About Feature Writing

While some journalists love to be the first reporter on a scene to write a breaking news story, others prefer to write features. Not only can feature writers usually take more time to do a story as it isn't breaking news, but they get to sit down and interview unique and sometimes famous people. What's more, they can visit interesting places to do research for their feature articles and stories.

Identification

Rather than reporting the most current news, feature writing focuses on a particular slant or angle regarding people, things or places. It's a popular journalistic form of writing articles or stories for newspapers, magazines or news websites. Although feature writing may contain elements of news, its main job is to educate, humanize, enlighten or entertain. On the other hand, it may also review news reported previously.

Types

There are various types of feature writing. Personality profiles focus on people and are typically done through interviews. Human interest features show a subject's peculiarities. It can be entertaining, practical or emotional. In-depth features go beyond basic news stories, using extensive research and interviews. Background feature writing focuses on historical information, explaining how an organization or country got to where it is. Trendy features inspect people, organizations or things currently popular.

Features

The lead should hook readers, enticing them to read on, as well as introduce the topic and slant of the article or story. Transitions move readers through the article, linking information. Writers can use sources such as interviews, surveys and research to connect information proving the angle of the topic. Quotes give someone's opinion or perspective and can be done in interviews by asking how or why questions. The conclusion wraps up the article, leaving readers with a strong impression.

Considerations

Word selection is a basic consideration. Feature writers should use the right words but not too many of them. Words should be concise, while meaningful. Besides using correct grammar, feature writing should include active verbs rather than be cluttered with adjectives and adverbs. Sentences shouldn't be too long.
Style is another basic consideration. Just as physical appearance, different publications have different styles. Before writing for publications, feature writers should thoroughly study the style manuals.

Tips

Don't share too much information in the lead. Just reveal enough to whet readers' appetites so they'll want to continue and finish the feature.
Use the active (rather than passive) voice. Remember that it's people that do things when using the active voice. For example, rather than write, "The record was broken by the team", write, "The team broke the record."

Warning

Feature writing should never contain plagiarism, which is the use of someone else's ideas or words without noting proper sources. To make sure writing is free of plagiarism, run your text through a reputable plagiarism checker such as articlechecker.com.

Resources

• Parts of a Feature Story
• Writing Features
• Article Checker