summarize the main idea, and produce a report of information)
are supported and reinforced by feature writing. Likewise, Dunbar claims that since the
writer attempts to personalize information and present these in a unique perspective, an
additional view of things is constantly being presented to the readers of features.
 Dunbar (2006) further argues that feature articles provide “freedom” to student
writers (and students in general): this “freedom” in developing ideas/thoughts, sources of
information, as well as in conveying information is very much appreciated by middle
school/high school students and is part of identity development.
References

 Dunbar, Suzanne K. (2006). The Feature Newspaper Article: More than Just Facts. In “Teaching Writing
Genres Across the Curriculum: Strategies for Middle School Teachers” by Susan Lee-Pasquarelli
(ed). United States of America: Information Age Publishing Incorporated.
 Hennesy, Brendan. (2006). Writing Feature Articles: 4 th Edition. Great Britain: Focal Press Publication.
 Kessler, Elizabeth R. (2010). College Writing Today: Reflect, Inform, Persuade. United States of
America: Pearson Education Incorporated.
 Ricketson, Matthew. (2004). Writing Feature Stories: How to Research and Write Newspaper and
Magazine. Australia: Allen and Unwin Publications .
 Pape, Susan and Sue Featherstone. (2006). Feature Writing: A Practical Introduction.
London: Sage Publications Ltd.
 Sumner, David and Holly G. Miller. (2013). Feature and Magazine Writing: Action, Angle, and
Anecdotes. 3rd Edition. London: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.