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Writing

the feature
story
Madz Quiamco
AIJC

madz quiamco
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What is a feature story?
 a creative, sometimes subjective article
designed to describe/discuss in depth

- an event or process

- a concept or concrete object

- a situation

- a person or group

 “anything that isn’t a news story. “


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What are its characteristics?
 often not perishable
 no established length
 allows for techniques banned from news
writing
 may or may not have news value
(news feature or H.I.)
 allows writer to describe emotions,
impressions, people, events, experiences

madz quiamco
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What are its general
classifications?
 Descriptive feature — builds a mental picture of a
place, an event, a situation, a way of life, a
noteworthy activity, or a wrong being perpetuated.

Elements:

 focus on distinctive characteristics

 careful phrasing

 a viewing experience
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General classifications
 Personality profile — woven around an
interesting character: his/her outstanding deeds,
experiences, past trials and how he/she
overcame them, ideas, feelings, concerns,
hopes, etc.

• a.k.a. character sketch


• subject: a person you have met
• used to make a heavy topic come alive
• may be written in the third person, Q & A,
or first person

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General classifications
Elements of the personality profile:
 What the subject says
 What the subject does
 Description of the subject
 History of the subject
 What others think and say about the subject

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General classifications
 Personal experience — first-person account of
a unique, thrilling, or highly interesting
experience, or one with which readers can
identify

Elements:
 Sharing an experience
 Unrelenting focus
 Realistic presentation using a personal,
intimate tone

madz quiamco
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General classifications
 Informative — shares with the readers behind-
the-scene information that adds to their
knowledge about an activity or process; should
move reader to say: “I didn’t know that!”

Elements:
 Unearthing the facts — includes “translating”
scholarly or technical material
 “Dressing up” the facts — presenting facts in
an interesting, pleasing manner.

madz quiamco
writing features may 05
General classifications
 Narrative — factual short stories that hold
interest by the unfolding of events; may or may
not be personal experiences.

Elements:
 To instruct, guide, and entertain readers
 Told chronologically from start to finish
 Uses essential devices of the short story:
conversation, rapid action, vivid description,
thrilling adventure, suspense.
 Does not use fictitious or exaggerated details
 Writer is not an essentially visible component
of narrative
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General classifications
 How-to (Utility) — explains steps or
procedures, or lists different ways or methods;
contains know-how that is useful or beneficial to
readers

Guide questions:
• Is the idea new?
• If not, how can it be written to benefit a certain
group of readers?
• Is the idea practicable, and will it yield the
expected results?
• Will it interest a sufficient number of readers?
madz quiamco
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General classifications
 Analysis — an article that answers the question
“What’s it all about?”; interprets the news for
readers. Many columns come under this class of
writing.

Characteristics:
• derived from prosaic facts, providing
- background information imaginatively presented
- interpretation from a new or unusual perspective
• requires generous use of facts and figures
• needs firsthand reporting (e.g., of interviews)
• needs intimate knowledge of subject matter
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General classifications
Elements:
 Dissection — pointing out components, value
 Anticipating arguments and questions
 Clear, cohesive writing

madz quiamco
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General classifications
 Review and critique — an article that analyzes
and gives an opinion about artifacts: artwork
and art exhibits, books, movies, plays, concerts,
etc.; written by someone with meticulous
knowledge and expertise on the subject

Elements:
 Dissection
 Anticipating arguments and questions
 Clear, cohesive writing
 Competent, fair, and courageous expression of
opinion or judgment
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