TIPS FOR WRITING FEATURES

A feature article is an article that is about "softer" news. A feature may be a profile of a person
who does a lot of volunteer work in the community or a preview of a movie about to hit the
theaters. Like news writing, strong feature writing is simple, clear and orderly. But, unlike news
stories, feature stories don't have to be written about events that just happened. Instead, they
focus on human interest, mood, atmosphere, emotion, irony and humor. Here are some steps to
follow to help you write a good feature story:

1.

Get the reader's attention quickly.

o

2.

Organize your story carefully.

o

3.

Feature stories can be told in narrative fashion or by sliding from event

to event even though not in chronological order. Use careful transitions to
maintain the flow of the story if you're not going to follow chronological
order.

Use short paragraphs and vary the lengths of sentences for

effect.
o

4.

Start with a well thought-out first paragraph touching on some aspect

of the person's life that you are writing about or the event if it is not a
person.
Good feature stories have a beginning that draws in readers, a
transition that might repeat it in the middle and an ending that refers to the
beginning.

Reading sentences and paragraphs that are always the same length
gets boring.

Write with strong verbs and nouns, but go easy on adjectives.

Try to draw a picture of your subject or event through your writing.

Read the sentences below and think about which paints a better picture for
your reader:
The man was tall.
The man's head almost brushed against the eight foot ceiling in the room. The
ship sank in 1900.
The ship sank just as the first intercontinental railroad was nearing completion.
o

5.

Don't be afraid to use offbeat quotes.

6.

Not profanity, but rather witty things the person may say in response
to a question about their success, life or family.

Write tightly.
o

You do not need to tell the reader everything you know on a subject or
event. Tell only the most important things. It's better to write shorter than
longer. A good feature can be done in 500-750 words.

Writing Feature Stories

The best way to learn how to write a persuasive press release for a feature story is to read a
lot of feature stories. Find feature stories written by the reporter to whom you plan on
sending the press release. Try to tailor your information and writing style to the individual
reporter. This will not work for every press release you write, especially if you are sending
them to different places, but the strategy can work as a guide for your first feature press
release.

In a feature story, just as in a news story, place the most important points in the first few
paragraphs. Don't keep your audience guessing about your reason for writing. After you make
your point, you may want to provide more background information. Or, you may prefer to
outline the background in order to better illustrate your point. Feature stories often conclude
in a circular way that refers back to the lead sentence, so use your conclusion to tie up any
loose ends.

Each story will differ, so try writing several press releases emphasizing different points. Then,
choose the press release that best conveys your message.

You have much more freedom in pitching feature stories than you do in news press releases.
Be creative and don t be afraid to try new styles of writing. Have a colleague read and
evaluate your press release, and give you feedback.

Finally, edit, edit, edit. Then, spell check.

Notes on Quotations: In feature stories, use quotations to humanize your subjects. By

presenting the story in their own words, you can better reflect your subjects. Try to find
memorable quotes that will move or surprise the reader. By showing the reporter the depth of
feeling inherent to the subject, you increase the likelihood that they will cover your
suggestion.

Examples of Feature Stories

Example #1
The flames grew higher and threw orange and black shadows on the walls. Outside, the frigid
wind brushed against the old house and entered through tiny passageways under the doors
and around the windows. The battle between fire and ice raged on in the dwelling, with only
an eighty-year old woman for witness and referee.

Bernadette Coddel is a retired postal worker who now stays up nights trying to control the
temperature in her old home. Most nights, she says, she can t sleep because she has to tend
to the wood stove in the middle of her living room. The stove is her only source of heat.

"There are some nights when I wake up and I think my feet about to freeze off," Coddell said.
"And so I sit in my chair, up real close to the flame, but then I get too hot. I just can't get
comfortable in this house."

Coddell and several others senior citizens in the Chicagoland area are about to get their
homes weatherized under a federal program that has been doing so since 1976.

[Continue story with details about Weatherization...use an individual story to illustrate

national trends and the overall effects of the Program]

Example #2
At a Parent-Teacher conference last spring, Carolyn Dunhearst learned that her daughter's
performance in school was on the decline. Twelve year-old Katie just wasn t the same
energetic seventh grader who had started the year at Lincoln Elementary. After the
conference, Dunhearst thought about the teacher's comments and Katie's recent new and
mysterious fatigue. She realized that ever since they had purchased their first home and
moved out of the old apartment, the whole family had been feeling sluggish. Concerned, she
decided to investigate.

Acting on advice from a neighbor, Dunhearst contacted Peggy Miles, director of the Lincoln
Area Housing Association, which administers the federal Weatherization Assistance Program.
When Weatherization auditors visited the Dunhearst s home, they discovered dangerous levels
of carbon monoxide leaking from the ancient furnace. The carbon monoxide could have
eventually killed the Dunhearst family in their sleep if it had not been detected.

Through their participation in the program, the Dunhearsts received a new, energy-efficient
furnace and a number of other cost-effective, energy conserving measures. Today, the
Dunhearts sleep comfortably, no longer worrying about the effects of carbon monoxide
poisoning. In addition, their house is warmer and their monthly utility bill has decreased by
30%.

[Continue story with details about Weatherization...use individual story to illustrate national
trends and the overall effects of the Program; include local and national data on carbon
monoxide poisoning]
MICHAEL GRIFFIS MARKETING & COPYWRITING SERVICES
2101 BUNKER LANE EVANSVILLE,IN 47725
PHONE: 812.453.1800 EMAIL: MIKE@GRIFFIS.NET
Page 1 of 2
Falling In Love Is Your First Mistake
It's Often Better to Take a Loss than to Hold a Losing Stock
When you buy a stock, never vow 'til death do us part.
Even successful, well-known buy-and-hold investors like Warren Buffett sell stocks
that
no longer meet their investment criteria. Buffet, for example, sold his stock in US
Airways after it failed to meet his expectations.
Whether you think of yourself as a day trader or a long-term investor, you must
know
when and why you will sell a stock. Regardless of what you've heard, a stock
investment
is not a lifelong commitment.
Your Investments Are Your Inventory
When you invest, it helps to you think of yourself as a retail merchant, and to think
of
your stocks as your inventory. A merchant buys inventory for the sole purpose of
selling
it. As much as she might like her inventory, she doesn't become emotionally
attached to
the merchandise. She won't be choked up when it's time to sell.
Let's use a clothier as an example. As autumn approaches, our clothier buys a large
selection of winter coats. Ideally, she will sell as many of coats as she can before
winter

arrives, because she knows that as winter wears on, she is likely to sell fewer and
fewer
coats.
In fact, she has a problem if she still has winter coats in inventory when spring
arrives.
Those coats are not likely to sell this season. She could decide to hold onto the
coats and
hope they sell next winter, but they might be out of style. Worse, those remaining
coats
take up space and tie up capital that could have been used to purchase spring
merchandise.
"We've got to move these .... refrigerators,
We've got to move these color TVs"
Dire Straits

A better decision would be to sell the coats as quickly as possible, even if it means
selling
below cost. Like most retailers, she will put the coats on sale and mark the price
down
until the coats are sold. Then she can use the proceeds to stock the store with
spring
merchandise.
The merchant cannot afford to fall in love with her winter coats. She needs the
space and
the capital for spring merchandise. MICHAEL GRIFFIS MARKETING & COPYWRITING
SERVICES
2101 BUNKER LANE EVANSVILLE,IN 47725