Feature story

Last updated
Mainstream Newspapers that contribute to both hard and soft news. Both informational and for entertainment purposes. Newspaper Titles.jpg
Mainstream Newspapers that contribute to both hard and soft news. Both informational and for entertainment purposes.

A feature story is a piece of non-fiction writing about news covering a single topic in detail. A feature story is a type of soft news, [1] news primarily focused on entertainment rather than a higher level of professionalism. The main subtypes are the news feature and the human-interest story .

Contents

A feature story is distinguished from other types of non-news by the quality of the writing. Stories should be memorable for their reporting, crafting, creativity, and economy of expression. [2] Unlike news reports that mainly focus in factual evidence, feature stories tend to be subjective. Features vary in style, focus, and structure but overall, maintain an entertaining tone rather than strictly informative.

Style

A feature story differs from straight news reporting. It normally presents newsworthy events and information through a narrative story, complete with a plot and story characters. [3] It differs from a short story primarily in that the content is not fictional. Like literature, the feature story relies upon creativity and subjectivity to make an emotional connection with the readers. It may also highlight some universal aspect of human nature. [3] Unlike straight news, the feature story serves the purpose of entertaining the readers, in addition to informing them. [3] Although truthful and based on good facts, they are less objective than straight news.

Unlike straight news, the subject of a feature story is usually not time sensitive. [3] It generally features good news. [4]

Feature stories are usually written in an active style, with an emphasis on lively, entertaining prose. [3] Some forms, such as a color story, uses description as the main mode. [3]

Published features and news

Feature stories are stories with only one feature, but are creative and true. While the distinction between published features and news is often clear, when approached conceptually there are few hard boundaries between the two. It is quite possible to write a feature story in the style of a news story. Nevertheless, features do tend to take a more narrative approach, perhaps using opening paragraphs as scene-setting narrative hooks instead of the delivery of the most important facts. A feature story can be in a news article, a newspaper, and even online. News stories are more so focuses on facts about and event whereas features stories analyze the significance of an event. [5]

Types

The feature is one of the most wide-ranging categories of journalism appearing in more than just newspaper articles. A feature tells more than just a story. It emphasizes a certain tone, whether that be entertaining, humorous, saddening, serious or light. It involves and engages readers to the creative, subjective, informative, or entering aspects of the article, [6] differing from informative news.

Among sports writers, features tend to be either human-interest stories or personality profiles of sports figures. [7] A profile presents information about a person, but it differs from a biography by focusing on the person's personality or anecdotes, rather than the factual data about birth, education, or major achievements. [8] Features may also cover aspects of business, political matters, media and entertainment, etc. The level of seriousness and characteristics differing it from hard news can range. [9]

Transforming ideas into features

In order to create and write a feature, the idea of the writing can be very individualistic. Ideas are inevitably everywhere and in the surrounding environment you are in right now. Of course, many ideas become overlooked. What someone sees as ordinary or may consider a basic topic, may have potential to becoming a feature story. All of which depends on the lens and viewpoint the writer looks through. Yet, the viewpoint a writer may have does have to be narrowed down, allowing for specification. [10]

Structuring a feature

Characteristics that attribute to feature stories include exploring a topic or issue that is of importance to the writer(s). Features follow the outlines of having a plot, a complication, if any, and a conclusion. [11] Paragraph structures may vary. Unlike a newspaper article that is usually separated in a vertical grid pattern, features are separated into concise short paragraphs. The writer has control to convey their perspective, whether to make it angled in a certain direction or to be unbiased.

It is important to continuously acknowledge that the focus should also revolve around engaging the reader's imagination and portraying an engaging story. [12] Of course, all while allowing the main statement of the feature to be understood.

"Put people into the story, tell a story and let the reader see and hear for him or herself." - Benton Patterson 1986 [13]

The Pavillion describes this structure as a "roller coaster" effect where the reader is purposely prepared for the focus statement and taken along a path describing characteristics, complications/conflicts, and then gently given the resolution with descriptions at the very end . [12]

The intro to the Feature Story will outline the lead/purpose for your article. A statement highlights the focus and the body of the article is a great place to elaborate upon that focus. The body of article can be broken down into smaller sections that allow the readers to identify complications and digest the resolution proposed by the writer. Feature stories end with a conclusion that does not necessarily persuade readers but rather reiterates the focus, giving them the entire experience of growth and gaining new knowledge throughout the entire piece. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gonzo journalism</span> Style of journalism

Gonzo journalism is a style of journalism that is written without claims of objectivity, often including the reporter as part of the story using a first-person narrative. The word "gonzo" is believed to have been first used in 1970 to describe an article about the Kentucky Derby by Hunter S. Thompson, who popularized the style. It is an energetic first-person participatory writing style in which the author is a protagonist, and it draws its power from a combination of social critique and self-satire. It has since been applied to other subjective artistic endeavors.

News style, journalistic style, or news-writing style is the prose style used for news reporting in media, such as newspapers, radio and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inverted pyramid (journalism)</span> Communication of major details before minor details

The inverted pyramid is a metaphor used by journalists and other writers to illustrate how information should be prioritised and structured in prose. It is a common method for writing news stories and has wide adaptability to other kinds of texts, such as blogs, editorial columns and marketing factsheets. It is a way to communicate the basics about a topic in the initial sentences. The inverted pyramid is taught to mass communication and journalism students, and is systematically used in English-language media.

A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a rating to indicate its relative merit.

New Journalism is a style of news writing and journalism, developed in the 1960s and 1970s, that uses literary techniques unconventional at the time. It is characterized by a subjective perspective, a literary style reminiscent of long-form non-fiction. Using extensive imagery, reporters interpolate subjective language within facts whilst immersing themselves in the stories as they reported and wrote them. In traditional journalism, the journalist is "invisible"; facts are meant to be reported objectively.

<i>Chicago Reader</i> Alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago

The Chicago Reader, or Reader, is an American nonprofit alternative newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater. It was founded by a group of friends from Carleton College.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Human-interest story</span> Type of soft news

In journalism, a human-interest story is a feature story that discusses people or pets in an emotional way. It presents people and their problems, concerns, or achievements in a way that brings about interest, sympathy or motivation in the reader or viewer. Human-interest stories are a type of soft news.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Science journalism</span> Journalism genre

Science journalism conveys reporting about science to the public. The field typically involves interactions between scientists, journalists and the public.

Environmental journalism is the collection, verification, production, distribution and exhibition of information regarding current events, trends, and issues associated with the non-human world. To be an environmental journalist, one must have an understanding of scientific language. The individual needs to put to use their knowledge of historical environmental events. One must have the ability to follow environmental policy decisions and environmental organizations. An environmental journalist should have a general understanding of current environmental concerns, and the ability to communicate information to the public in a way that is easily understood.

Narrative Journalism, also referred to as literary journalism, is defined as creative nonfiction that contains accurate, well-researched information. It is related to immersion journalism, where a writer follows a subject or theme for a long period of time and details an individual's experiences from a deeply personal perspective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tabloid journalism</span> Style of largely sensationalist journalism

Tabloid journalism is a popular style of largely sensationalist journalism which takes its name from the tabloid newspaper format: a small-sized newspaper also known as half broadsheet. The size became associated with sensationalism, and tabloid journalism replaced the earlier label of yellow journalism and scandal sheets. Not all newspapers associated with tabloid journalism are tabloid size, and not all tabloid-size newspapers engage in tabloid journalism; in particular, since around the year 2000 many broadsheet newspapers converted to the more compact tabloid format.

Immersion journalism or immersionism is a style of journalism similar to gonzo journalism. In the style, journalists immerse themselves in a situation and with the people involved. The final product tends to focus on the experience, not the writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhetorical modes</span> Major types of writing and speaking

The rhetorical modes are a broad traditional classification of the major kinds of formal and academic writing by their rhetorical (persuasive) purpose: narration, description, exposition, and argumentation. First attempted by Samuel P. Newman in A Practical System of Rhetoric in 1827, the modes of discourse have long influenced US writing instruction and particularly the design of mass-market writing assessments, despite critiques of the explanatory power of these classifications for non-school writing.

A lead paragraph is the opening paragraph of an article, book chapter, or other written work that summarizes its main ideas. Styles vary widely among the different types and genres of publications, from journalistic news-style leads to a more encyclopaedic variety.

Entertainment journalism is any form of journalism that focuses on popular culture and the entertainment business and its products. Like fashion journalism, entertainment journalism covers industry-specific news while targeting general audiences beyond those working in the industry itself. Common forms include lifestyle, television and film, theater, music, video game, and celebrity coverage.

Good Times is a free-circulation weekly newspaper based in Santa Cruz, California. Good Times is distributed in Santa Cruz County, a coastal area that includes Capitola, Rio del Mar, Aptos and Watsonville. It is owned by the Northern California–based Metro Newspapers. Dan Pulcrano is the CEO and executive editor.

Article structures in journalism encompass various formats to present information in news stories and feature articles. These structures reflect not only a writer's deliberate choice but also a response to editorial guidelines or the inherent demands of the story itself. While some writers may not consciously adhere to these structures, they often find them retrospectively aligned with their writing process. Conversely, others might consciously adopt a style as their story develops or adhere to predefined structures based on publisher guidelines.

In literature, pace or pacing is the speed at which a story is told—not necessarily the speed at which the story takes place. It is an essential element of storytelling that plays a significant role in maintaining reader interest, building tension, and conveying the desired emotional impact. The number of words needed to write about a certain event does not depend upon how much time the event takes to happen; it depends upon how important that moment is to the story. The pace is determined by the length of the scenes, how fast the action moves, and how quickly the reader is provided with information. A well-paced story effectively balances moments of high intensity and slower-paced sections to create a dynamic reading experience. It is also sometimes dictated by the genre of the story: comedies move faster than dramas; action adventures move faster than suspense. A dragging pace is characteristic of many novels turned down by publishers, and of some that find their way into print but not into the hearts and recommendations of readers. Manuscripts that move too slowly usually discourage readers from reading on. Through various editing techniques, such as cutting unnecessary details, rearranging scenes, or suggesting additions, editors assist in maintaining an engaging pace that keeps readers captivated. Yanna Popova and Elena Cuffari elaborate that as editors they, "explore the participatory structure of a narrative through its temporal unfolding and the specific, non-linear nature of the temporal dynamics of interacting with a storytelling agency". Popova and Cuffari make clear that the way an author unfolds a story through structuring that narrative's tale is essential to the way the audience will interpret it.

Beacon or Beacon Reader was an independent web platform to fund journalism projects founded in 2013. It was based in Oakland, California. Hundreds of journalists used the platform to finance their writing and investigations. The organisers worked with newspaper publications to promote the projects, and to help the stories produced reach a wider audience. Beacon announced in an email on October 4, 2016 that they are no longer offering services for journalists or backers, and that on September 12, 2016 all active subscriptions were cancelled and no further contributions could be made.

This glossary of journalism is a list of definitions of terms and concepts used in journalism, its sub-disciplines, and related fields, including news reporting, publishing, broadcast journalism, and various types of journalistic media.

References

  1. Granato, Len (2002). Newspaper Feature Writing. UNSW Press. p. 3. ISBN   9780868404530.
  2. "Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism Guidelines" (PDF). Pulitzer.com. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Garrison, Bruce (4 April 2014). Professional Feature Writing. Routledge. pp. 13–16. ISBN   9781135676773.
  4. Starr, Douglas Perret; Dunsford, Deborah Williams (14 January 2014). Working the Story: A Guide to Reporting and News Writing for Journalists and Public Relations Professionals. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 163. ISBN   9780810889125.
  5. Widenhouse, Kathy (2021-06-08). "News articles vs. Feature Articles: Why You Need to Know the Difference". The Book Mechanic. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  6. Garrison, Bruce (2023-04-04). Professional Feature Writing (6 ed.). New York: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003343400. ISBN   978-1-003-34340-0.
  7. Reinardy, Scott; Wanta, Wayne (24 March 2015). The Essentials of Sports Reporting and Writing. Routledge. p. 281. ISBN   9781317669302.
  8. Reinardy, Scott; Wanta, Wayne (24 March 2015). The Essentials of Sports Reporting and Writing. Routledge. p. 285. ISBN   9781317669302.
  9. "Find Out What a Feature Story Is and How It Differs From Hard News". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  10. Hogarth, Mary (2019-04-09). Writing Feature Articles: Print, Digital and Online (1 ed.). Fifth edition. | London ; New York : Routledge, 2019.: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315298016. ISBN   978-1-315-29801-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  11. Team, Matrix English (2020-07-14). "How To Write An Amazing Feature Article In 5 Steps". Matrix Education. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  12. 1 2 3 "Get Your Story Straight: News vs Feature Article". DINFOS Pavilion. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
  13. Garrison, Bruce (2023-04-04). Professional Feature Writing (6 ed.). New York: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781003343400. ISBN   978-1-003-34340-0.

Further reading