A presentation about feature writing

1. THE ART OF TELLING STORIES
Feature
Writing

2. • Features are told in a less hurried and
generally more creative way than
straight 5W and H news.
• You don’t use the inverted pyramid and
don’t have to start with the most
important details.
• You choose a unique subject, or unique
angle to hook in the reader.
So What is a Feature?

3. • Does your subject qualify for a feature
article?
• Does it fall into one of the following
categories?
• If not, you should revise it now.
Is Your Topic Unique?

4. • Stage 1 (pre-writing) is
complete!
• We used our story journal
and selected a topic or
wrote down a new one that
will be the subject of our first
feature article.
• We have a topic spider with
main subject in the middle
and leg ideas (subtopics).
• On to Stage 2 (drafting).
• Here, we’ll look at what a
feature story is and how to
craft it.

5. • Human Interest Feature
Involves persons rather than things. It’s a story that
will make the reader think AND feel.
• Personality Profile Feature
Develops a total picture of the person. Gets facts
from the person himself. Talks to other people about
the subject. Attempts to reveal personality through
anecdotes. Looks at mannerisms, actions, dress,
experiences.
Types of Features

6. • Interview Feature
Usually done with prominent persons. Can be
either an informational or a personal profile
feature. Informational interviews deal with an
authority whose opinions on certain subjects,
facts about things or comparison are of
significant value. Personality interviews are
interesting because of the individual rather than
the subject matter.
Types of Features

7. • Informational Feature
Of historical, social, practical interest. Basic
purpose is not to entertain but to inform. History
of a subject. How-to features, such as "how to
buy a good phone.”
• Trend Feature
Report on current popular trends.
Types of Features

8. THE ART OF FEATURE WRITING IS TO BE CREATIVE
AND FLEXIBLE WITHIN A DISTINCT STRUCTURE.

9. Feature Structure
Lead
Billboard
Transition/Quote
Body
Conclusion


10. • This is your opening paragraph or two.
• It’s important to set the table and hook in your
readers with creative, descriptive writing.
• Try some of the following creative options …
The Feature Lead

11. 1. Focus on a single person for your lead.
Tell the story through one person’s eyes.
2. Focus on an incident or anecdote.
Describe a specific moment or scene.
Show, don’t tell.
3. Try a startling statement or dialogue or
other devices.
4. Describe a setting as a way of establishing
the theme of a piece
Creative Feature Lead Options

12. • Quotation: begins with an unusually revealing quote.
• “If you never try, you never succeed.” With Mrs. Nelson’s words of
encouragement, nervous students began tryouts for the school play, Our Town.
• One Word: captures the reader in a single word.
• Fire! Chemistry lab partners Jill Nelson and Todd Anderson took the “heat”
when their test tube exploded.
• Contrast: describes two extremes or opposites.
• Night and day. Speech Club members worked ‘round the clock to finish their
Homecoming float.
• Astonisher: begins with an exclamation that catches the reader off guard.
• Nothing is worse than a bad hair day! Especially when it’s time to take your
yearbook picture.
• Punch: features actions or makes a dramatic statement.
• “C’est magnifique!”When the French Club dined at Chez Paul, members
feasted on baguettes and brie!
More Great Feature Leads

13. • Summary: summarizes the most important of the five W’s and H.
• While senior cheerleaders watched from the gym bleachers,
sophomore “wanna-bes” tried out for the squad during the
first week of school.
• Question: leads the readers into the story. Be cautious with this
one. It’s the most abused feature lead, too often leaving readers
with a feeling of “who cares?”
• Why do fools fall in love?
• Sequential: presents the events in the order in which they
happened.
• Painting the town red (and black), basketball fans create pep
signs before the State Championship send-off rally.
• Sights & Sounds: creates a scenario bringing the event to life.
• Steam fogged the windows as the marching band’s bus sped
through the pouring rain carrying them to the Memorial Day
parade.
More Great Feature Leads

14. 1. Gather your thoughts and write 3 different types of
leads for your feature article.
2. If you can’t write them now, write down the 3
different types you plan to write, then write them
later after interviews or research.
3. Select the strongest, hookiest one!
Single Person Incident or Anecdote Startling
statement
Describe a setting Quotation One Word
Contrast Punch Summary
Question Sequential Sights &
Sounds
Feature Lead … Let’s Write It!

15. • With your partner, read each of the student-
written leads on the handout and determine
which you think are the strongest and which
need more work.
• Be prepared to give reasons for your
choices.
• Also, be prepared to suggest how to
improve the leads that you consider weak.
Now, Let’s Critique
Some Feature Leads

16. Back to the Feature Structure
Lead
Billboard
Transition/Quote
Body
Conclusion


17. • After the lead, write the billboard paragraph.
• The billboard is a summary of what the story is
about.
• It’s the 5 Ws and H that you didn’t answer in the lead.
The Billboard

18. He heard the shot and then felt the pain, but only for
a moment. Within seconds, junior Jeb Smith blacked
out and went into shock.
“I don’t remember much of the shooting,” he said. “I
remember it felt like someone punched their fist right
through my face, but then I went black.”
Last summer, Jeb’s five-year-old brother
accidentally shot him in the face with his father’s
loaded 57-magnum. Jeb lost his right eye and part
of his right ear in the accident but suffered no
permanent brain damage.
“I was extremely lucky,” Jeb said. “The doctor said
the bullet missed my brain by an inch. I still have a long
way to go with my reconstructive surgery, but I am just
glad I am alive.”
Sample
Lead
Billboard
Transition/Quote
Body

19. • After the Billboard is the Body of the Story
• Keep related material together and weave your subtopic
(legs) from your topic spider into the story.
• Divide the subtopics into sections (paragraphs).
• Each paragraph tells a different part of the story.
• Between each new section, there must be a transition
sentence that segues from one subtopic to the next.
• Your transition sets up all the information in the next
paragraph and ties it in with what’s already been written.
Transition/Quote Body

20. If you have quotes (sources), try something called the
transition/quote formula …
Transition/Quote Formula
T: Jeb still needs four more surgeries, but none of
them will help him regain his sight.
Q: “I am glad that they are going to make me look
more like my old self,” Jeb said. “But I am upset
about my eye. I wanted to be a pilot and now that
dream is shattered.”
T: Jeb’s said his little brother, Shane, found the
gun in his father dresser bureau on that summer
day.
Q: “I think he was just curious,” Jeb said. “I didn’t
think the gun was loaded so I just told him to put it
away. And then, bam, my life changed forever.”

21. • Once you have used all your information and
included all your subtopics in the body, it’s time for
the conclusion.
• The conclusion brings a sense of finality and
resolution.
• Wrap up loose ends and leave reader with a single, significant
thought.
• End stories in memorable ways.
• Often it’s a good to use a powerful quote. This is called a
clincher.
• Or, tie the ending back to the lead (call-back to earlier in the
story).
• You could also make a statement that looks to the future.
The Conclusion

22. • Read the article “It’s a Fork, It’s a Spoon …”
that is on the cappycreative.com website with
your partner
• Discuss and critique it, then complete the
Response Sheet
• In the future, you will use this Response Sheet when
reviewing articles to tell the writer what to revise for the
next draft.
• Reviewers do not have to agree on all comments, but
all opinions should be included for the writer to
consider later.
Now, Let’s Critique
A Feature Article

23. • Stage 1 (pre-writing) is
complete!
• We used our story journal
and selected a topic or
wrote down a new one that
will be the subject of our first
feature article.
• We have a topic spider with
main subject in the middle
and leg ideas (subtopics).
• On to Stage 2 (drafting).
• Here, we’ll look at what a
feature story is and how to
craft it.