Top 10 Tips to Write an Interesting Feature Article
Top 10 Tips to
Write an
Interesting
Feature
Articles
A feature article provides evidence about
human interest. It is the main news-
related article that involves stories.
These feature articles generally you can
be seen in newspapers and magazine
that spotlights a particular person, place,
or event in great detail.
These feature articles drag the attention
of the readers emotionally through its
story hence we call it feature stories.
The first 2-3 sentences of a
feature writing draw your reader into the
story. The second part explains the
importance that why the reader keeps
reading, and the rest of the article needs
to follow your outline so that everything
flows together how you projected.
1. Be a reporter
– A feature writer is generally a journalist at a magazine or in a newspaper.
– Any feature writer before starting with your work you should think like an editor because
thinking like an editor makes your work more perfect.
– Being a feature article writer you should have good command on the language and vocabulary to
take an interview and pen down your observations. Be quick in your work, so that you can
observe many things around you.
– None can become a writer overnight, at the same time it’s not fun too. It needs lots of effort and
everyday practice. So to produce any featured article you should have keen eyes.
– You’ll surely discover the true strength of the stories in every sentence of your work. That might
be the quote that establishes a tone or a description that defines the background.
– On the other hand a writer should think in the reader’s perspective as well. Your writing should
be a soft and comfortable undertaking. There is no formula behind every story, but it requires
three best things to remember i.e. research, interviewing and observation.
2. Become a good
researcher
– Research is an essential source that will provide you with detailed information. The wonderful
part of good research is that it takes you to in-depth of the factual details.
– No matter which article you are digging for your facts, that might be a newspaper, magazine,
probate files, old high school register, divorce file, but finally you should be able to produce a
good piece of work.
– Certainly, research needs at least a few hours of investigation to give your story a solid
beginning. Your research will give a strong background for your work. It will also help you to
focus on ideas.
– Research expands your hypothesis and makes you understand whether you are on the
right/wrong path.
– If you have a strong idea and background information, it will be easier for you to build a strong
foundation for your article. So that you will be able to gather the required information to meet
your story head-on.
3. Develop an interviewing ability
– An interview is something that required more attention. The interviewer should possibly gather
all kinds of questions until the interview turns into a conversation.
– Taking an interview is not tough, still many writers worry about what to wear and whether to use
a tape recorder or jot down. It looks very funny but it’s a fact.
– It’s not a hard task to interview a person. You just think of some questions and start with the
easy once first just to make the subject more comfortable and the talk should lead in an ease
flow.
– Many a time it will end-up in one short but sometimes that will lead to taking two-three
attempts until you feel you have gotten a true sense of who they are.
– Always remember you are not interviewing to impress the person on whom you are going to
write, you should give an interesting story to your readers.
– No matter your question might look so silly, but still that may lead to a great conversation and
gives you the right answer.
4. A keen observer
– Observation is an obvious tool for a feature article writer. Good observational writing consumes
all the senses in recounting the event, character, or item.
– The observational writing transports your reader into the sphere into which you are creating.
– In some instances, the subject may be a small household thing, but with a detailed description,
the reader may then start looking at it with new eyes, noticing new aspects and angles.
– The same way the most exciting stories are often a succession of crucial moments, and seeing
those moments unfold, rather than trying to re-create them, which leads to a stronger and
richer narration.
– Observational writing mainly depends on writers’ and readers’ perceptions or interpretations
to any sensational writing.
– For a feature writer it allows more time to produce any work that is because he has to observe,
analyses and then he should give a proper shape to the writing with factual details.
5. A sense of control
– A good story isn’t just a bunch of pretty words, it’s a stream of detailed information in which
each sentence has something to express. And it’s more of an observation and getting to know
your subject.
– Accuracy is the primary thing in any interview, so you should frame your questions several
times back and forth until you understand what is being said.
– Most of the time people talk themselves during the interview and say many things that are
unrelated be patient to them. Sometimes the subject will probably be less than ideal. Here
you want to dig beneath the veneer to find out the reality and life’s hidden stories.
– Often there will be pressure from the editors to make the interview simple so, here you
should only focus on the main theme rather than focusing on unrelated information.
– So being a feature writer you should be very much patience and hold your breath while
pulling out the information which is necessary for your writing.
6. Learn to listen
– Being a writer you should be a good listener too. Watching and listening are important
techniques to become a feature writer. Since most of the information gathering depends on
the interview you should be very attentive.
– Communication is just a small part of an expression, whereas facial expression, the tone and
sitting posture expresses many things which are unknown to many people.
– Similarly there is a famous quote that “Face is the Index of Mind” which matches this
context.
– Listening is not just paying attention, it needs more concentration on what a subject is
expressing. Being a feature writer you should pay attention to minute words and focus on
every word that comes out from your subject.
7. Ability to explain with an ideal
example
– Being a feature story writer you should be narrative enough while producing your story. To
make the readers more interesting it’s advisable to add ideal examples so, that your story stays
in the minds of the readers for a long time.
– Your article must reach every reader and also grab the attention of readers. To make this
happened a feature article format should be perfect and attractive.
– A writer should follow feature article format so that the topic will cover the entire information
that the writer intended to explain.
– Through feature article a writer is giving unseen information about a person to the readers. So a
writer must be very conscious while explaining sensitive information.
– To make sure any sensitive information will not impact readers, it’s necessary to explain them
with ideal or perfect examples to make the readers clear without leaving any misconception.
8. Organizing Your Material
– To sort your content in an organized way to give a perfect meaning is a cosmic gift because
this talent will not be the same in all the writers.
– Writing is not just putting your thoughts on paper or a writing is not the act of putting marks
on paper. Writing involves comparisons, synthesizing, making precise, thinking and
observing.
– Each of us is unique in our perspective, but a writer creates a difference from all of us,
because of his ability to think and observe things differently.
– Being a feature writer always you should keep these four vital questions in your mind
– What’s your subject?
– What are you trying to say?
– How will I say it?
– Have I said it well enough?
9. Use Description
– Once you think of a story, the beginning of the story comes almost naturally however it’s not
easy. On the other hand your story should be descriptive. Being a novice writer description
slowdowns your move.
– Since a feature article is focusing on human life, its basic thing that to be descriptive enough
to drag the attention of the readers.
– Moreover, you are the author of your article and it’s your responsibility to makes things
happen. A feature story should be more descriptive so that your readers shouldn’t be ending
up with conflict.
10. Quotes and Questions
– When it comes to quotes and questions you should be very careful. Being a feature writer you
should not ask any question to the reader instead you should answer all the questions in your
writing.
– And when it comes to quotation lead, they are ineffective because every quotation needs
explanation to make them better understand. These explanatory materials can slow down the
leads.
– This clearly explains that using quotations and questions purely based on the context of what
and why you are placing them in your writing.
– In many cases the writer uses quotes and questions to make things understand better.
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