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

2. What is a news feature? Not breaking news

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

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

5. 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

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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Getting ideas Reading newspapers, magazines, books, Internet

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

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

13. Is there a story? Pre-reporting

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

15. 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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

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

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

23. Blundells six key concepts History

24. Blundells six key concepts History Scope

25. Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons

26. Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons Impacts

27. Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons Impacts Countermoves

28. Blundells six key concepts History Scope Reasons Impacts Countermoves Futures

29. Organizing and writing Step one read through your material quickly

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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. A generic news-feature outline Part one –Lede

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

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

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

38. A generic news-feature outline Part two –Secondary lede

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

40. 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

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

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

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

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

45. 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

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

47. 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

48. 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

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

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

51. 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

52. 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