1. Rida Munir Butt
Saba Ijaz
Misbah Bahadur
centreformediaandcommunicationstudies
universityofGujrat

2. Definition:
“A special article in a newspaper, magazine
or a part of television, radio broadcast that
deals with
a particular subject”.

3. What is Feature?
A feature is a creative, sometimes
subjective article, designed
primarily to entertain and to inform
readers about an event, situation,
and any aspect of life.

4. Elements of above statement
• Creativity:
• Subjectivity:
• Entertainment
• Informative
• Imperishable

5. So feature stories are:
• Feature stories are popular content
elements of newspapers, magazines,
blogs, websites, newsletter, TV
broadcast and other media.

6. • Feature stories are journalistic
researched, description, colorful,
thoughtful reflective through about
original ideas.

9. • Are factual and require reporting
• May or may not be timely.
• The form and style must be according to
the contents and purpose
• Have novelty leads

10. • Mention keynotes in the opening
sentences
• Feature stories cover topic in-depth
• doesn’t mean to report recent breaking
news
• Features are generally longer
• penetrates deeper in the subject.

11. Feature Writing
• Does not have to be written in the
inverted pyramid format
• Written to hook the reader and draw
them into the story

14. • Human interest story:
• Personal experience feature:
• Character Sketch or Profile:
• Service feature or “how to”:
• Historical Features:

15. • Behind the scenes:
• Seasonal Themes:
• Developmental feature:
• Featurettes
• Travel stories

19. • Features are not only
restricted to print media
• There are also found audio
and video features

20. Sources of feature
• Personalities
• Commemorations

21. • Social and cultural sources
• Science and technology

22. • History
• Psychological factors
• Investigative stories
• Policies
• Electronic
• Social subjects

23. • Expositional and
instructional

25. ….
• Efficiently composed information
• Fact based
• Keen observation and interest
• Consider the demand of reader
• Entertain and inform as well
• Written off-the-cuff
• Divergence
• Human interest

26. • Lead must be impressive
• Positive approach
• Critical view of topic
• Form and content must be suitable to
topic
• Literary touch
• Style
• Defined conclusion
• Be visual

27. • Brainstorm idea
• What’s the purpose?
• Research the topic.
• Grab the reader’s attention
• Keep that attention
• Leave an impression.

28. • Topic
• Who are your readers?
• What do your readers already know?
• What do your readers need to know?
• Write a theme for your story.

29. Choosing the Theme
• Has the story been done before?
• Is the story of interest to the audience?
• Does the story have holding power
(emotional appeal)?
• What makes the story worthy of being
reported?
• The theme answers the question, "So
what?"

30. • The “So What” paragraph
• Usually in the third or fourth paragraph
• Explains the reason the story is being
written

31. Writing the Lead
• A summary may not be the best lead
• A lead block of one or two paragraphs often begins a
feature
• Rather than put the news elements of the story in the
lead, the feature writer uses the first two or three
paragraphs to set a mood, to arouse readers, to
invite them inside

32. Body of the Feature
• Provides vital information while it
educates, entertains, and emotionally
ties an audience to the subject
• Important components include:
– Background information
– The “thread” of the story
– Dialogue
– Voice

33. Background Information
• A paragraph or two of background
should be placed high in the story to
bring the audience up to date

34. Background Information
• A paragraph or two of background
should be placed high in the story to
bring the audience up to date

35. The “Thread” of the
Story
• Connect the beginning, body and conclusion of the
story
• Because a feature generally runs longer than a news
story, it is effective to weave a thread throughout the
story, which connects the lead to the body and to the
conclusion
• This thread can be a single person, an event or a
thing, and it usually highlights the theme

36. Dialogue
• May be used to keep a story moving
• In feature reporting, it must be accurate
• Can give readers strong mental images
and keep them attached to the writing
and to the story’s key players

37. Establish A Voice
• The "signature" or personal style of
each writer
• Voice is the personality of the writer and
can be used to inject color, tone, and
subtle emotional commentary into the
story.
• Voice should be used subtly

38. Wrapping it Up
• The ending will wrap up the story and
come back to the lead, often with a
quotation or a surprising climax.
• Often, a feature ends where the lead
started, with a single person or event.

39. •Writing is a process
•Writing requires discipline
• writing is building
Finally … sit down and
write……….   

40. That’s what all we have …….
03/11/2012 Feature writing