How to Write a Main Feature Story
Feature articles generally take up the central pages of magazines and newspapers, offering an in-depth look at the subject in question. In the sense that there is more space, writing a feature article is easy because you can more fully investigate the topic. The flip side is you have to produce more quality content while keeping the article structured and coherent for a longer time.
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Instructions
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Research the publication and tailor your article to its readership. Relate to the readers and use language familiar to them. If you're writing for your own magazine, think about who is likely to read it and write the article for them. If it helps, make a list of things you can determine about the readership. Look at what sort of advertisements appear in the publication, how much it costs, whether they use long words or technical terms, and read any editorials. The editorials are more subjective than articles, and will provide a clearer picture of the interests and views of the publication.
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Know your subject. If you have an idea for a feature, you should either be a specialist in that field or research it thoroughly. Display your enthusiasm for the topic to engage the reader. If you aren't interested in the topic, the article is likely to come across as flat and boring.
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Keep it light. Facts are important, but this isn't a thesis. You are writing to entertain the reader and keep his attention, not to bombard him with dates and figures.
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Think about structure. For example, if you are writing about the history of rock, don't start with Aerosmith then add an aside reference to rock's roots in blues. Structure the article logically. Start with blues and the roots of rock 'n' roll, move on to Black Sabbath and chronologically forward in that fashion. Another way to organize the information is by sub-genre (metal, punk, classic rock and grunge).
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Your introduction should grab the reader's attention, arouse his interest in the topic and lead him into the rest of your article. Introductions should raise questions and ideas that are investigated or explained within the main body of the article. A reader will determine the tone and content of the article from the introduction, so it's important that yours is strong.
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Weigh up positives and negatives, or compile relevant points in your conclusion. When you start to write the article, it helps to know what you have concluded from your research. Ensure your article leads logically to your conclusion, and that your opinions and supporting facts are consistent.
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References
- Photo Credit writing image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
