Secrets of good science writing

How to write a science feature

A feature is not an essay regurgitating facts. You need to get on the phone and speak to the
people directly involved, or better still meet them in person.

. Choose your topic and length carefully

Be realistic about the issue you are covering - does it have enough dimensions to hold a
reader's interest for a long feature? If the story can be summarised in 180 words, you don't
need to write a 1,800-word feature. And anything beyond 4,000 words is a very long read.

2. Have a plan

Make a list of all the points you want to cover in the article, then put them into an order that
allows you to move with the most ease from one point to the next. Remember to pepper
fascinating points throughout the article – if you put all the juicy stuff in the first 500 words,
why would a reader continue to the end?

3. Come back to the intro again, and again, and again …

Writing introductions is always a tricky business. The best introductions conjure up a clear,
compelling scene, an unusual conundrum or a stark situation. Avoid rambling opening
paragraphs and remember that if a sentence doesn't sound quite right, it isn't right. Move on to
the body of the piece and come back to it. The introductions that seem the most effortless have
probably taken the most work.

4. Get on the phone, or better still on the road

A good feature is not an extended essay, a regurgitation of undergraduate topics, or a stream of

consciousness. Don't indulge in covering too many historical aspects of the issue – use them
only where strictly relevant. The same goes for technical details. Remember, your audience
may not have the burning interest in genetics you do, or be familiar with what an allele is.
A feature should be alive with the voices of those involved in the issue you are focusing on.
Speak to researchers, speak to those affected by the issue and speak to people with different
viewpoints. Record your interviews – when you listen back you may be surprised at the gems
you find.

5. Get building

Once you have your transcripts from all your interviews, make one document with the quotes
you want to use and the points you want to make. Then shuffle these around to create the
skeleton of your feature. Then you can add detail and refine paragraphs as you go along.

6. Choose your structure carefully

A feature could take many forms, for example a long "write-through" or continuous narrative, a
Q&A format, or a series of distinct sections. Would a detailed explanation of how mitochondria
work be better in a separate, pull-out section, suitable for a tinted box on the printed page?
Would a graphic save you 300 words? Use such furniture wisely and it will improve your feature.

7. Know what you are trying to say – don't waffle

No feature can cover every aspect of an issue. There will always be other points or angles.
Make sure you have a clear idea of what is relevant to the overall thrust your piece and don't
try to shoe-horn in tangential information.

8. Get your facts straight

Double check everything. If someone gives you a figure for the cost of a medical procedure,
check it in the literature and ask the experts. Make sure your sources are up to date and
accurate and remember to differentiate between facts and opinion. If your piece will be
published online include links so that readers can easily access your sources, if it's in print give
enough information for them to track it down for themselves.

9. Change the pace

Employing a single, uniform style throughout your article will make for a tedious read. Change
the pace throughout – switching between emotional experiences, sobering facts, funny quotes
and informative sections will keep your reader engaged to the end. Like a good play, a feature
can also move backwards and forwards in time and be set in different scenes.

10. Kill your darlings

Your hilarious sentences and painfully crafted metaphors may seem like works of genius, but
they are probably too esoteric to appeal to anyone else. Write them, love them, cut them.

Do …

• Interview a variety of people

• Have a clear angle

• Get your facts straight

Don't …

• Waffle

• Put all the interesting stuff in the first 500 words

• Write in a monotone