Exeter Observer - Feature writing

A guide to help potential contributors develop their skills.

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Feature development

Feature writing encompasses a much wider range of possibilities than news reporting and is much more difficult to do well. It is a skill built on learning to write news reports well.

Feature formats cover just about everything other than news reports. This includes news features, analysis, briefing, comment, editorial, leader, opinion, profile, interview, report, preview, review, long read etc.

A typical feature development process might be:

Idea (keep it manageable!)
Brief
Research (less required for shorter pieces)
Interviews (may not be needed for shorter pieces - depends on format etc.)
Plan
Write.

Feature briefs

A feature brief should capture a story’s key elements:

Headline
Standfirst
Lead
Nutgraf
Angle
Scope/limits
Key questions to answer
Required research/information
Research resources
Sources (direct/indirect)
Required multimedia collateral
Any additional elements.

Feature plans

A feature plan should lay out a story’s outline structure.

There are as many possible feature structures as there are topics, so simplifying prescriptions have limited value, but one attempt follows:

Intro/hook options:
- statement - relies on impact via colour, contrast, surprise
- anecdote - relies on compelling narrative
- description - relies on vivid scene-setting
- question - relies on intriguing reader and/or making them think
- quote - can be very effective if done well (use reported speech to avoid typographic problems).
Link = background/context so nub makes sense (only where needed).
Nub aka “dear reader” = gist so reader knows exactly what feature is about.
Body/content component options:
- colour
- information
- description
- advice
- anecdotes
- quotes
- comment
- analysis
- statistics
- detail
- case histories.
Wrap.

Additional elements may include infoboxes, tweets, pullquotes and accompanying visual collateral inc. photos, video and infographics.

NB sometimes feature research and/or interviews produce too much material for a single article, in which case they might provide a basis to produce two or even three.

Further feature guidelines (for more experienced writers)

Focus - know what your story is about and understand why you are writing it:

helps writers find the significance in their stories, the message that they want to convey to their audience, their reason for writing
helps readers understand the purpose of the writing - readers want to learn something new, to be surprised, to gain a new insight on an old idea, to view something from a new perspective or angle.

Organisation - the structure built on the foundation of focus to support the logical progression of ideas:

provides framework to help readers fulfil their expectations for the text
makes it easier for readers to follow writing, rather than leading them through a maze of confusion and confounded or unmet expectations.

Cohesion - the glue that holds the structure together - transition words showing the relationship between different sentences and ideas:

spatial - above, below, beside, nearby, beyond, inside, outside
temporal - before, after, first, next, then, when, finally, while, as, during, earlier, later, meanwhile
numerical - first, second, also, finally, in addition, equally important, more or less importantly
cause/effect - because, since, for, so, as a result, consequently, thus, hence
comparison/contrast - also, additionally, just as, as if, as though, like (similarities) but, yet, only, although, whereas, in contrast, conversely, however, on the other hand, rather, instead, in spite of, nevertheless (differences)
general/specific - for example, such as, like, namely, for instance, that is, in fact, in other words, indeed.

Support and elaboration - specific details and relevant information used to develop topics or construct mental images, should be:

sufficient for purpose
credible and accurate
relevant to purpose
strengthen achievement of purpose.

Opinion/comment pieces:

have something important to say
develop a convincing argument
are able to stand up to informed criticism
have a particular voice and personal style
are built on careful reporting, analysis and assessment
present new insights in a lively, even controversial, manner
stimulate readers to think and see a subject from a different angle
show rather than tell
use examples and stories rather than confront the reader with bare opinions
can be formal or informal.

Features:

evoke
tell a story
inform, entertain and persuade
contain strong, colourful images
explore issues, opinions, experiences, ideas
locate the reader at the heart of the story, as if the reader were looking through the writer’s eyes
contain depth of character and/or issues, offering background information about subject
provide the reader with an understanding of the writer’s attitude toward subject matter with the careful use of tone
provide a forum for ideas, attitudes, reasons and feelings about subject
contain objective material but often appeal to emotions.

Title:

highlights main idea
encourages reader to read.

Lead:

outlines subject/theme
usually two or three sentences long
first 5-10 words determine whether the lead will get attention
should include who? what? where? when? why? and how?
attracts the reader, reveals the central idea, leads the reader into the story
grabs the reader’s attention, lets them know straightaway why they should read this story, explains exactly the importance of the piece
may provoke the reader’s interest by making an unusual statement
may invite the reader to take sides by making a controversial statement
may heighten the drama of an event or incident to intensify its appeal
creates a relationship between the writer and the reader
orients the reader to the purpose of the writing by introducing topic, thesis or argument
establishes the writer’s tone, sets up expectations for purpose, style, and mood
can be kept spare by including only absolutely essential information at the top then folding in other key details in the following few paragraphs
provides any necessary background information.

Feature leads:

capture the mood
create an image and appeal to the imagination
instantly transport the reader to the location/heart of the story.

Lead types:

summary - summarise the main facts of the story and pack as much information as possible - usually used for news analysis
anecdotal - use a story or some colour to interest the reader and capture the mood of the story - common in features
delayed - try to entice the reader without giving too much of the story away
descriptive - focus on what it feels like to be at an event by highlighting sights, sounds, textures, tastes and smells to evoke clear images in the mind of the reader
direct address - engage reader immediately by asking direct question or to imagine something in particular, as though direct response expected
teaser - provocative, challenging statement to produce strong response in reader and involve them by building suspense before revealing story focus
narrative - short story, often from writer’s experience, often descriptive but also setting scene with characters and dialogue (like short play)
quotation - relevant, compelling direct quotation introducing article theme.

Lead emphasis - which is the most important W?

the who lead draws the attention of the reader to a high-profile name
the what lead is a better option when the situation is more important than the personalities
the when lead is used on rare occasions, when the time of the event is the most important point
the where lead focuses our attention on the place about to be discussed
the why lead is used in cases where the motive or cause of the event is the most important aspect of the story.

Body:

all material should be unified and belong to the same theme
though a feature might not be as rigid as a news piece, the structure still needs to be disciplined
a picture is being drawn: any information which isn’t relevant is going to lose the reader
avoid duplication/repetition, long quotes, non-sequiturs.

Overall structure:

can be chronological or develop by theme
when in doubt, use chronology: time is often the best engine for your narrative
can be sequence, description, cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution
needn’t be completely linear
e.g. follow lead with 4/5 paragraph summary of entire piece then continue with deeper, more detailed material
e.g. use “summary break” paragraphs to summarise preceding 5/6 paragraphs and create minor tangent effect, writer having taken reader elsewhere briefly.

Body components:

facts and statistics
personal viewpoints
opinions from authorities and experts
quotes and interviews
anecdotes and stories
specific names, places and dates
photographs, tables, diagrams and graphs.

Conclusion:

ending should give a sense of finality, resolution: all loose ends need to be wrapped up
usually connects with an idea that has been developed in the lead
usually returns to the beginning to remind reader of main idea, why story is important and give feeling of closure
use conclusion to leave reader with one single significant thought and impression: this is your chance to leave a lasting impression
maybe include juicy quote, revealing anecdote, amazing fact, clever pun (!)
strongest words last
never a summary
may suggest an appropriate course of action
may encourage a change of attitude or opinion
may be explicit, didactic, dramatic.

Style:

maintain tone appropriate to context and audience
use informal, colloquial language and first person narrative to create personal tone
use third person narrative mixed with first person comment
use second person to involve reader by addressing them directly
use relevant specialist terms to add authenticity to information and opinions
use anecdotes to help maintain reader interest
use facts to validate writer’s viewpoints
use rhetorical questions to involve the reader
use emotive words to evoke a personal response in the reader
use images and description to engage the reader’s imagination
use direct quotes to personalise topic
choose concise and precise words
weed out unnecessary/extraneous/redundant words
choose the exact word to convey meaning and make vague words more specific
use precise words to help the reader visualise the sentence e.g. active verbs, concrete nouns, specific adjectives
use adjectives sparingly and adverbs rarely, letting nouns and verbs do the work
choose words that contribute to the flow of a sentence e.g. polysyllabic words, alliteration and consonance vs onomatopoeia and short, staccato words
use parallel structures within sentences and paragraphs to reflect parallel ideas
vary sentence length, structure and rhythm to avoid monotony
arrange ideas within a sentence for greatest effect
avoid loose sentences
use subordinate clauses and phrases
use short paragraphs (max three sentences) containing single idea
use transitions judiciously.

Checklist:

is the overall purpose and audience clear?
is the content adequate for the purpose?
is the idea clear and compelling?
does the form (structure and language) match the idea and the content and pass the readability test for interest, directness, pace and linkage?