Chapter 6 Beyond Breaking news

The World of Features Personalizing the news with stories that educate and entertain. Feature stories often focus on issues that are less timely and more personal: trends, relationships, entertainment. They include topics, treatments, styles and structures you won't find in standard news stories. Hard news vs. soft news: What do these terms mean?

Common Categories Lifestyles Health Science and technology Entertainment Food Homes and gardens

Popular Types of Feature Stories Personality profile Human-interest story Color story Backgrounder Trend story Reaction piece Flashback How-to Consumer guide Personal narrative

Generating Story Ideas There are great stories everywhere, just waiting to be discovered. The four best angles: How to save time.... How to save money.... How to be loved.... How to make money.

Where to Find Those Great (But Elusive) Story Ideas Start compiling a list: Look for ideas everywhere; then jot them down. Organize your ideas by topic (people, places, trends) or by treatment (profiles, photo stories, how-to guides). The best places to look for ideas: your publication's archives your competitors TV, magazines, newspapers, Web sites news releases reader suggestions brainstorming

How to Tell if Your Idea is a Good One Eight ways to assess a story idea before you try selling it to an editor. See page 118

Got a Good Idea? Here’s How to Turn it Into a Story See if it's been done. Focus your angle. Talk to your editor. Do your research. Plan the package. Write the story.

Feature Style Some stories require a livelier, looser, more literary voice. "The New Journalism" pioneered by Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson and Gay Talese in the 1960s. Reporters began borrowing literary techniques from novelists. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote – Nonfiction novel Today, feature writers still rely on literary techniques you won't find in standard news stories.

Advice and Suggestions Helpful tips for successful feature writing Using syntax and phrasing Using voice and tense Using detail and description Using other dramatic techniques

Standard Story Structures Using traditional text to convey information. The inverted pyramid is rarely used in feature stories. While it's an efficient way to organize facts in a news story, it is NOT an engaging way to organize ideas in a feature.

Short-Form Story Structure Using colorful, creative layouts that are easy to produce and appeal to readers' short attention spans. Suggestions for using a more visual approach.

Writing Profiles Profiles are more than a who-what-when-where-why rehash of facts. A good profile: reveals feelings exposes attitudes captures habits and mannerisms entertains informs.

Researching and Writing Profiles Solicit your subject's support. Interview and observe. Find your focus. Follow up with further interviews and research. Structure your story.

Advice and Suggestions Tips on working with photographers. Ways to paint a better portrait: capturing details, re-creating scenes, and adding quotes and dialogue. Checklist of questions to ask yourself when reporting and writing profiles.

Enterprise Projects Special stories that allow reporters to reach beyond the routine. Most provide in-depth examination of people and issues. They are creative, ambitious and unique. They often become special sections or multi-part series.

Advice and Suggestions How do I find time for enterprise? Expert advice on reporting and writing enterprise stories.

Investigative Reporting In a free society, some journalists do more than just explain—they expose.

Three Basic Elements of Investigative Reporting that the investigation be the work of the reporter, not a report of an investigation made by someone else that the subject involves something of reasonable importance that others are attempting to hide these matters from the public

Advice and Suggestions Digging up dirt: Advice for investigative reporters.

Package Planning Using teamwork and working with the editor, photographer and designer to turn stories into appealing packages.

Short-Form Alternatives Alternatives to narrative text Condensing data for readers with short attention spans Short-form formats: fast-fact box bio box checklist list quiz step-by-step guide factual index diagram timeline quote collection

Writing Editorials and Columns In editorials, columns and reviews, the writer's opinions aren't just allowed, they're encouraged. They're essential. The Knight Scroll should include an editorial in each issue tied to a front page news story.

Advice and Suggestions Editorials: where publications take a stand Columns: where the options are endless Writing commentary: Advice for columnists

Writing Reviews Readers need your expert guidance to find the best performances and products. Distinction between "critic" and "reviewer."

Advice and Suggestions Using graphic extras that make reviews more reader-friendly. How to write criticism that gets good reviews.