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CAMPUS JOURNALISM
Chapter 5. Getting Started: Crafting the Good Lead
Parts of the News

Newspaper articles require a style of writing different from what is used when writing a

story. This was discussed in the previous chapter of this book. Also, never delete in your mind

the image of an inverted triangle when writing a news article. For purposes of iteration, the

opening statement or paragraph bears the most important information. This one-sentence-one

paragraph is called the lead. For you to understand better, here is a typical skeleton of a

newspaper article containing the five basic parts.

1. Headline. This is a short, attention-getting statement about the event. It

capsulizes the first paragraph.

2. Byline. This indicates the name of the writer or writers of the news article.

3. Lead Paragraph. This contains the major who, what, when, where, why and how

in it. A writer must find answers to the major five W's and one H. However, he should

choose the answers that bear the most significant elements to avoid overcrowding the

paragraph.

4. Major details. After the lead paragraph is written, the writer will now decide to

weave the major details into paragraphs. Take note, still, that for beginners, the use of

one sentence-equivalent to one paragraph rule should be strictly followed. The writer

should still observe coherence of ideas.

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5. Minor details. Should there be more space in the paper, the least important

details may be written. This will give the editor a wider perspective of the new, that

he/she may paraphrase or inject some of them in the major details.

The Lead

As iterated, the lead in the story’s opening sentence or two. Previously, it was discussed that

straight news, tells the most important facts of the story. In a feature article or news feature,

the lead could be a word, a phrase, a sentence or a paragraph that attracts and sustain the

readers’ interest.

It is a rule of thumb that the lead of a news story, particularly in straight news, need not to be

long. As the popular adage says, “A lead should be like a miniskirt, short enough to be

attractive, but long enough to cover the essentials.” However, how long is long? How short is

short? American researches suggest that for an average reader, one sentence or paragraph

should contain 17 to 35 words for him/her to comprehend at once, the message of the

sentence.

The lesser words in a sentence, the higher its comprehensibility.

Major Classifications of Lead

1. Summary Lead – It answers the five W’s and one H (What, Who, Where, When, Why, and

How). As iterated, the story is presented using the inverted triangle from where the most
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important data are in the first and second paragraphs. This is used in straight news. As the

nomenclature suggests, it summarizes only the most important five W’s and one H.

Kinds of Summary Lead

The position of the W’s and H is determined by their degree of importance.

a. What Lead – This is applied if the most important angle of the news is the event per

se.

b. Who Lead – This type of lead is used if the most important angle of the news is the

person involved, thus, more significant than the event.

c. Where Lead – If the location where the event takes place is more significant than

the other aspects of the news, then this kind of lead is best applied.

d. When Lead - This type of lead is seldom used since this is only applicable when time

element is more important than other angles of the story. Nonetheless, it suggests

urgency and immediacy.

e. Why Lead – If the cause of the event is the most effective angle of the story, this

type of lead is most suited.

f. How Lead – If the process or the manner of how the event happened is most

important among the other angles of the new, the how lead is used.

2. The Grammatical-Beginning Lead – This classification of lead paragraphs still give emphasis

on the logical importance of the major details; however, it is also equally concerned with its
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grammatical structure. There is an avenue to break the monotony of summary or

conventional lead paragraphs.

Kinds of Grammatical-Beginning Lead

There are times when the lead is introduced by a kind of grammatical form which is usually a

phrase or a clause used to emphasize a feature. Here, the important W’s are found in the main

clause, not in the introductory or subordinate clause which is just a modifying feature. Again, it

breaks the monotony of summary lead in a newspaper. It may also denote that the story

belongs to soft news.

a. Prepositional Phrase Lead – A phrase is introduced by a preposition.

b. Infinitive Phrase Lead – As the name suggests, it starts with the preposition “to” plus

the main verb.

c. Participial Phrase Lead – This lead is signaled by the presence of the present or past

participle of the verb, acting as a modifier.

d. Gerundial Phrase Lead – This lead is introduced by a gerund. It is a verbal ending in -ing,

which acts as a noun. Many beginning writers interchange the present participal lead to

gerundial lead. Remember, the former acts as a modifier, while the latter acts as a noun.

e. Clause Lead – This lead commences with a clause, which may become either an

independent subordinate, or may transform as either a noun or an adjectival or

adverbial clause.
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3. Unorthodox lead or novelty lead – It is best used to attract the reader’s attention, to arouse

his/her curiosity and to sustain his/her interest. It is used in writing a news feature or

feature article.

Kinds of Novelty Lead

When writing news features, a writer should remember that the article should still have a soft

touch of feature writing. Thus, his/her article should be written in such a way that it arrests the

readers’ attention. These leads may also carry out a definite purpose.

a. Narrative Lead. It draws the reader into the story by allowing him/her to relate

himself/herself with the character of the story.

b. Descriptive Lead – Effective in writing personality sketches, travelogues and the like, this

lead illustrates a mental picture of the subject to the reader. A writer must be adept in

creating mental images through the play of the language to satisfy the readers in using

this technique.

c. Quoted Statement Lead – It is a statement uttered by well-known personality or

celebrity. Usually, in school setting, when student journalists want to highlight the

message of the guest speaker, they use this type of lead.

d. Question Lead – It is a thought-provoking question to capture the interest of the reader

and lead them to find the answer provided by the succeeding details of the article.

e. Teaser – Generally short, crisp and witty, this is a device to deceive the reader in jesting

manner as it arouses his curiosity and gently leads him unto the story. Often, riddles are
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used, and they do not give the readers any clue on the nature of the story. They are

mostly suggestive and humorous.

f. Punch Lead – it is short, striking one-sentence lead.

g. Astonisher Lead – this lead aims to give the reader a strong sense of emotional value.

Thus, it primarily uses an exclamatory sentence.

h. One-word Lead – It uses a very significant word to capture or arouse the interest of the

reader.

i. Parody Lead – it consists of a parody of a well-known quotation, song, poem, book, or

movie film title.

j. Background Lead – It describes an event in which the background overshadows the

individuals who participate in it; often, it uses stories about carnivals, festivals, dances,

and others.

k. Freak lead - In order to enhance its appeal and to easily catch the attention of the

reader, this kind of unique lead uses typographical effects.

l. Contrast lead - It is used to point out opposites and extremes.

m. Staccato lead - Primarily rooted from musical parlance, this term suggests a lead that

consists of a series of words and phrases, punctuated by periods, commas or dashes.

Reasons for Using Novelty Lead

• To enhance the readability of the newspaper

• To arouse the reader's interest

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• To add vigor and color to writing

• To challenge the ability of the writer

Rules of Thumb in Lead Writing

1. Make sure the lead includes the most important of the five W's and H, particularly the

"who" (person or thing), (did) what and when. For a story about a report, never begin

with the statement "A report was issued by…”

2. The lead should be simple, brief, compact, vigorous and attractive; it should not inject

too much information. In general, keep the lead to 17-35 words. Try letting others read

your lead. When he cannot grasp the meaning at once, consider revising it.

3. Facts first: Do not start with WHEN or WHERE, unless such information weighs the

heaviest importance.

4. Consider your subject matter. Not all news articles are treated light as well as serious.

However, bear in mind that all news articles should be forceful. A writer once opined

that in making the lead forceful, the main verb should be embedded within the first six

words. Try doing it.

5. Keep it up-to-date. Use the correct tense. If in doubt, consult a grammar book or bring

with you a pocketbook of grammar rules. Remember, being accurate and being correct

are foundations of journalism.

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6. Your lead should not carry your gratuitous opinion. To avoid this, indicate the person or

the source from whom such opinionated statement came from.

7. Practice avoiding to begin the lead with the time, day or date, or place. Better focus on

the action, the "who or what'.

8. Cut off non-essential details. News writing or news reporting is straight to the i point.

Hence, do not begin with an empty, say-nothing expression or a generality that fails to

distinguish this news from other news: There were... In a report released today...

According to..

9. "Practice makes perfect," so the saying goes. Soon, you will enter the threshold of skilled

writers; so, avoid using a form of the verb to be in the lead, if possible. Use an action

verb, instead. Action verbs are more forceful, more vigorous than verbs to be.

Leads Examples:

WHO LEAD

Example: President Rodrigo Duterte addressed on April 20, the PMA graduates in Baguio

City.

WHAT LEAD

Example: The NSAT will be given Nov. 24 to all graduating High School students desiring to

enroll in four-year college course.

WHERE LEAD
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Example: The Philippines will be the site of the next Miss Universe Contest.

WHEN LEAD

Example: Today, almost to the hour, Revolutionary Government was proclaimed by former

President Joseph Estrada.

WHY LEAD

Example: Because of poverty, around a hundred students dropped out from school last year.

This was learned from PNU president Nilo L. Rosas.

HOW LEAD.

Example: By appealing to the school board, the Manila Science High School was able to

construct a three story concrete building.

Narrative Lead.

Example: A healthy 17-year-old heart pumped the gift of life through 34-year-old Bruce Murray

Friday, following a four-hour transplant operation that doctors said went without a hitch.

Prepositional Phrase Lead

Example: With brooms and other cleaning equipment, boy scouts from the Manila Public High

Schools cleaned the City Markets in consonance with Mayor Lito Atienza’s CLEAN and

Beautification Drive.

Example: In a landmark, bipartisan vote, the House narrowly approved legislation Monday night

banning smoking on all domestic airline flights lasting hours or less.

Infinitive Phrase Lead

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Example: To encourage tourism, balikbayans are given a warm welcome by their fellow

Filipinos.

Example: To meet the needs of the water ratio, MWSS decided to open the Angat Dam

Participial Phrase Lead.

Example: šHoping to cop first place, the PNU wood-pushers honed up for the chess

championship games. (Present Participle). Dressed like a priests, robbers were able to enter

the bank. (Past Participle)

Example: Stunned by the desecration of his beloved 1968 Mustang convertible, Principal

Melvin Adams formed vigilante groups to track down and kill seniors responsible for the

outrage

Gerund Phrase Lead.

Example: Winning the development communication trophy, during the national press

conference was Araullo High School’s best achievement of the year.

Example: Raising the salaries of teachers and staff was the main topic in the agenda of the

school board meeting last Saturday.

Clause Lead.

Example: Because September 9 was Osmena Day all lessons dealt with the life of the late

president Sergio Osmena Sr. (Subordinate, adverbial)

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Astonisher Lead.

Example: Champion of District 1! Better look your best this week!

Contrast Lead.

Example: Four months before the beautification and cleanup drive, zone 15 in Tondo, Manila

was the dirtiest district. Three months after, it won first place in the CLEAN contest

sponsored by the Department of Community and Local Government.

Example: Harvey Lavan (Van) Cilburn Jr. of Kilgore, Tex., came home from Russia today with 17

pieces of luggage. They bespoke his triumph as pianist in Moscow. He had three when he

went over.

Here goes another example:

Richard Roe, who started 47 years ago as a $10-a-week janitor for Consolidated Corporation,

today took office as the firm's $2,63,000-a-year chairman and chief executive officer.

Epigram Lead. Opens by quoting a common expression, verse, or epigram, at least familiar in

the locality.

Example: Like father, like son. Ramon Garcia Jr. graduated Valedictorian this year Ten years ago,

his father, Mr. Ramon Garcia Sr. also topped his class and delivered his valedictory address

on the same pulpit where the young Garcia delivered his.

Picture Lead. Describes a person, a place, or an event and at the same time, creating a mental

picture of the subject matter in the mind of the reader.

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Example: The new principal although only on his early thirties, is already silver-haired. He

seldom talks, but when he does, he talks with sense.

Background Lead.

Example: The PNU campus was turned into a miniature carnival ground on September 1 during

the 104th F-Day Celebration of the University. Decorated with buntings and multi-colored

lights, the quadrangle was a grand setting for a barrio fiesta.

Descriptive Lead.

Example: Dressed in white Polo Barong, and with Diploma in their hands, 1,500 graduates

marched down the stage to the tune of Osmena High March.

Parody Lead.

Example: Water, water everywhere, but no water to drink. This was what the food victims

found in their dismay.

Punch Lead.

Example: Victory Day! Magsaysay High School celebrated on March 18 its fifth Victory in the

city-wide journalism contest.

One Word Lead.

Example: March! Thus, ordered Hi-Y president Lina Jr of Osmena High School to start the “Walk

for Health” fund raising drive.

Quotation Lead.
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Example: “The youth in the New Republic have become partners of the government in its

struggle for progress and advancement,” thus spoke PNU Director Rene Romero to some

400 student delegates to the 2006 Hi-Y-Y-Teens Leadership Training Seminar held on

December 26-30 at the Edilberto Dagot Hall.

Example:`I was furious that that disreputable young man had the audacity to sit in my antique

rosewood chair.'' That's how tiny, 82-year-old Louise Freeland today described her brush

with a gun-toting escaped convict whom she talked into surrendering to Sheriff's officers

Question Lead.

Example: Who will reign as Miss Intramural’s this year? This will be known on August 8 after the

final screening to be held at the PNU Gym and Performing Arts Center.

Example: What is the first thing that a woman buys when she is advised that she won $2,50,000

in a jingle contest?

Example: What’s increasing faster than the price of gasoline? Apparently, the cost of court

lobbyists.

Straight lead (or Summary lead)

Example: Two children at play were killed today when a sports car jumped the curb outside

Prospect Park and ran them down. Twelve in the group were injured.

Example: Police Chief J.W. Carmichael attributed the tragedy to reckless driving. The driver,

slightly injured, was . . .

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Example: An attractive 35-year-old woman executive was arrested today on charges of being

the "queen" ruling a multi-million-dollar narcotics ring.

Example: Two Hamilton County Commissioners plan to force the county’s top administrator out

of office today.

Descriptive lead

Example: Mrs. Pamela Bransden slowly counted five, snapped into a hypnotic trance, and gave

birth to an eight-pound baby. It was as easy as that.

Example: Today she relaxed at her home here, delighted that she has become Britain's first self-

hypnosis mother.

Example: An ominous silence, broken only by the call of a faraway bird, hung over the battle-

scarred hills when suddenly an explosion followed by the yells of charging troops smashed

the stillness.

Example: The loyalist offensive, launched to clear roving guerrillas .

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CAMPUS JOURNALISM
Chapter 6. In Focus: Writing the Whole News Story

More Concepts in News Writing

If the lead tells the story in capsule, the body of the news explains the facts in detail.

Should one base the meaning of news writing on this argument, a writer may surmise two

concepts. First, the body of the news retells the story found in the lead. Second, the facts are to

be arranged logically in the body of the news. With these i conclusions, the writer should not

only be good at sensing newsworthy items and gathering news but also be adept in weaving the

facts into the most comprehensible and logical way.

As you go on to write the body of the news item, you should not delete the image of the

inverted triangle, which tells that the most important facts should come first. However, this is

mostly true to a fact story or a straight news. For an action story, the version is different. The

action story follows a chronological arrangement of data other than according to the

importance of facts. Sample stories under action story include stories that lead to themselves

such as accident, fire, some sports events and the like.

Qualities of News

The aim of a news writers is to provide stories to startle and to engage the readers

within the first few sentences and, in the middle, to widen, deepen or sharpen their knowledge.
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As a writer you should ensure that the news articles are of quality. When can you say that your

articles are of good quality?

Accuracy

Attribution

Fairness

Brevity

Clarity

Fairness and balance

As a reporter, you must learn to get other's point of view. This may mean calling a

person late at night to get his side of the story or even holding back an investigative story for a

day. But you must do so. This is the best way to bring balance in the copy.

There may be times when an individual may avoid making a statement. In such a case,

state the point, indicating the efforts you made to get his point of view.

Fairness requires that you do not impute motives. Remember that your news report is

going to be read by hundreds of people, and you can influence their thinking by using loaded

words. It is always best to use neutral words.

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Accuracy

As a reporter, you have much power. What you write can influence decisions, help form

public opinions of people and contribute to the general attitude of your readers.

With that opportunity in dipping your finger to public forum come the huge

responsibilities that cannot be taken so lightly. Say, you inadvertently committed an error of

detail like, misspelt the name of the guest speaker, misquoted the witness of the school crime

or omitted an essential piece of information. You not only distort the truth, which is the

foreground and anchor of the news. You not only misinform the public. You also damage the

credibility of your campus paper. Hence, being accurate in your writing, whatever article that

may be, is your primordial yardstick in telling if your article is of good quality.

A writer once opined, "I pardon the slight error on comma and period, but I abhor the

error on detail and fact." Further, by being accurate means editing the article before you send

it.

The facts that you need to check are:

✓ names and their spellings

✓ their school designations

✓ incident details. In case it is an accident, you must know the exact number of people

who were injured or killed.

✓ statements: The quote reported in the news report must be accurate and in context.
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It should not be misinterpreted to imply another meaning.

✓ scientific names if it is a science story, you must make sure that all scientific names

are correctly spelt and explained. number of runs or goals if it is a sports story, then

you must make sure that the number of runs made or goals scored is mentioned

accurately.

Attribution

All news reports, with a few exceptions, must be sourced. This ensures that you are

injecting both facts and opinions, but the opinions are not yours. Always ask yourself, "Who said

this?" The source can be identified as follows:

a. Individual. An individual, who witnessed an accident or survived an earthquake,

can be quoted by name as an eyewitness.

b. Organization. Do not forget to attribute the statement to a spokesperson

authorized by an organization to brief the media on its behalf. An organization in the school

may be the Parent Teachers Association, the Faculty Club, Performing Arts Society, Supreme

Student Government and others. The spokesman can be referred to by:

➢ name and designation

Sample:

Mr. Jing Gel Bells, president of the Parent Teachers Association, said that the

auditorium is...
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➢ designation alone

Sample:
The president of the Parent Teachers Association said that the auditorium

➢ anonymous sources. There are occasions when a news source, who happens to

be a senior government official or an important leader, does not want his or her

name to be used. In such case, the reporter can attribute the story to informed

sources, well-connected sources, official sources or sources who do not wish to

be named. However, the reporter must know the source well and should trust

that the information provided is correct.

Sample:

According to a trusted source coming the school, the auditoritum…

➢ exceptions: The reporter need not to worry about attribution in those cases that

he/she has witnessed. For instance, the reporter can report a volleyball match or

a rally stating what happened. This is because these are statements of fact that

have occurred in public domain and have been witnessed by scores of people.

The same applies to the swearing in of a new principal or president of the college

or historical facts.

Brevity and Clarity

Newspaper writing is not just academic writing. Hence, as a journalist, do not use big

words and long sentences to show the readers how smart you are or how extensive your
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vocabulary is. Your Communication Arts teacher must have shouted this, "Write to express not

to impress." Also, remember that, as a writer, your target readers or audience are pressed of

time. You have to give the news very quickly, concisely and briefly. Think of this: if all your news

stories are newsworthy and with high degree of interest, then every story in the campus paper

competes for the reader's attention. With every story you write, ask yourself, "What is the news

here?" Then, ask yourself, including the persons around you - say, your co-writers - What

questions will the reader have that I need to answer? Jot them down and be sure none is left

unanswered.

When the reader starts to scratch his scalp, there are only two reasons why the reader

does so. First, his scalp is truly itchy. Second, you, as the writer, have failed to attain clarity. If

his reason is the second one, then the reader must be lying on a bed of thorns to grasp the

details of your news story. The culprit must be your lengthy sentences and paragraphs. In short,

write short. Write short sentences, short paragraphs and short articles. Use simple words. One

tip to ensure clarity is to read your story aloud. Doing this technique may be awkward, but it will

help you find sentences difficult to understand.

The importance of this characteristic cannot be over stressed. You must learn to write

short stories without missing important facts. Please remember that today's reader is in a hurry.

He does not have lengthy patience to go through long news reports. Brevity does not only mean

writing a short story. It also means using short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
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Style

Good writers are artists, so are news writers. As a promising news writer, you can

entertain, inspire, educate and sometimes earn the ire of your readers. A song goes, "Never to

walk in anyone's shadow." So, act according your own style. Do not copy others' style but

always remember to follow the guidelines in writing news articles. Look for some opportunities

like the construction of your paragraphs and phrases, to veer from the old and traditional

scenes in the newspaper. Never forget, though, that your primordial objective is to tell people

what they need to know, not to show them how much of a literary artist you are.

First Five Formula for an Inverted Triangle News Story

1. Effective lead, focused, short, memorable

2. A second paragraph that amplifies the lead

3. A third paragraph that continues to build detail

4. Additional details in decreasing importance

5. Power quote: an interesting quote that propels meaning, not just a fluffy quote that gets

in the way

The Do's of News Writing Style

1. Omit needless words.

2. Be sparing with adjectives but lavish with verbs.

3. Beware of your special words.

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4. Simplify words.

5. Remember your signposts.

The Don’ts of News Writing Style

1. Colloquialism. This can be described as writing in the way that one would speak. In

doing so, you should avoid using "filler" words like beginning the sentence with "basically,"

"often," "well," and "so".

Avoiding contractions is also included in the ambit of colloquialism. As a journalist, you

replace "can't with cannot take note: cannot is one word "doesn't" with does not, "aren't" with

are not, "could 've" with could have, and so

In news writing, too, you should limit your use of subjective pronouns. That is, use third

person perspective. Do not use first or second person pronouns like "I" "me," "you' and "we'

Included in the list of rules in writing is to avoid vague words. They are described as

expressions or words that are open to interpretation or that do not express precise ideas.

2. Circumlocution. This means that the writer uses many words where few would do.

Circumlocution is basically a figure of speech where the meaning of a word or a phrase is

indirectly expressed through several or many words. It is in contrast to brevity and conciseness.
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3. Ambiguity. This case may be syntactical or semantical. Ambiguity can be either

intentional or unintentional. Intentional ambiguity may be used to mislead a reader or might be

necessary due to the context or subject matter. Unintentional ambiguity, on the other hand,

should always be avoided and can be with care and practice.

Here are samples of ambiguous sentences from a news report.

1. Dr. Malou Wang, the school principal, tells her secretary, Mrs. Ana B. Yan, that the fault

was hers. (Whose fault?)

Improved: Talking to her secretary, Dr. Malou Ho admitted her fault.

2. According to some sources, when Mr. Carreon put the jar atop the glass table, it was

broken. (What was broken?)

Improved: According to some sources, the glass table had broken when Mr. Carreon

placed the jar on it.

3. Ambiguous: The Dean of the Agriculture Department required eggs to be stamped with

the date when they are laid by the animal science majors. (Who laid eggs?)

Improved: The Dean of the Agriculture Department required the animal science majors

to stamp the eggs with the date when they are laid.

4. Cliches. These are phrases that have been exhausted to the point where they have

completely lost originality.

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Avoid these cliches:

No shadow of doubt

Needless to say

Strange as it may seem

Stands to reason

Last but not least

ln any shape or form

Leave no stone unturned

5. Grandiloquence. These are expressions that are too pompous and use too colorful

language.

Grandiloquent paragraph:

A conflagration which spurred before the sun stroke its rays heightened the anxiousness

of the neighboring families of Maasim Elementary School on the 25h day of our Lord last year.

Clearer paragraph:

Started at dawn of April 25 last year, the fire in the Home Economics Building of Maasim

Elementary School created commotion among the neighboring families.

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Transitional Devices

One way to attain the smooth flow of facts when putting them on the right perspective

is the use of transitional devices. They are like bridges between parts of your news. They are

cues that help the reader interpret ideas your news develops.

Moreover, transitional devices are words or phrases that help carry a thought from one

sentence to another, from one idea to another or from one paragraph to another. Finally,

transitional devices link smoothly sentences and paragraphs so that there are no abrupt jumps

or breaks between ideas.

You should be aware, too, that you only use these when needed. Do not overuse them

by starting each paragraph with a transitional device.

There are several types of transitional devices, and each category leads readers to make

certain connections or assumptions. Some lead readers forward and imply the building of an

idea or thought, while others make readers compare ideas or draw conclusions from the

preceding thoughts.

Here is a list of some common transitional devices that can be used to cue readers

1. To add: and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further,

furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly, what's more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.)

2. To compare: whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on

the contrary, by comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced against, vis a vis,

but, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, although this may
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3. To prove: because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently,

furthermore, moreover, besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, that is

4. To show exception: yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of

course, once in a while, sometimes

5. To show time: immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally, then,

later, previously, formerly, first (second, etc.), next, and then

6. To repeat: in brief. as said, as noted.

7. To emphasize: definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any case,

absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly, always, forever, perennially, eternally, never,

emphatically, unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without reservation

8. To show sequence: first, second, third, and so forth. A, B, C, and so forth. next,

then, following this, at this time, now, at this point, after, afterward, subsequently, finally,

consequently, previously, before this, simultaneously, concurrently, thus, therefore, hence,

next, and then, soon

9. To give an example: for example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on

this occasion, in this situation, take the case of, to demonstrate, to illustrate, as an

illustration, to illustrate

10. To summarize or conclude : in brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in

conclusion, as shown, as said, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently

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CAMPUS JOURNALISM
Chapter 7. Creativity Matters: Writing Feature Articles

Feature Story: Its Concepts and Nature

If defining news were a hard task for many writers due to its many perspectives, feature

stories would be less difficult. Many writers agree on the concepts and nature of feature

stories.

A feature story is an interesting article that focuses on certain people, places, events or

subject matters like career, relationships, money, health, lifestyle, among others. Because it is

so elaborative, a writer is "free as a bird" in crafting his ideas, in weaving his ideas and in

presenting his ideas. Again, redundant as it may, feature writing breaks the box of rules where

news writing is incarcerated.

With such a concept in mind, you may think that feature articles are longer, more in-

depth and more elaborate than hard news stories. They make use of the upright triangle style

rather than the inverted triangle approach most of the time. However, as a writer, you must still

keep in mind that feature stories are lodged under the umbrella of journalism, whose
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foundations are facts, facts and facts. Hence, feature stories are not opinion essays or editorials

and should not be confused with creative writing or works of fiction.

A feature story primarily banks on special human interest that may or may not be

closely tied to a recent news event. It goes into great detail regarding concepts and ideas of

specific market of interest.

Take this comparison. A feature story is like a spotlight in a concert hall. Everyone in the

concert hall may become the subject. Once the spotlight strikes a member of the audience, he

or she becomes distinct and eventually grabs the attention of everyone.

According to Okoye (2012), a feature story is an in-depth and factual write-up on a

topical issue which seeks to give comprehensive information in a more captivating and relaxed

style than straight news.

Meanwhile, Reuters Handbook of Journalism says that a feature story is ".an insight into

a trend or an issue or personality. It enlightens the reader about that trend, issue or personality

in a broad context. It uses specific examples to illustrate that trend or issue and puts them in a

broad framework that allows the social, economic, corporate and or political implications to

shine through, whether sectoral, national or global."

A feature article, therefore, relates to so many forms and subjects. Its forms include

narrative stones, poems, essays, tales, anecdotes and others. Its subjects, on the other hand,

may include love, hatred, jealousy, emotions, war, friendship, and other human forms of
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experiences. With its diverse forms, many campus papers believe that feature page is the same

with literary page. That is why there are campus papers which have a section titled as

"literary/feature" page.

It must be clear to both beginning and developing campus papers that literary and features are

NOT similar.

Finally, writing a feature is a war of creativity on the use of language. It is so stylistic that

it entails a writer's constant reading and interminable practice.

Characteristics of Feature Stories

1. Variety of subject matter

As discussed previously, a feature story can take any topic under the sun. The kindling of

the reader's interest on such a topic primarily depends on the writer’s creativity on using the

language.

2. Variety of tones

Since feature stories are meant to entertain other than to inform, the feature writer

may use variety of dramatic tone, say a creepy story, exciting narration, suspensive drama,

angry letter, morbid experience and the like.

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3. Variety of form and style

Feature stories may use any form and any style depending on the writer' judicious

judgement to capture easily the reader's attention. One may use acrostic or literary techniques

in crafting stories, so long as the content is factual.

4. Well-organized

A feature story is actually an essay. Therefore, it follows a general format of having an

introduction, body and ending. Its contents, like all other pieces of writing, should be logically

arranged such that a smooth flow of ideas is attained Hence, it still follows the rules of thumb in

effective writing.

5. Strikes keynotes in a first sentence

The secret of arousing reader's attention is to intrigue him at the beginning. That is why

feature stories need to be very striking at the first part. It does not necessarily mean, though,

that the first sentence summarizes the important details in the first sentence like in straight

news.

If one does this, suspense is forfeited excitement is lost.

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6. May or may not be timely

Unlike news articles, feature stories may skip immediacy because it is up for the writer 's

dexterous use of the language to make the antiquated subject rise from the tomb and capture

the attention of the current readers.

Feature flourishes in:

a. Color

b. Fancy

c. Wit and humor

d. Anecdotes

e. Quotations

Qualities of a Well-Written Feature Story

a. Well-researched

b. Catchy

c. Descriptive

d. Exciting

e. Reflective

f. Emotional

g. Engaging
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h. Neutral

i. Thorough

Hard News and Feature Story Contrasted

A news story greatly differs from a feature story. However, both of them base their

contents on facts. A news story starts with a lead composed of five W's and HI. It should be

timely and should follow inverted triangle (most vital information to least important).

On the other hand, a feature story mainly focuses on who, what and why. It does not

need to be current. Often, it is narrative (beginning, middle and end) in its approach and can be

first- or second-person point of view.

A news story focuses on the theme of the story; it is written in third person. A news is

primarily meant to inform, as it presents information in short paragraphs (one sentence-one

paragraph). It is objective and straight to the point.

According to Dr. Don Ranly of Missouri School of Journalism in his discussion on "Helpful

Hints for Journalistic Writing," when writing a feature story, one should distinguish its main aim:

to entertain. The writer may use two to three sentences or paragraphs (clear and concise

sentences). As iterated, it should be based on facts (descriptive and colorful writing; has writer's

own individual style and tone). It is not necessarily objective, since it allows for viewpoint and

voice. Finally, it is delayed in the sense that it keeps readers curious.

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Types of Feature Stories

As stated previously, feature stories have a wide array of forms and styles, hence, the

following types.

1. Informative feature. This gives information on subject of current interest. This feature is

usually based on interview and research.

2. Human interest feature. Sometimes called "concerned story," it deals with minor

incidents that deserve attention because of dramatic, humorous, tragic, sensational or

unusual (odd) angle of the story. This kind of feature story appeals to the emotion; it

may have a lesser news value, but it enjoys wide readership because of its human

appeal. Primarily, it exposes burning issues which need urgent solutions. It also shows

the magnitude of the problem through cases, anecdotes and quotable quotes. This

feature highlights the dramatic condition and experiences of certain groups of people.

Further, it is written using heart-piercing presentations, which evoke emotional

responses to the readers.

3. News feature. It gets its materials from current events, covering details that were

omitted by the news.

4. Personal experience. This tells of some unusual true-to-life experiences written in the

first-person account.
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5. Personality sketch. Some books differ in nomenclature; others regard this as profile

feature. Silver screen celebrities, political figures, athletes, beauty titlist. These are the

popular choices for personality sketch. Notably, people are interested in people, so

much so, articles written about them especially about their private lives, and secrets are

much sought after and read by their fans. However, simple persons may be highlighted

through the use of this kind of feature story.

6. Humorous feature. The primary objective of feature stories is to entertain. So. what is

more fitting than making people laugh and be relieved of the stress of life while reading

your article?

7. Interpretative feature. This feature helps the reader understand the background and

significance of social, economic, political and other problems of everyday life.

8. Seasonal or holiday feature. This feature story includes subjects like events celebrated

once a year. It primarily magnifies the significance and relevance of holidays,

anniversaries and special events.

9. Travelogue. It is an account of one's travel experience and a vivid description of places

visited. Also, it highlights the beauty of interacting with people and places. It offers

endorsements and guidelines on places where money would be worth spending. Travel

feature writers demand exceptional descriptive and narrative skills.

10. Science and Technology feature. It is concentrated on the latest advancement in science

and technology with the aim of informing the readers and arousing their interests.
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11. Historical and cultural feature. Historical events and sites can provide readers ai sense

of identity. By comparing the present to the past, they can see how time has changed

their environment, culture, values and perspectives.

12. How-to and what-to-do features. They are educational in essence. They provide

knowledge about process or activity. Most often, they showcase step-by-step procedure

in doing something.

13. Business and development feature. It provides a glimpse and insight on the business

world and the development of certain sector or area. This writing requires a working

knowledge and special interest on the workings and operations of the business

community.

14. Lifestyle feature. The quick change of fashion trends and lifestyles makes ani interesting

reading.

15. Entertainment feature. Movie stars, pop singers and show business events are common

subjects. The goal is to entertain and give relief to people.

16. Hobby feature. This type of feature primarily interests the readers who are into

exceptional hobbies.

17. Career feature. It is a type of feature that focuses on career guidance, tips or issues.

18. Insider feature. Take note, insiders look at unusual occupations, issues, or events which

are hidden from the public. Readers are attracted to unusual details or well-kept secrets
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about procedures or activities they might not ordinarily be exposed to or allowed to

participate in.

The Effective Feature Writer

1. is a keen observer

A feature writer should be very wary on processes, on figures, on shapes, on taste, on

temperature, on attitude and many more. He should see not only the forest but also the small

and large trees, the wild animals and the insects in it. Thus, a feature writer should unleash

his/her skills in observing.

2. has an analytical mind

According to psychologists, analysis is the process of breaking down an idea. A good

feature writer, therefore, should be adept at explaining in details. For instance, when he she

wants to say Juan is thin, the writer should know how to describe Juan to show that he/she is

indeed thin.

3. is a wide reader and a good listener

Facts are the foundations of journalism. Feature articles are journalistic in nature.

Hence, feature stories are factual. Like news, feature stories should be packed with facts. A

writer, therefore, should be a wide reader and a good listener to capture facts. As Francis Bacon

once said, "Reading maketh a full man,"

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4. is a frequent writer

"Practice makes perfect," so a saying goes. A feature writer hones his ability, style and

creativity through constant practice.

5. is a master of language

A good feature banks on the craftsmanship of the writer in playing with the words,

sprinkled with color, suspense and drama. As he she uses the language, he/she also must

consider the rules of grammar, thus his/her mastery of its rules.

Sources of Features

a. News

b. Magazine articles

c. Books

d. Scrapbooks

e. Experience

f. Casual conversation

g. Travel

h. Familiar places

i. Interview

j. Observation Speeches

k. Files of old materials like bulletins

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The Stages of Writing a Feature Story

1. Pre-writing

Before setting the first draft, you need to plan, research, gather data and organize

information. Planning involves finding out what you should write about and defining

your purpose. It should be clear to you whether you will write a funny or a creepy story.

In this stage, too, limit your topic. Choose the theme and narrow down the subject.

2. Writing

Know the level of consciousness and knowledge of your audience. Find out if they read for

entertainment, information, analysis or commentaries. This will make your article more

responsive and sensitive to the issues and concerns of the reader. Observe the normal

triangle structure.

3. Post-Writing

Edit your article for clarity and grammatical correctness. Refine your sentences and find

better choices for words. Cut out unnecessary phrases and ensure your story flows

coherently. Polishing your paper or your article gives a surety that the story is of good

quality, thus complete, accurate and correct.

Writing the Feature Story

Start with a bang and end with an explosion! This statement should be latched in your

memory as you start writing your feature article. It gives a very clear relationship of the starting
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and ending paragraphs of the article. Yes, one secret in attaining an interesting and

unforgettable feature write-up is to establish a clear connection between the introductory and

ending paragraphs.

The opening paragraph also sets the tone for the rest of the piece. Is your feature

tongue-in-cheek and light-hearted? For example, if you were writing a humorous story about

your love affair with honey and cocoa, it would obviously be going to have a much different

tone if you were writing a feature story on the Kidapawan farmers who were fired with bullets

during their

rally.

Saying that the introduction should be catchy is easy. Writing one is another story.

Often, feature writers-novice or professional -spend most of their time writing the beginning of

their feature article. One saying goes, "The hardest thing to do is to begin." Hence, the

following are common ways to start the feature story. As a writer, however, you are not bound

by these techniques. You may use a combination of these or you may devise your own style;

anyway, you are free as a bird.

Rules of Thumb in Writing the Introduction

1. Provoke the reader's interest by making an unusual statement.

2. Provide any necessary background information.

3. Invite the reader to take sides by making a controversial statement.

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4. Heighten the drama of an event or incident to intensify its appeal.

5. Establish your tone.

6. Create a relationship between the writer and the reader.

Writing Introduction: Techniques and Samples

1. Question. It raises a question or a rhetorical question which the article may or may not

try to explore and discuss.

Example:

➢ You are not aware that ironing late at night is dangerous, are you? Who does not

know about DOTA and COC?

2. Startling statement or exclamation. This may be used to compel attention.

Example:

➢ Food not bullets!

➢ Such statement shook the streets of Manila in front of the Malacanang Palace as

warriors from Gift of God Ministries in Bohol protested about the killings in

Kidapawan.
➢ That’s incredible A college graduate at l6 years old?

3. Striking statement. It is an enticing piece of information in a short punchy format. It

adds suspense.
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Example:

➢ If you think that children do not understand viber, think again.

➢ The greatest fighter in the whole world is from a third-world country.

4. Descriptive technique. It is used to draw the reader into the story by creating a strong

image in his or her mind. The words are colorful and concrete enough for the reader to

appreciate and feel the ideas presented in the story.

Example:

➢ As the sun bids goodbye or one hot tiring day, I see on my left the green robust hills.

On my right are the unending curves and twists of the majestic landscapes of Batan

Island. In front of me is the bluish ocean whose waves are unendingly racing towards

the rocky boarders of the hills. Sitting on a nearly century-old bench, I hear the

tourists’ crunchy laughter of amazement. I feel the nearly salty breeze that flies

away my anxiety. I see persons extracting the stresses of life. God, I am in Batanes.

5. Anecdotal style. This technique in writing introduction relies on a conversational tone to

create an intimacy between the reader, the writer and the characters in the article. It is

packed with specific details.

Example
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➢ Rowell met Lara in a five-star hotel bar in Bangkok. Rowell, in his tucedo, was

mesmerized by the beauty of the Chinese-looking female in red gown. "Can I offer you a

drink? " the bachelor asked with confidence. The woman did not refuse the gentle offer.

They talked and smiled. That was three years ago. They now have two lovely daughters.

6. Quotation. There are times that quotation- whether overused or not- can arrest the

interest of the readers. The writer just needs to ensure that the quotation is appropriate

and that he can manage to establish the relationship of the topic and the quotation.

Example:

➢ "Honesty is the best policy. "

➢ In Batanes, this is not merely a quotation. It is the people’s policy.

7. Contrast technique. The writer sets off his subject with two apparently contradictory

pieces of information. This is to emphasize two contending ideas or events.

Example:

➢ Three days ago, Mang Tomas was driving his boss to work. This morning, he was seen

driving his own car, the very first souvenir he bought for winning the Jackpot prize in

lottery.

➢ Mayweather is unbeaten, still many consider Pacquiao to be better than him despite

Manny’s imperfect record.

8. Break formal style. This leaves to the reader's imagination the things that happened in

between events.
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Example:

➢ He said he would. And yes, he did.

9. Character technique. Primarily, this style introduces the central person in story. This is

most common in personality profiles or stories in which you use an individual to

represent a larger topic.

Example:

➢ Pastor Rowell always seems to have a permanent smile-even when his motorcycle does

not want to start in the morning.

10. Figurative style. It opens the feature article by employing figures of speech.

Example:

➢ Manny Pacquiao is the Pambansang Kamao. Like a diamond in the rough, Manny

Pacquiao was plucked from the slums.

11. Summary technique. This sums up the general topic of the story (but does not follow

the inverted triangle).

Example:

➢ At an early age, Toton and Jay serve as breadwinners for their families by selling

cigarettes and newspapers by day and night. They represent the growing number of

child-workers in poor urban communities.

12. Quoting an expert. This introductory style uses a statement of an authority in a specified
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field.

Example:

➢ Freddy Roach says, "Manny is the greatest fighter in the world because.."

13. Staccato style. In music parlance, staccato means short and not sounding connected. A

feature writer may start by using sudden and brief ideas or words or phrases.

Example:

➢ Breathtaking. Mesmerizing. Enchanting. Jaw-dropping. These are only four words

among the 101 ways to describe Batanes.

14. Lyrics of a song. This technique covers many forms and is appropriate for any topic just

that, the writer should link the relationship of the lyrics to the topic or theme of the

article.

Example:

➢ If/could have

➢ One final walk

➢ One final Dance

➢ One final chance with you

➢ I play a song that would never ever end

➢ How I love to dance with my father again..

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➢ I have played the song at least 15 times already to pluck out my longing to the one

who considers me an apple of his eye-my father Ambo.

15. Letter Style. Some dramatic and hilarious feature stories start with a letter style.

Example:

Dear Ate Charo,

Please call me Anabelle as I relate my experience with a tikbalang in front of the Balete tree.

The Body of the Feature Article

The usual components of the body are subheadings. Do not forget to include facts and

statistics which support your content. Other shaking ways to make the body creative and

packed with facts is to include opinions from authorities and experts, quoted statements and

interviews, anecdotes and stories. Specific names, places and dates should also be verified

before they are included.

Important components of the body include:

a. Background information. A paragraph or two of background should be placed

high in the story to bring the audience up-to-date.

b. The "thread" of the story. This connects the beginning, body and conclusion of

the story. Because a feature generally runs longer than a news story, it is effective to
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weave a thread throughout the story, which connects the lead to the body and to the

conclusion. This thread can be a single person, an event or ai thing, and it usually

highlights the theme.

c. Dialogues. They may be used to keep a story moving. In feature reporting,

dialogues must be accurate that they can give readers strong mental images and keep

them attached to the writing and to the story's key players. Voice. The "signature" or

personal style of each writer, the voice of the feature refers to the personality of the

writer which can be used to inject color, tone, subtle emotional commentary into the

story.