FEATURE WRITING

FEATURE ARTICLE IS THE JOURNALISTIC EQUIVALENT OF THE ESSAY. ITS FUNCTION IS TO HUMANIZE, TO ADD COLOR , AND TO EDUCATE IN AN ENTERTAINING MANNER. IT TELLS ABOUT HOW AND WHY THINGS HAPPEN.

BEST LEADS FOR FEATURE ARTICLE

1. ASTONISHER- INTERJECTION OR AN EXCLAMATORY SENTENCE. THE CITYS WATER DISTRICT IS ON FIRE! PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE ARE LAMBASTING IT FOR ITS ALLEGED FAILURE TO SUPPLY THE MUCH NEEDED WATER TO ITS NUMEROUS CONSUMERS NOT ONLY IN THE CITY BUT ALSO IN THE NEIGHBORING TOWNS OF LEYTE.

2. CONTRAST DESCRIBES TWO EXTREMES OR OPPOSITES FOR EMPHASIS.

ONE YEAR AGO, BRGY. 87 WAS LITTERED WITH TRASH AND EYE SORES. THREE MONTHS LATER, IT CAPTURED THE CLEANEST BARANGGAY AWARD FROM THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

3. EPIGRAM QUOTES A FAMILIAR EXPRESSION, VERSE, OR EPIGRAM.

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. LEAH DUQUE GRADUATED VALEDICTORIAN. THIRSTY YEARS AGO, HER MOTHER, LUCRESIA MAHINAY, ALSO TOPPED HER CLASS AND DELIVERED HER VALEDICTORY ADDRESS ON THE SAME ROSTUM WHERE THE YOUNG LEAH DELIVERED HERS.

4. PICTURE- DESCRIBES A PERSON, PLACE, OR EVENT BY CREATING A MENTAL PICTURE OF THE SUBJECT.

THE NEW PRINCIPAL, ALTHOUGH ONLY AT HIS EARLY THIRTIES, IS ALREADY GRAY-HAIRED. HE SELDOM TALKS, BUT WHEN HE DOES, HE TALKS WITH SENSE.

5. BACKGROUND- DESCRIBES THE SETTING OF AN EVENT. THE CAMPUS WAS TURNED INTO A MINIATURE CARNIVAL GROUND DURING ITS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. DECORATED WITH BUNTINGS AND MULTICOLORED LIGHTS, THE SCHOOL QUADRANGLE WAS A GRAND SETTING FOR A BARRIO FIESTA.

6. DESCRIPTION USES DESCRIPTIVE WORDS TO VIVIDLY FORMULATE AN IMAGERY.

DRESSED IN WHITE POLO BARONG, AND WITH DIPLOMAS IN THEIR HANDS, 500 GRADUATES TROOPED TO THE STAGE TO THE TUNE OF OSMEA HIGH MARCH

7. PARODY- CONSISTS OF A PARODY OF A WELL-KNOWN SONG, POEM, LINES, ETC. HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE. THIS WAS HOW NONITO DONAIRE MOVED IN THE RING DURING HIS LATEST FIGHT WITH RAFAEL CONCEPTION OF PANAMA, MAKING USE OF HIS SPEED AND BOXING SKILLS.

8. PUNCH A SHORT , FORCEFUL WORD OR EXPRESSION. VICTORY DAY! THE BOXER CELEBRATED HIS 21ST STRAIGHT WIN SINCE HE BECAME PROFESSIONAL WAY BACK IN THE YEAR 2004.

9. ONE WORD MARCH!

THUS ORDERED GENERAL KIKO FUJI TO START THAT LONG ,MARCH INVOLVING FILIPINO AND AMERICAN PRISONERS OF WAR.

10. QUOTATION A SPEAKERS DIRECT WORDS. THE YOUTH HAVE BECOME PARTNERS OF THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS STRUGGLE FOR PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENT, THUS SAID PRESIDENT GLORIA ARROYO TO SOME 600 STUDENT DELEGATES TO THE YMCA LEADERSHIP TRAINING SEMINAR HELD AT SAGKAHAN MINI-AUDITORIUM.

11. QUESTION WHO WILL REIGN AS MISS INTRAMURALS THIS YEAR? THIS WILL BE KNOWN BY SEPTEMBER 11 AFTER THE SCREENING OF CANDIDATES AT THE BAHAY ALUMNI.

12. NARRATIVE

BEFORE THE FLOOD, ROMEO VISITED HIS RELATIVES IN THE VILLAGE, SENSING NO SIGNS OF WEATHER ABNORMALITIES. HE WENT FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE INVITING HIS FOLKS TO ATTEND HIS WEDDING IN THE BARRIO CHURCH, UNAWARE THAT A STRONG TYPHOON WAS COMING.

13. PROBLEM TO ANSWER THERE IS AN ANSWER TO THE RISING COST OF VEGETABLES: RAISE YOUR OWN.

ORGANIZING THE BODY

Provide the readers with vital information Tie the readers to the subject being developed Move along with descriptions of what happens Quote from people involved in the issue Place the readers in the midst of action Make your sentences clear and concise Connect the beginning, body and conclusion through a thread such as a person, an event, or a thing that highlights the theme Connect paragraphs with transitional words and phrases Use dialogue to keep the story moving Inject color, tone, and subtle commentary into the story

HOW TO END THE FEATURE ARTICLE

1.

A summary of the whole article

Health experts are right: vegetables are excellent for the body. We need them for more energy, to fight various diseases, and for better looks.

HOW TO END THE FEATURE ARTICLE

2. An announcement of the main point

It is hard to define a feature article because it can take so many forms and can cover so many subjects.

HOW TO END THE FEATURE ARTICLE

3. A question left in the readers mind

The hands of a feature writer toil for the love of writing. They turn the wheel of progress and hold high the torch of freedom the freedom of expression. Do you have these hands?

HOW TO END THE FEATURE ARTICLE

4. Suggestion for a desired action

Let us conserve our water now if we want to save the future of our households.

HOW TO END THE FEATURE ARTICLE

5. A forecast or prediction
Three years from now, if population explosion will not stop, we will have doubled the countrys population count.

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6. A repetition of the introduction

Gray-haired in his early thirties, the new principal remains to be a quiet person, but his occasional pronouncements always make sense.

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7. A reference to the title

Given this, one would have doubts that poverty, indeed, is a hindrance to success.

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8. A repetition of the sentence or slogan

No pains, no gains. Without hard work, determination, and discipline, Manny Pacquiao would not have made it to the list of the countrys few billionaires.

TYPES OF FEATURE STORIES

Fascinating hobby Occupation Places Health Bit of History Experience Science Development For-your-information Rare collection How to-do-it Problems Entertainment People