WRITING FEATURES

FEATURE and NEWS COMPARED

EARLY IN THIS MODULE, it was discussed that a newspaper prints more news; i.e.,
reports of facts about events or of information, written in a straight-forward
manner usually answering what happened, who said, what, when, where, why, and how.
On the other hand, a magazine prints more features and human-interest stories.
It is hard to define a feature article because it can take so many forms and can
cover so many subjects. However, a reader may easily distinguish feature stories
from news stories through its different characteristics.
A feature article is an essay based fact. It is never fictitious. This makes it
different from an ordinary essay you study in your literature class.
Like an editorial, a feature article is hung on a newspeg.
Feature stories, like news stories, are written to inform but they enlarge the news
in a leisurely and entertaining way. They are written to add life to the paper and
therefore their style lends more to the creativity of the writer.
The main objective of news is to inform while that of a feature article is to
entertain. But feature articels may also instruct, advise, inform, and entertain at
the same time.
Unlike a straight-news story, a feature article may be of any length ranging from a
rather long magazine article published, for example, in the Reader's DIgest, to the
short human-interest story published in teh future page of a campus publication.
It may work or may not be timely. It is timeless. This means it can be kept for
weeks, or months and still be usable not like news whch is perishable.
Side by side with an earthquake news story may be a feature article on past
earthquakes that had hit the country. This is called sidebar.
Also, a feature article may be written in any form and style. It rarely has a
summary lead. Instead, it usually begins with a novelty lead.
It is important to stress here that a news feature, sometimes referred to as
eaturized news, is not a feature article but a news story which is based on facts,
but containing explanations, background and impression of the writer. Its main aim
is to inform.
It can start in almost any amnner and it usually appears with the author's byline.
A feature article, on the other hand, has for its main purpose to entertain rather
than to inform, although it may do both at the same time.

TOPICS FOR FEATURE STORIES

What should be written as feature stories? Using a cliche, a feature article, like
an essay, may be on any topic under the sun, from A to Z.
For campus writing, the following broad topics are suggested to feature editors for
their sections:
A. Personalities - This feature article, somethimes called character sketch, is
usually short. It may be about a student leader, a successful alumnus, a teacher, a
school personnel, or even about an idustrious janitor. The student to be featured
should not always be teh campus doll, nor teh dashing Romeo of the class, but the
achiever, the builder or the innovator.
A community member who has raised the bigges squash or the
fattest hog in his backywar deserves to be played up. In writing a character
sketch, the emphasis should be on the person, what he says and thinks and what he
does for development. His date of birth and his bundel of certificates he keeps for
attending seminars should take the back seat.
B. Experience and adventure - Suppose a group of science students attended a
national science camp. Each one of them has an interesting story to relate - the
workshop seminar, the feasibility studies, the filed trips, the socials, and the
putting out of the newsette. These may be summarized as one big adventure story or
may be written as separate featurettes. To make each story interesting, the student
should be made to write his story himself in teh first person's point of view. In
such a case, the story should appear with his byline. If he can't do this, a
reporter writes the story for him. The byline would be then be written this way: By
Raul G. Valdez (as told by Arnel Laparan)
C. Description - There are many significant events and special festivities in the
school and in the community worth writing about. Also, there are interesting
projects made by the students in the laboratory, in their vocational and academic
classes and by the community members in their respective homes that need playing
up. But in his desciption, the writer should as much as possible be factual and
original. Aside from this, he should use simple and concrete words that are
understood by the layman or by Mr. Average Reader.
D. Narratives - There are interesting stories to relate, especially historical
ones. Not all personal storues are on adventures and experiences. An old person in
the community may be asked to narrate how the district got its name or how in the
olden days people fished or washed clothes in a polluted estero nearby.
E. Backgrounders - There are feature articles that explain the history of the
background of a certain event. Say for example, that the model platoon of a certain
school wins first place in a district competition. A feature story about the
organization of the pioneer platoon is a backgrounder.
F. Developmental Feature Articles - In a developing country like teh Philippines,
a student editors should keep in step with developments that affect mankind and
should steer away from routine reporting. They should not limit their stories to
student politics, junior proms, and other school affairs. Theys hould help advance
national, social, economic and educational programs such as those in social action,
food production, fight against drug addiction, criminality and all kinds of vices,
and the implementation of the Green Revolution, CLEAN and beautification drives and
other kinds of community service.
G. "What to do" and "how to articles" - There are other subjects of feature
stories that interest readers. Some of these are on the latest fads and fashions;
book, movie and play reviews, and on the "How to" articles. The last one explains a
process or a method like "How to Raise Mushroom". IT tells for example, how to
conserve energy, how to fight pllution or how to raise poultry in the backyards.
There are also the "WHat to" articles.
There are those that tell what to do during an earthquake, a typhoon, an emergency,
or the like. Some of these articles can develop the subject either by a series of
rules starting with "Do" or by making the writer describe the process in his own
words. Usually, these kinds of features are accompanied by pictures or
illustrations.

HOW TO INTRODUCE THE FEATURE ARTICLE

Unlike a straight news story, a feature article may ebgin in any from in any style.
This depends on the topic or purpose of the writer. Most features, however, may be
introduced by any of the following:
A. Rhetorical Question
Who says that age is an obstacle to education?
Take it from Danilo Marcelo of Arayat, Pampanga who stopped going to school
seven years ago after finishing the elemtary grades. This year, at 24, he enroled
as a first year evening student at Abada High School.

B. Startling statement
"Hindi oa kami laos!"
Thus exclaimed the young once; teachers, administrators, parents, community and
barangay members as they set aside one special day during the school's celebration
of Community Week to have a share of the festivities, and of course to display
their hidden talents.

C. Narrative opening
Mrs. Adelfa Prado, a fourth year evening student sends herself and her six
children to school, acting as mother and father at the same time.
Every day, Mrs. Prado takes her tentative place between the half-time tindera
tending her sari-sari store during the day and the half-time student studying at
night.

D. Quoted remarks
"I earn while I learn." He smiled at me as the interview reeled off. "How can
you work, have a part-time job, and at the same time go to school?" I asked.
"Well, it is easy," he explained. "I don't do all of these at the same time."

E. An old maxim, an aphorism or a "salawikain"

"Water, water, everywhere, but not a drop to drink."
This quoation from Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samule Coleridge does not
hold true any more. Today, even a flood water can quench the thirst. How?

F. History or background of teh subject

Islams throughout the world, including our Filipino Muslim brothers observe the
holy month of Ramadan starting Sept. 17. Ramadan is the ninth lunar month of teh
Muslim calendar. It is observed by Muslims just as the Lenten Season is
commemorated by Christians.

G. Problems to be discussed in the article or fact to be established

This is an answer to rhe rising cost of vegatables: raise your own.
There is no need to interesting, effective openers of feature stories. There
are still many ways. Study tehfeature pages of your exchanges and you will be
surprised to find this out.

ENDING THE FEATURE ARTICLE

Again, as important as the lead, is the ending. The last word or words impress the
reader as strongly as the opening sentences.
It may be any of the following:
A. A summary of the whole article
Take it from experts: Smoking is definitely harmful to health. Smoking may make
you feel manly, but you may not live long enough to be one.

B. An announcement of the main point for the first time

Therefore, a major part of the development communication effort should be
directed at strenghtening the character of the people and developing in them moral
values, particularly by self-discipline, self-reliance, strength of character, and
fortitude.

C. A question left in the reader's mind

The hands of the new Filipino toil for the love of creation. They turn the
wheel of progress and hold high the torch of freedom - freedom from want and
hunger.
Do you have these kinds of hands?

D. Suggested results or significance

Let us conserve our forests now if we want to save the future of our country
and of our children.

E. A forecast or prophecy
In six and a half centuries from now, if population explosion would not be
checked, there would be one person standing on every square foot of land on earth.
By that time, people would be devouring one another for there would be no more
space for plants to grow.

F. A repitition of the introduction

Asked if he had may formal traing in photoraphy, Domingo Layson finally
answerd, "Ah, it is now the reverse. It is here where I learn as I earn, not I earn
as I learn." (The lead of teh feature article is, "I learn while I earn.")

G. A repitition of a sentence or a slogan, or a reference to the title

After four years of working as a houseboy, working during the day and going to
school at night, Jose Fallar will soon graduate as a first honor student.
Now, who says that poverty is a hindrance to education? (The title of the
feature article is, "Poverty, Not a Hindrance.")

H. An appropriate quotation
Nestor claims that he is poor. But when asked why he gave his last centavo to
the old man, he answered:
"Not what we give, but what we share
For the gift, without the giver is bare,
Who gives himself with his alms feeds three
Himself, his hungering neighbor and me."

Because feature storiesare less stereotyped in from and in style than news stories,
the feature writer should possess the following qualities:
1. a keen observer
2. an intellectial curiosity
3. ability to find features in everyday happenings
4. cupboards of descriptive words and everyday idioms
5. the skill to eave words into interesting sentences and paragraphs and
6. the ability to write effectively

QUALITIES OF A GOOD FEATURE WRITER

1. He knows how to look for features from beneath the surface of every day's
event.
2. He investigates every single angle before starting to write in order to et the
story behind the story.
3. He is a keen observer.
4. He has varied interests.
5. He has ability to write features interestingly.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD FEATURE ARTICLE

A good feature articel should have the following characteristics:
1. It may inform, instruct, or advise, but its primary purpose is to entertain.
It is usually read after the news for leisure moment.
2. It may be of any length - from a short human interest story to a rather long
magazine article.
3. It may or may not be timely. It is timeless.
4. It may be written in any form or style.
5. It usually uses the novelty lead rather than the summary lead.
6. The reporter may use any of the following devises - suspense, dialog,
description, narration, expositionm argumentation, climax, and the like in
presenting his story.
7. Although the writer applies his imagination to the facts, the feature story is
not fiction. It is based on facts.
8. It uses specific nouns, adjectives, and verbs to create vivid images, sound,
and feeling for the readers.
9. It applies the principles of effective writing to achieve unity, coherence,
and emphasis which are essential to all good writing.
10. It is written with friendly simplicity.

REMEBER: A news feature and feature article are two different things.

EXERCISE
DIRECTIONS: You are feature editor of your school paper. This morning while you
were on your way to school, you saw a first year boy helping an old woman cross the
street. High school students who were playing basketball nearby saw the old woman
but did not care to help her.
You interviewed the young boy, Now write a feature story about the boy
or abou the incident. Supply the facts you gathered from the interview. Remember,
you are not writing an editorial. Note also that like an editorial, a feature
article is hung on newspeg. Have an interesting and entertaining title.