Feature Writing
JOUR SUPPLEMENTARY ESSAY
Feature Characteristics
The term “feature article” is quite general and can include many different forms, such as profile features, news features, expose’s, and many others. Feature journalism can also have numerous purposes, for example to inform, to educate, or to simply entertain. While ‘feature article’ is certainly a broad term, features do come with their own set of defining characteristics which make them different to a news article.
Feature articles are distinguished from regular news reports because they give the reader more than a ‘facts-only’ account of an issue; they explore themes and concepts more deeply than a ‘hard’ news article. While feature articles usually have elements of news worthiness (for example, a profile of a politician in the lead up to an election), they are often timeless to some degree, because the underlying themes of features are usually universal.
Although not always the case, feature articles are usually longer than news articles. Structurally, this gives the author more freedom. Unlike news articles, features do not adhere to the ‘inverted pyramid’ structure – an effective feature will often show the gradual development of the author’s ideas in a way that is described in the Week 1 lecture (McHugh, 2013) as a “slow burn”.
No matter the purpose of a feature article, they always aim to give the reader more than ‘just the news’. Because features don’t rely on pure newsworthiness to engage their audience, they must have good writing, solid research and relatable themes. Features are often more colourfully written than news articles, and the writer has the opportunity to display creativity and flair. However, this does not mean that clear writing is less important in features than in any other form of journalism. As stated in the Week 1 lecture (McHugh 2013), features “aren’t an excuse for literary pyrotechnics”. The basics of good journalism (and good writing in general) all apply to feature writing.
Feature Characteristics
The term “feature article” is quite general and can include many different forms, such as profile features, news features, expose’s, and many others. Feature journalism can also have numerous purposes, for example to inform, to educate, or to simply entertain. While ‘feature article’ is certainly a broad term, features do come with their own set of defining characteristics which make them different to a news article.
Feature articles are distinguished from regular news reports because they give the reader more than a ‘facts-only’ account of an issue; they explore themes and concepts more deeply than a ‘hard’ news article. While feature articles usually have elements of news worthiness (for example, a profile of a politician in the lead up to an election), they are often timeless to some degree, because the underlying themes of features are usually universal.
Although not always the case, feature articles are usually longer than news articles. Structurally, this gives the author more freedom. Unlike news articles, features do not adhere to the ‘inverted pyramid’ structure – an effective feature will often show the gradual development of the author’s ideas in a way that is described in the Week 1 lecture (McHugh, 2013) as a “slow burn”.
No matter the purpose of a feature article, they always aim to give the reader more than ‘just the news’. Because features don’t rely on pure newsworthiness to engage their audience, they must have good writing, solid research and relatable themes. Features are often more colourfully written than news articles, and the writer has the opportunity to display creativity and flair. However, this does not mean that clear writing is less important in features than in any other form of journalism. As stated in the Week 1 lecture (McHugh 2013), features “aren’t an excuse for literary pyrotechnics”. The basics of good journalism (and good writing in general) all apply to feature writing.
References: McHugh, S 2013, Introduction to Features, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 5 March 2013 McHugh, S 2013, Interviews and Research Pt 1, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 12 March 2013 McHugh, S 2013, P is for Profile, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 19 March 2013 McHugh, S 2013, Interviews and Research Pt 2, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 26 March 2013 McHugh, S 2013, Structure & Style, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 2 April 2013 McHugh, S 2013, Observation: description and detail, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 9 April 2013 McHugh, S 2013, Ethics, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 16 April 2013 McHugh, S 2013, I Know What I like: reviewing the arts, Lecture notes distributed in JOUR202 at the University of Wollongong on 30 April 2013