Make sure you use the documents that are on Blackboard ("Remind me again, what's a feature article" folder) as there are heaps of useful tips and templates, etc. that can help you.
Top tips for writing feature articles
A feature story differs from a straight news story in one respect – its intent. A news story provides information about an event, idea or situation. The feature does a bit more – it may also interpret news, add depth and colour to a story, instruct or entertain.
Structure
· The introduction is the most important part - entice your reader, hook them in. Use drama, emotion, quotations, questions, descriptions.
· The body of the article needs to keep any promises or answer any questions raised in the introduction - try and maintain an "atmosphere" throughout the writing
· While the introduction draws the reader in, the conclusion should be written to help the reader remember the story - use a strong punchline
Some points to keep in mind:
· Focus on human interest - the feel and emotion you put into the article are critical. Don't think about writing a "science" story - think about writing a "human interest" story.
· Be clear about why you are writing the article. Is it to inform, persuade, observe, evaluate, or evoke emotion?
· Accuracy is important - you can interpret and embroider but not fudge.
· Keep your audience clearly in mind - what are their desires, what really matters to them?
· Use anecdotes and direct quotes to tell the story - try not to use too many of your own words.
· Talk to more than one person to provide a more complete picture – but don’t just add in sources to show how much work you’ve done. Be ruthless about who you put in and who you leave out!
· Don't rely on the computer spell-checker - especially those with a U.S. dictionary.
· Decide on the ‘tense' of your story at the start and stick to it.
· Avoid lengthy, complex paragraphs. Your article will appear in columns, so shorter paragraphs are more effective.
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