Features writing is one of the most coveted positions in many newsrooms because it’s a lot of fun. Writing the story isn’t that difficult, and getting to know the people involved is one of the most enjoyable parts of the process. So relax, check your facts and write a piece with some personality.
Instructions
write a news feature story
1. Pick a topic for your features story. Feature stories are typically a bit longer than a regular article and will need to go fairly in-depth on a subject so be sure to pick a topic that has more than one aspect.
2. Research your topic and learn as much background information as you can.
3. Make a list of the things you think your article will cover. For instance if you’re working on a piece about how gas prices hurt charities, your list might include: Charitable giving, fund-raiser attendance, increased supply costs, and volunteers.
4. Make a list of questions you want to ask based on the topics you want to cover. Don’t be a slave to the list of questions; if something comes up in conversation ask about it. If it brings up another topic, after the interview add it to your list of topics and remember to ask about it in other interviews.
5. Research to find out who the best people for your interviews will be. Executive directors of organizations or public information officers are often the most accurate and accessible sources. They also should be able to get you in touch with volunteers or other sources.
6. Call your sources and set up time for an interview. Make sure to schedule enough time to allow for some conversation, but don’t take up too much of their time. Interviews may be done in person or over the phone, and in some cases over e-mail.
7. Conduct the interviews. Make sure to be chatty while still getting your questions in. If you just ask question after question, sources may feel like they are being interrogated instead of being interviewed.
8. Read through your notes and highlight important quotes.
9. Outline your story using the information you learned from your interviews.
10. Write your story using the outline as a guide. Start with the lede. Don’t feel like you have to use all your notes and you can paraphrase if you need to.
