Stalking the wily news feature A brief guide to conceiving, reporting, organizing and writing a work of enterprise journalism

What is a news feature? Not breaking news

What is a news feature? Not breaking news Not merely a human-interest story

What is a news feature? Not breaking news Not merely a human-interest story Generated by reporter and editor

What is a news feature? Not breaking news Not merely a human-interest story Generated by reporter and editor Freedom to define what the story is

Is it a newspaper or magazine story? Lines have blurred magazine story can appear in a newspaper

Is it a newspaper or magazine story? Lines have blurred magazine story can appear in a newspaper Medium-length feature 2,000 to 2,500 words

Is it a newspaper or magazine story? Lines have blurred magazine story can appear in a newspaper Medium-length feature 2,000 to 2,500 words News story 700 to 1,200 words

Is it a newspaper or magazine story? Lines have blurred magazine story can appear in a newspaper Medium-length feature 2,000 to 2,500 words News story 700 to 1,200 words Longer magazine story 3,000 to 10,000 words

Getting ideas Reading newspapers, magazines, books, Internet

Getting ideas Reading newspapers, magazines, books, Internet Talking friends, family, colleagues, sources

Getting ideas Reading newspapers, magazines, books, Internet Talking friends, family, colleagues, sources Paying attention carry a notebook!

Is there a story? Pre-reporting

Is there a story? Pre-reporting Google, LexisNexis, etc. –What can you learn? –Who else has written about this?

Is there a story? Pre-reporting Google, LexisNexis, etc. –What can you learn? –Who else has written about this? Short interviews to refine story and see if sources will be available

Theme sentence A sentence (or two) explaining precisely what your story is

Theme sentence A sentence (or two) explaining precisely what your story is A guide to your reporting cut it out, paste it on the wall in front of you

Theme sentence A sentence (or two) explaining precisely what your story is A guide to your reporting cut it out, paste it on the wall in front of you Could form basis of your lede or nut

Theme sentence A sentence (or two) explaining precisely what your story is A guide to your reporting cut it out, paste it on the wall in front of you Could form basis of your lede or nut Could serve as your pitch

Theme sentence A sentence (or two) explaining precisely what your story is A guide to your reporting cut it out, paste it on the wall in front of you Could form basis of your lede or nut Could serve as your pitch You might have to change it

Whom should you interview? Horizontal diversity –Variety of viewpoints fair and neutral

Whom should you interview? Horizontal diversity –Variety of viewpoints fair and neutral Vertical diversity –Variety of sources key players, expert observers and ordinary people

Blundells six key concepts History

Blundells six key concepts History Scope

Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons

Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons Impacts

Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons Impacts Countermoves

Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons Impacts Countermoves Futures

Organizing and writing Step one read through your material quickly

Organizing and writing Step one read through your material quickly Step two re-read slowly, organizing it as you prepare to write

Organizing and writing Step one read through your material quickly Step two re-read slowly, organizing it as you prepare to write Keep related material together

Organizing and writing Step one read through your material quickly Step two re-read slowly, organizing it as you prepare to write Keep related material together Try not to bring sources back for an encore

Organizing and writing Step one read through your material quickly Step two re-read slowly, organizing it as you prepare to write Keep related material together Try not to bring sources back for an encore Aim for a memorable ending

A generic news-feature outline Part one –Lede

A generic news-feature outline Part one –Lede –Nut graf

A generic news-feature outline Part one –Lede –Nut graf –Support for nut graf

A generic news-feature outline Part one –Lede –Nut graf –Support for nut graf –Quote and/or setup for next part

A generic news-feature outline Part two –Secondary lede

A generic news-feature outline Part two –Secondary lede –Explication and narrative

A generic news-feature outline Part two –Secondary lede –Explication and narrative –Flesh out all or some of the six key concepts History, scope, reasons, impacts, countermoves, futures

A generic news-feature outline Part three –Can be short

A generic news-feature outline Part three –Can be short –Circling back

A generic news-feature outline Part three –Can be short –Circling back Quote from person you opened with

A generic news-feature outline Part three –Can be short –Circling back Quote from person you opened with Quote from another, similar person

A generic news-feature outline Part three –Can be short –Circling back Quote from person you opened with Quote from another, similar person Your own attempt to sum up

Too formulaic? Not as much as it seems, especially after youve done it a few times

Too formulaic? Not as much as it seems, especially after youve done it a few times Not the only way to write a news feature, but simple and effective

Too formulaic? Not as much as it seems, especially after youve done it a few times Not the only way to write a news feature, but simple and effective Sometimes editors want something different

Reading for journalists William E. Blundell, The Art and Craft of Feature Writing (much of this slideshow is based on his ideas)

Reading for journalists William E. Blundell, The Art and Craft of Feature Writing William K. Zinsser, On Writing Well

Reading for journalists William E. Blundell, The Art and Craft of Feature Writing William K. Zinsser, On Writing Well Strunk and White, The Elements of Style

Reading for journalists William E. Blundell, The Art and Craft of Feature Writing William K. Zinsser, On Writing Well Strunk and White, The Elements of Style Anywhere good news features are published