FEATURE STORY

 A feature story is any story written in a feature-oriented way

 If news stories tend to focus on events, then features tend to focus more on people
 Often called “people stories”
 Human interest story

Qualities of Feature articles

1. It deals with any topic
2. It usually entertains more often than it informs, instructs or advises.
3. It may be long or short as it covers the subject adequately and keeps it interesting to the readers
4. It may be light or serious, depending on its purpose.
5. It could be formal or informal and written in any form and in style but well organized.
6. It may or not be timely.
7. It begins with a novelty lead.
8. It is written in ascending interest.
9. It is based on facts. Though sometimes, the writer uses his imagination to play up the details, it
is still anchored on facts.
10. It can be garnished with adjectives, figures of speech, dialect anecdote, local color and idiomatic
expressions.
11. It can be written on the first, second or third person

Structure of Feature Articles

A. The Feature Lead
It starts with a novelty lead.
Kinds of Novelty lead:
 Narrative Lead- it draws the reader into the story by allowing him to relate himself with
the character of the story.
 Descriptive Lead- it illustrates a mental picture of the subject to the readers. This is
effective in writing a personality sketch.

 Quotation Lead- quoting a statement uttered by a well known personality

 Question Lead- asking a though-provoking question to catch the reader’s interest

 Punch lead- it is a short, striking one-sentence lead.

 One word lead- uses a very significant word to capture readers’ interest.

 Background Lead- describes an event in which the background overshadows the

individuals who participate in it; often used in stories about carnivals, festivals, dances
and others.

 Contrast Lead- used to point up opposites and extremes.

  Staccato lead- usually consists of a series of words or phrases, punctuated by periods,
commas or dashes.

B. The Body
 After making the lead, we are now ready to organize materials and develop the body
of the story.
 Story materials should be arranged in a manner that will sustain or hold the reader’s
interest and flow smoothly from the introduction to end.
 Feature stories are written in pyramid structure.
C. The Conclusion
Types of feature endings

 Summary ending- simply ties up the story and points back to the lead.

 The Stinger- a startling surprising ending that jolts the reader. The writer uses the body
to set up the unexpected conclusion.

 Climax- It stops at the point where the outcome of the story is clear

 Unending- it is open-minded, leaves the reader to speculate the conclusion

 An example of a feature story:

A Life that Never Was

Come to me, Mama. Come, touch me and feel my pain. Don’t be afraid now, Mama. You weren’t
when you killed me.

Here, touch this… can you feel it now, Mama? The excruciating pain that consumed my helpless
body, you inflicted that, remember?

Look at my body, now a mass of rotting flesh and coagulate blood, the dregs of what was a tiny
human body. A body that was so with a tiny head matted with sheen of baby hair. A tiny body with a tiny
heart, that pulsated in time with yours. These were my fingers and oh! … Here’s my thumb, which I
sucked while snugly tucked inside you.

You see, I had long lashes just like dad’s. My sensitive mouth was just like yours. And here are
my ears, which heard your quickening heartbeat when you’re afraid.

I could have been a wonderful child if you’ve let me live.

I could have been a baby boy just what daddy wanted – a strong, healthy and bubbly bundle in
your arms. My hypersensitiveness would have exasperated you.

Daddy, Hmmm... He could have coached me in playing softball. He’ll be the pitcher and I the
batter. I could have grown into a writer. You would be proud of me coz I’m going to join contests.

Mama, see, I was alive but not anymore. So, please let my baby brother live. He could also be as
wonderful as me. He’s life would be like mine – a life that never was.

*Marylen Sanchez

*1999 NSPC 1st place in Feature Writing