How+To+Write+a+Feature+Article

=How to Write a Feature Article=

FEATURE ARTICLES
A feature article is a creative article that deals with real events, issues, and trends. However, unlike straight news articles, it places emphasis on the people involved rather than on the facts of the news. There are seven types of feature articles described on these pages. NOTE: Most feature articles have elements of more than one kind.

THE HUMAN-INTEREST FEATURE
• This is the most common type of feature article. • This type typically reports on someone’s success in spite of great odds. • It may recall a tragic predicament. • It may share a continuing struggle supported only by hope and faith.

THE PERSONALITY FEATURE
• The subject of the article may be famous or not so famous but has done something of interest to others. • This type usually shows how a person gained recognition. • The personality feature is very much like a character sketch.

“THE BEST” ARTICLES
• The Courier-Journal has a column that publishes reviews of the “best” products of all kinds. • This type of article usually includes the writer’s personal experiences with the product. • It includes proof and examples that the product is the best of its kind. • The article includes information about where to get the product and how much it costs. • The article usually has a catchy title.

THE NEWS FEATURE
• This type of article brings a human-interest focus to breaking news. • It adds personal involvement to what may otherwise be a distant, seemingly unimportant event.

THE HOW-TO FEATURE
• This article explains how to do something – usually a complex process that most people would not know how to do. • The best how-to articles begin by telling the reader why it is important or beneficial for him or her to know how to do this. • The article explains the steps of the process in enough detail so that another person can do this process. • This article also includes a list of all of the materials needed to do this process.

THE PAST EVENTS FEATURE
• This article focuses on an historical event or historical celebration. • The article typically includes research but is not like an encyclopedia report. The article serves as a human interest history lesson. • This type of writing is usually puts a “human face” on history. In other words, it lets the reader know something about the people who were part of history.

THE INFORMATIONAL FEATURE
• This type of article shows insightful coverage of a topic. • It gives detailed information focused on one aspect of a given topic. • The article often refers to sources of research but is not like an encyclopedia report. Instead, the writer makes a personal connection to the subject and includes his/her voice.

Various Ways to Include Details in an Article:

 * Anecdotes
 * Examples/Non-examples
 * Vignettes
 * Tables/Graphs/Charts
 * Descriptions
 * Facts
 * Comparison/Contrast
 * Snapshots/Pictures/Drawings
 * Reasons
 * Quotations
 * Flashback/Foreshadowing

Types of Text Features:

 * Headings
 * Fonts
 * Subheadings
 * Bullets
 * Offsets
 * Text Boxes
 * Color Ink
 * Italics
 * Bold Font
 * Underlining
 * All Capital Letters