This document provides guidance on writing sports feature stories. It discusses that feature stories have high entertainment value while also potentially being serious. They allow flexibility in approach and varied writing styles. Feature stories can be timely and tied to an event or timeless. When finding feature story ideas, journalists should look at the people behind the news, describe past events, check publicity materials, and pay attention to what's happening. When writing features, journalists should include people, tell stories, help readers experience it themselves, and take chances with their writing. Common types of features include personality profiles, human interest stories, follow-up stories, color stories, news features, and seasonal or anniversary stories.

1. Sports Feature Stories
COMM 425 Sports Reporting

2. What’s a feature story like?
• High entertainment value – but can also be
serious
• Flexibility in approach
• More varied writing style
• Can be either timely – tied to an event – or
timeless

3. Where do you find features?
• “The people behind the news”
• Describing what something was like
• Look at publicity materials, other publications
• Just pay attention to what’s happening around
you

4. Writing the feature story
• Get PEOPLE into the story
• Tell stories
• Try to get readers to see or hear/experience
for themselves
• Take some chances!

5. Types of feature stories
• Personality profile
• Human interest story
– People overcoming adversity
– “Ordinary” people in extraordinary circumstances
• Advances and follow-ups
• Color story
• News feature
• Seasonal or anniversary story