WRITING A FEATURE I E-Learning Series I JERIC CABUG

Summary

This e-learning series on campus journalism delves into feature writing, explaining its importance in journalism through human interest and emotional engagement. It contrasts feature stories with hard news, emphasizing their role in offering deeper insights into events. The video explores various types of feature stories, such as news, informative, and personal experience features, and outlines key qualities and tips for effective feature writing. It highlights the structure of a feature article, from the engaging lead to the conclusion, and offers practical advice for capturing readers' attention and maintaining interest throughout.

Takeaways

• 😀 Feature writing is an umbrella genre of journalism, distinct from hard news and editorials, and focuses on human interest to engage readers.
• 😀 Features are not meant to deliver hard news but add human elements, such as emotion, mood, and atmosphere, to existing stories.
• 😀 The acronym 'FEATURE' stands for factual, entertaining, appealing to emotions, timely, unusual, reader-oriented, and explanatory.
• 😀 An effective feature writer should be inquisitive, eager to learn, sympathetic, and capable of seeing beneath the surface of ordinary events.
• 😀 The major types of feature stories include news features, informative features, service features, personality sketches, personal experiences, travel stories, humorous features, developmental features, and human interest stories.
• 😀 The key to writing a successful feature is to organize ideas using the progressive reader involvement model: tease, tell, prove, and help the reader remember.
• 😀 A strong introduction in feature writing grabs attention and sets the tone for the story, often using dramatic, descriptive elements.
• 😀 The five key ingredients for great feature stories include: a great lead, description, quotes, anecdotes, and background information.
• 😀 Feature writing must follow a structured approach: rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion, all contributing to a cohesive and engaging narrative.
• 😀 To engage readers, know your target audience, explain the benefits of the story, anticipate questions, write concisely, and keep the language simple and relatable.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of a feature article in journalism?

The primary purpose of a feature article is to provide in-depth coverage on a topic with a human interest angle, focusing on emotions, atmosphere, and background rather than just delivering hard news.

What does the acronym 'FEATURE' stand for, and why is it important in feature writing?

The acronym 'FEATURE' stands for Factual, Entertaining, Appealing, Timely, Unusual, Reader-oriented, and Explanation. It helps guide writers in creating engaging and informative feature articles that resonate with readers.

What are the key qualities of an effective feature writer?

Effective feature writers are inquisitive, eager to learn, sympathetic towards others' feelings, and capable of seeing beneath the surface of ordinary events.

What is the difference between a feature article and a news article?

A news article delivers immediate facts and information about current events, while a feature article provides more background, context, and emotional depth, often adding human interest elements to the story.

Can you explain the concept of 'human interest' in feature writing?

'Human interest' refers to the emotional appeal of a story that focuses on people's experiences, feelings, or struggles, making the topic relatable and engaging for readers.

What are some of the different types of feature stories?

Some common types of feature stories include news features, informative features, service features (e.g., 'how-to' articles), personality sketches, personal experience stories, humorous features, developmental features, and human interest stories.

How should a feature article be structured?

A feature article should have an engaging introduction, a rising action that develops the story, a climax that presents the most compelling part, falling action that wraps up the article smoothly, and a conclusion that leaves a memorable impact.

What is the importance of the lead in a feature article?

The lead is crucial because it grabs the reader's attention and sets the tone for the rest of the article. It should be compelling and provide an initial hook to encourage further reading.

What are some strategies to engage readers in feature writing?

To engage readers, writers should know their audience, focus on the emotional appeal of the story, use clear and concise language, anticipate readers' questions, and include anecdotes or imagery to make the content more relatable and vivid.

How can a feature writer make sure their article is interesting and informative?

A feature writer can ensure the article is interesting by using vivid descriptions, relevant anecdotes, interesting quotes, and background information that adds depth to the story. The writer must also focus on providing new insights or perspectives on the topic.