The most common types used in feature articles are anecdotal leads and descriptive leads. Be sure to answer these questions in your lead and leave the less important information for later in your article. Feature leads, also called delayed leads, dont have to get all the important points into the first graf. More creative lead may be needed if summary lead doesnt work as well. For it to work, you need to understand not just the immediate piece youre writing, but also the big picture. Feature stories generally have a strong narrative line. In good writing, everything makes sense and readers dont get lost or have to. Teaching students feature article writing and informational. Helpful hints for journalistic writing news writing hard news opens with a lead that explains the 5 ws who, what, where, when, why, and how. Also, be prepared to suggest how to improve the leads that you consider weak. Oct 27, 2017 things to avoid in feature writing using a news lead writing in the passive voice using too many adverbs and adjectives instead of specific nouns and powerful verbs messy handwriting story doesnt flow doesnt use tq formula lack of strong quotes 45. Some other types of leads can be a quote lead, geographical description or. Pdf feature writing in journalism caven masuku academia.
News story hard news stories move briskly through the five ws and the h, packing in just enough detail to give readers a clear picture of the news. It is the product ol tactual reporting and reporting to which are added story elements of imaginative writing and interpretation. A feature also has a third component the conclusion. Choosing a structure the inverted pyramid is the most common way journalists organize their stories. These skills the students will use repeatedly over the course of the year. A lead block of one or two paragraphs often begins a feature. Leads used by editors to introduce the central subject matter of article. How to write a good feature lead wylie communications, inc. Often, a feature ends where the lead started, with a single person or event. This kind of lead steps back to make an authoritative observation about the story and its broader context. Feature leads and endings sacksteins journalism resources.
Feature leads the best rule in feature writing is to observe no rules, aside from those of basic journalistic style and structure. You might try painting a picture or telling a story. Lead quotetransition lead quotetransition writing requires forethought because the stories include quotes and details from the event being covered. The lead should be a straightforward summary of the story or its essence. Distinction between a featurised news story and a feature article. The students will learn the steps of writing an effective feature story including interviewing, taking notes, writing the lead, and deciding on an overall theme to the piece.
Though it includes the 5 ws, feature writing focuses on the who, what, and why of the article. And write a feature article this unit combines a group of lessons designed to teach students the skills and strategies involved in informational reading and writing a feature article. The characteristics of good writing writing forward. Writing leads nmu writing center northern michigan university. A writers determination to write a compelling lead can prompt such sins as distortion, overstatement and editorializing. Features are articles written in greater depth and with more incidental detail than. Qualities of a feature story feature stories are descriptive and full of detail.
Quick summary in 30 words or less, usually one sentence. A novel may take 100 pages to lead up to the climax of the story. Feature leads are a vital part of newspaper writing. The unit was designed for middle school students, but lessons can easily be adapted for use with younger or older students. Feature leads writing for strategic communication industries. Beginning news writing pdf san jose state university. A good feature writer will at one time use all of the five leads. Once you have practiced writing hooks in groups, they are ready to practice independently. A shocking statement or statistic your lead can be a very unusual statistic. Jul 05, 20 a feature story is any piece of writing that falls between the cutanddried news story on the one hand, and the w holly fictionalized story or opinionated essay 011 the other hand. The best lead for the feature story is a natural extension of the story nothing forced or contrived without consideration to the tone or subject of the story. Before writing a lead, decide which aspect of the story who, what, when, where, why, how is most important.
A news story has two main conlponents the lead and the body. Some features are perfect for writing about in certain times of year, such as the beginning of summer vacation or at the winter holidays. Keep it short a good lead provides all the information the reader requires in just a few words. Or, your instructor may ask you to write a complete feature. Write a statement of one or two sentences that explains your story. A feature can trail off like a news story or it can be concluded with a climax. They depend on the writers mastery of the threestage writing process planning, drafting, revising and the ability to apply appropriate business writing principles and writ.
Most editors frown on leads that begin with the word it because it is not precise and disorients. Feb 22, 2019 writing ledes for feature stories, as opposed to hardnews ledes, requires a different approach. Feature leads university interscholastic league uil. Unlike the traditional summary lead, feature leads can be several sentences long, and the writer may not. Before writing a lead, you need to ask the fundamental questions of newswriting. When writing feature story leads, choose concrete details, not abstract ideas. Rather than put the news elements of the story in the lead, the feature writer uses the first two or three paragraphs to set a mood, to arouse readers, to invite them inside.
Hardnews ledes hardnews ledes need to get all the important points of the story the who, what, where, when, why, and how into the first sentence or two, so that if the reader only wants the basic facts, he or she gets. The best rule in feature writing is to observe no rules, aside from those of basic journalistic style and structure. Wait to explain less important aspects until the second or third sentence. It uses quotes liberally and allows the reader to see the story through detailed description and vivid writing. These features give readers insight into an unusual process, issue or event. A lead is an opening paragraph that gives the audience the most important information of the news story in a concise and clear manner, while still maintaining. Types of feature stories for journalists thoughtco. Writing as an art at times need a creative writer who can be manipulative, cunning and at the same time embellish his or her words using rhetoric, connotative and emphatic words which can cause the reader to smile, wryly, shade tears, click the tongue and perhaps drove into a felicity mood. Straightforward chapters that use realworld examples to illustrate key points.
Lead is the most important paragraph of any writing. Sample leads for feature stories read each of the following studentwritten leads, and determine which you think are the strongest and which need more work. Feature writing is the primary form of writing that concordias student newspaper produces. They trooped out that tuesday morning of sept 21 with ierrycans, hoses, buckets and funnels, looking. This statement will guide you as you write your lead and the rest of your story. A good lead is everything heres how to write one npr. Discussion of different writing styles and techniques. Feature and novelty leads although the summary lead is the simplest, safest and strongest of all leads used in straight newswriting, most media like to add a little variety when leading into a story. Writing as an art at times need a creative writer who can be manipulative, cunning and at the same time embellish his or her words using rhetoric, connotative and emphatic words which can cause the reader to smile, wryly, shade tears, click the tongue and perhaps drove into a. It should accurately set the mood and tone of the story.
Feature writing techniques and style study lecture notes. In features, the immediacy of the event is secondary. This chapter is designed to introduce you to what academic writing is like, and hopefully ease. Anderson, new york, ny, mcgraw hill, 2007 a summary lead generally tops a traditional form of writing called an inverted pyramid, in which the news is stacked in paragraphs in order of descending importance. Writing the lede a summary may not be the best lede a lead block of one or two paragraphs often begins a feature rather than put the news elements of the story in the lede, the feature writer uses the first two or three paragraphs to set a mood, to arouse readers, to invite them inside 11. Feature writing is not concerned so much with formula as in the inverted pyramid structure of hard news writing as it is interested in impact. Wait to explain less important aspects until the second or. However, these features alone do not typically get the job done. Next, i give students story snippets and have them write engaging leads as a small group. Feature stories have a strong lead that grabs readers and makes them want to read on. Concrete leads are the price of entry for feature articles. Lead or lede in a news story, its the first sentence with a summary of the most important facts, usually 30 words or less. Effective leads action lead character lead fact lead opinion lead question lead dialogue or quote single word lead once upon a time my name is and im going to write.
The five features of effective writing are focus, organization, support and elaboration, grammatical conventions, and style. Because a lot of news writing is done on deadline, the temptation to write tired leads is strong. Writing for strategic communication industries open textbook. These rules are sometimes thrown out for feature leads, or anecdotal leads that start with a little story that sets the scene for the point you are trying to make. Your lead must sound genuine, not merely mechanical. Thesis focus focus is the topicsubjectthesis established by the writer in response to the writing task. First, write a straight news lead for each of the following stories. Feature stories are humaninterest articles that focus on particular people, places and events. But writing is hard, and writing in college may resemble playing a familiar game by completely new rules that often are unstated. How to write a feature article lead, body, conclusion. Feature stories cover topics in depth, going further than mere hard news coverage by amplifying and. Effective leads action lead character lead fact lead opinion lead question lead dialogue or quote single word lead once upon a time my name is and im going to write about. Writing for strategic communication industries emphasizes practical application of academic inquiry to help readers improve their writing skills. I still remember those cold christmas days with him beside me.
The feature lead permits you to take a mundane straight news piece and transform it into a story that captures the interest and empathy of the. A feature lead is designed to capture the eye of the reader, telling them that the story is worth reading. Feature stories are journalistic, researched, descriptive, colorful, thoughtful, reflective, thorough writing about original ideas. Its been a while since i last saw him 2007, to be exact. An excellent example of slow news, in the sense that it. Wellwritten letters and memos are grounded in writing basics.
Leads in narrative writing talking lead this lead begins with dialogue. The lead the lead is the beginning or introduction to your story. It can introduce them to something that is typically not open to the public or publicized. Jan 16, 2018 at first we practice writing leads as a whole group and we brainstorm lots of leads. I remind my students the qualities of all strong leads and then turn to four mentor texts to examine different leads in feature articles. A late spring snowstorm surprised forecasters and drivers tuesday afternoon, triggering more than 30 accidents, cleveland police officials said. The elephant was found chasing a cheetah at 40 miles an hour. The lead of a feature story can be used to sum up the article.
Dont just stop writing when you run out of information. Or, your instructor may ask you to write a complete feature based upon one of these sets of facts. Feature story my papa and i did many things together. Readers want information, but they also want to be entertained. Use this form to make sure you are gathering everything you will need to write your story. Proximity simple means nearer or adjacent and here the writer uses information from the paragraph right before the. These are useful for stories running a day or more after the news breaks. Read each of the following student written leads, and determine which you think are the strongest and which need more work. The gamut of subject matter and writing style employed by feature writers is nearly endless, as feature becomes an umbrella term for many literary structures.
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