WRITING A FEATURE I E-Learning Series I JERIC CABUG

Jeric Cabug

3 Jan 202117:13

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis comprehensive guide to feature writing in campus journalism offers a deep dive into the art of crafting engaging stories that resonate with human interest. Emphasizing the importance of factual, entertaining, and emotionally appealing content, it outlines the key qualities of an effective feature writer and the various types of feature stories, such as news features, personal experiences, and human interest stories. Through a detailed discussion on organizing ideas and structuring articles, the guide provides valuable insights into creating memorable features that appeal to the soul, enriching the journalistic landscape with stories that inform, entertain, and inspire.

Takeaways

📚 Feature writing is a form of journalism that focuses on human interest, appealing to readers through emotion, atmosphere, and in-depth analysis, rather than just presenting hard news.
📈 The essence of feature writing lies in its ability to treasure stories for their timeless value, often referred to as the 'jewel' of a newspaper.
📖 Features are factual and aim to entertain, appeal to emotions, and uncover the unusual, making them distinct from hard news, opinions, and fictional stories.
🔎 An effective feature writer is inquisitive, eager to learn, empathetic, and capable of looking beneath the surface of events to uncover deeper truths.
📰 News features, informative pieces, 'how-to' guides, personality sketches, and personal experience stories are among the most common types of feature stories.
📝 Organizing a feature article involves capturing the reader's interest ('Tease me'), clearly conveying the story ('Tell me'), presenting evidence ('Prove it'), and making the story memorable ('Help me remember it').
🚨 The introduction of a feature should grab the reader's attention with something dramatic or descriptive, setting the tone for the rest of the article.
📄 The body of a feature article includes a smooth flow of facts and ideas, leading up to a climax that paints a vivid picture of the subject or event.
📗 The conclusion of a feature should be strong, often looping back to the beginning of the article to remind readers how the story started, making it memorable.
💡 To engage readers, writers should know their audience, set clear goals, make their stories relatable, include vivid anecdotes, and avoid overly complex language.

Q & A

What is the primary appeal of feature writing in journalism?
-The primary appeal of feature writing in journalism lies in its focus on human interest, which allows readers to relate to the stories on a personal level.
What distinguishes feature articles from other types of journalism?
-Feature articles are distinguished by their focus on adding human elements to the news, incorporating mood, atmosphere, emotion, and personal stories, rather than just presenting hard news or opinions.
How should feature writers approach the truthfulness of their stories?
-Feature writers should ensure their stories are factual and not fictitious, focusing on real events, people, and facts rather than baseless stories or fiction.
Can you list some types of feature stories mentioned in the script?
-Types of feature stories include news features, informative features, service (how-to) features, personality sketches, personal experience stories, travelogues, humorous features, developmental features, and human interest stories.
What qualities are essential for an effective feature writer?
-An effective feature writer should be inquisitive, eager to learn, sympathetic towards others' feelings, and capable of seeing beneath the surface of ordinary events.
How should ideas be organized when writing a feature story?
-Ideas in a feature story should follow the laws of progressive reader involvement: tease the reader, tell them the story, provide proof and evidence, and help them remember the story.
What are the key components of a feature article's structure?
-The key components include an attention-grabbing introduction, a fully organized body (rising action), a climax that draws a picture of the subject, a falling action that gently concludes the story, and a strong conclusion or coda.
What techniques can be used to make a feature article interesting?
-Techniques include writing a compelling lead, using descriptive scenes, including interesting quotes and anecdotes, providing background information, and ending with a memorable conclusion.
What responsibility does the lead of a feature article have?
-The lead must set the tone for the article, get the story underway, bridge the article from start to finish, and be engaging enough to draw readers in.
How can writers keep their readers interested in their feature stories?
-Writers can keep readers interested by knowing their audience, having a clear end goal, explaining why the story matters, anticipating questions, writing concisely, and using relevant anecdotes, quotes, and vivid descriptions.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Introduction to Feature Writing

The first section introduces the concept of feature writing in journalism, emphasizing its human interest aspect that differentiates it from hard news or editorials. Feature writing is described as the 'jewel of the newspaper' due to its timeless value, focusing on stories that appeal to emotions and provide depth beyond the surface news. Key characteristics of feature writing are outlined using the acronym FEATURE, which stands for Factual, Entertaining, Appealing, Timely/Not Timely, Unusual, Reader-Oriented, and Explanatory. The qualities of an effective feature writer are also discussed, highlighting the importance of being inquisitive, eager to learn, sympathetic, and capable of seeing beneath the surface. Various types of feature stories are introduced, including news features, informative features, and personality sketches, each serving a unique purpose and engaging readers in different ways.

05:00

🔍 Crafting Engaging News Features

This section delves into the specifics of creating engaging news features, starting with the importance of including factual information, such as arrest statistics or treatment numbers, to provide a human face to crime statistics. It explains the various types of feature stories, such as informative features, how-to articles, personality sketches, personal experience stories, travel stories, humorous features, developmental features, and human interest stories. Each type serves a unique purpose, from providing practical advice to showcasing personal triumphs or challenges. The segment underscores the power of feature stories to bring issues to life, engage readers emotionally, and offer in-depth perspectives on everyday experiences or significant events.

10:01

📊 Structuring Features for Impact

The third section offers a comprehensive guide on organizing ideas and structuring feature stories for maximum impact. It introduces the 'laws of progressive reader involvement' as a strategy for writing effective news features, comprising four key stages: Tease Me, Tell Me, Prove It, and Help Me Remember It. This approach aims to capture readers' interest, provide them with valuable information, present evidence to support the story, and leave a lasting impression. Additionally, the segment outlines the essential parts of a feature story, including the introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. Each part plays a crucial role in engaging the reader, building the narrative, and ensuring the story is memorable. The importance of crafting a compelling lead, incorporating vivid descriptions, using quotes, and providing background information is also emphasized.

15:03

✍️ Mastering Feature Writing

The final segment focuses on refining feature writing skills and engaging readers effectively. It offers practical tips on understanding the target audience, defining the article's purpose, explaining the relevance of the topic, anticipating readers' questions, and writing concisely. The use of anecdotes, quotations, and imagery is encouraged to add depth and emotion to the story, making ideas concrete and relatable. Avoiding complex language and keeping paragraphs short are advised to maintain reader engagement. The segment concludes with a motivational message to aspiring writers, encouraging them to write, explore, and continuously improve their craft. A reminder of the power of words and the impact of storytelling is provided, along with an invitation to follow the series for more insights into campus journalism.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Feature Writing

Feature writing is a type of writing that focuses on a specific 'human interest' topic, aiming to engage readers through storytelling and emotional appeal. It differs from hard news or editorials, providing a more in-depth look at subjects, often incorporating color, mood, and atmosphere. In the script, feature writing is described as the 'jewel' of a newspaper, meant to add human elements to the news rather than deliver news itself.

💡Human Interest

Human interest refers to the emotional or personal aspects of a story that can captivate an audience. It is the mysterious ingredient in feature writing that makes it relatable and appealing. This concept is central to the video's theme, as it is the driving force behind the creation of feature articles that aim to connect with readers on a deeper level.

💡Factual

Factual in the context of feature writing means that the content presented is based on reality and truth, rather than fiction or fabrication. It is essential for maintaining credibility and trust with the readers. Factual writing ensures that the stories, while engaging and emotionally resonant, are grounded in actual events and accurate information.

💡Entertainment

Entertainment in feature writing refers to the use of engaging elements such as humor, incisive commentary, or compelling narratives to captivate the audience's attention. It is a way to make the content enjoyable while still providing valuable information, which is a key aspect of the script's discussion on effective feature writing.

💡Emotions

Emotions play a significant role in feature writing as they help to create a connection between the reader and the story. By appealing to the reader's feelings, feature articles can evoke empathy, sadness, joy, or other emotions, making the narrative more impactful and memorable. This emotional engagement is a central theme in the video, as it is what differentiates feature writing from other forms of journalism.

💡Timeliness

Timeliness refers to the relevance of a story to current events or issues. In feature writing, timeliness can enhance the interest and urgency of a story, making it more appealing to readers. However, the script also notes that feature articles can be either timely or not, indicating that they can also focus on evergreen topics that retain interest over time.

💡Unusual

Unusual in the context of feature writing signifies the inclusion of unique, rare, or unexpected elements that pique the reader's curiosity. This approach sets feature articles apart from routine news by offering insights into less-known or hidden aspects of a subject, thereby attracting and retaining the reader's interest.

💡Explanation

Explanation in feature writing involves providing clear, detailed information that helps readers understand the context, significance, and implications of the story. It is a key component in feature articles as it allows readers to grasp complex ideas or issues, often by extrapolating or extending known information.

💡Personality Sketch

A personality sketch in feature writing is a type of story that focuses on an individual's character, achievements, or experiences. It can be about someone famous or an ordinary person with an extraordinary story. The goal is to present a detailed and engaging portrait that highlights the person's traits and actions in a way that resonates with readers.

💡Personal Experience

Personal experience in feature writing refers to the inclusion of the writer's own encounters or observations to provide a first-hand account or perspective on a story. This approach adds authenticity and depth, allowing readers to connect with the narrative on a more personal level.

💡Organization of Ideas

Organization of ideas in feature writing is the process of structuring the content in a logical and coherent manner to guide the reader through the narrative. This involves creating a compelling beginning, developing the story with a smooth flow of facts or ideas, and concluding in a way that leaves a lasting impression.

Highlights

Feature writing is based on the mysterious ingredient of human interest, appealing to our ability to relate to the content.

Feature articles are likened to the jewel or gem of a newspaper, treasured for their depth and insight beyond hard news.

The primary purpose of feature writing is to add human elements to the news, providing color and emotion to the facts.

Feature writing answers the questions 'why' and 'how', providing an in-depth look at what's behind the news.

Feature stories are factual, not fictitious, focusing on real events and history.

Entertainment is a key component of feature writing, as it aims to appeal to humor and senses.

Feature writing should be emotionally appealing, allowing readers to relate to or feel the story.

The timeliness of feature articles can vary, but they always aim to maintain public interest.

Unusual or reader-oriented subjects are often the focus of feature writing, revealing hidden stories and potential.

Explanation is a crucial part of feature writing, extrapolating or extending known information.

Feature writers must be inquisitive, eager to learn, sympathetic, and capable of seeing beneath the surface of ordinary events.

News features provide a deeper look into news events, offering background information and related details.

Informative features combine high information content with entertainment, often based on interviews or research.

Service features, or 'how-to' articles, provide instructive content to help readers with everyday tasks.

Personality sketches and personal experiences are feature story types that focus on individuals and their stories.

Humorous and developmental features cater to different audiences, with the former using wit and the latter highlighting new projects.

Human interest stories are designed to appeal to emotions, often without significant news value but with a compelling narrative.

The organization of ideas in feature writing follows the law of progressive reader involvement, starting with a teaser and building up to the conclusion.

A strong introduction with an eye-catching lead is essential for drawing readers' attention and setting the tone for the rest of the article.

The key ingredients for a terrific feature story include a great lead, description, quotes, anecdotes, and solid background information.

The structure of a feature article consists of rising action, climax, falling action, and a conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

To engage readers, writers should know their audience, have a clear end goal, explain why the reader should care, and anticipate questions.

Tips for getting people interested in your writing include writing tightly, using relevant anecdotes, making ideas concrete, and avoiding high-brow language.

Transcripts

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