WRITING FEATURE
ARTICLES
Chapter 7
Feature Story:
Its Concepts and
Nature
WHAT IS FEATURE ARTICLE?
It is an interesting article that
focuses on certain people, places,
events or subject matters like career,
relationships, money, health and
lifestyle among others.
According to Okoye (2012), a
Feature Story is an in-depth and
factual write-up on a typical issue
which seeks to give comprehensive
information in a more captivating
and relaxed style than straight news.
Meanwhile, Reuters handbook of
journalism says that a Feature story is "..
an insight into a trend, issue or
personality. It uses specific examples to
illustrate that trend or issue and puts
them in a broad framework that allows
social, economic, corporate and/ or
political implications to shine through
whether sectoral, national and global."
Feature Writing make use of upright
triangle style rather than the inverted
triangle approach. It breaks the box of
rules where news writing is
incarcerated.
Feature Stories are lodged under the
umbrella of journalism, whose
foundations are facts only. It is not an
opinion essays or Editorials and should
not be confused with creative writing
and works of fiction.
Feature Writing is a war of creativity on
the use of Language. It is so stylistic
that it entails a writer's constant
reading and interminable practice.
Characteristics of Feature
Stories
1. Variety of Subject Matter
A feature story can take any topic
under the sun. The kindling of the
reader's interest on such a topic
primarily depends on the Writer's
creativity on using the language.
2. Variety of tones
Since feature stories are meant to
entertain rather than to inform, the
Feature writer may use variety of
dramatic tone, say a creepy story,
exciting narration, suspensive drama,
angry letter, morbid experience and the
like.
3. Variety of Form and Style
Feature Stories may use variety of
form and style depending on the
Writer's judicious judgement to capture
easier the reader's attention. One may
use acrostic or Literary techniques in
crafting stories, as long as the the
content is factual.
4.Well-organized
Feature Stories follows a general
format of having introduction, body and
ending. Its contents should be logically
arranged such that a smooth flow of
ideas is attained.
5. Strikes keynotes in a first sentence
The secret of arousing reader's
attention is to intrigue him at the
beginning. That is why Feature Stories
need to very striking at the first part.
6. May or may not be timely
Unlike news articles, Feature Stories
may skip immediacy because it is up for
the Writer's dexterous use of the
language to make the antiquated
subject rise from the tomb qnd capture
the attentionof the current readers.
FEATURE STORIES FLOURISHES IN:
1. Color
2. Fancy
3. Wit and Humor
4. Anecdotes
5. Quotations
Qualities of a well-written Feature
Story
Well-researched Reflective
Catchy Emotional
Descriptive Engaging
Exciting Neutral
Thorough
Hard News
VS
FEATURE STORY
HARD NEWS
A news story starts with a lead
composed of five W’s and H.
It should be timely and should follow
inverted triangle (most vital information
to least important)
In hard news stories, the reporter makes
the point, sets the tone, and frames the
issue in the first paragraph or two.
A news story focuses on the theme of
the story; it is written in third person.
A news is primarily meant to inform, as
it presents information in short
paragraph (one-sentence paragraph)
It is objective and straight to the point.
FEATURE STORY
A feature story mainly focuses on who,
what and why.
It does not need to be current
Often, it is narrative (beginning, middle
and end) in its approach and can be first
or second point of view.
In a feature story, on the other hand, the
writer has the time and space to develop
the theme, but sometimes postpones the
main point until the end. The whole story
does not have to be encapsulated in the
lead.
Features generally are longer than hard-
news articles because the feature
penetrates deeper into its subject,
expanding on the details rather than trying
to concentrate on a few important key
points.
A feature story is not meant to report the latest
breaking news, but rather an in-depth look at a
subject.
Feature articles range from the news feature
that provides sidebar background to a current
event hard news story, to a relatively timeless
story that has natural human interest.
Features generally are longer than hard-news
articles because the feature penetrates deeper
into its subject, expanding on the details rather
than trying to concentrate on a few important
key points.
