Features focus on events or individuals thus giving readers a chance to understand some exciting dimension of the subject. Writing feature articles is both a fun and highly creative activity, however, it requires planning and hard work to craft an engaging and compelling article.
Choosing a Topic
Identify a compelling story. Talk to people and read the news to get exciting stories.
Find a compelling story. Read the news and talk to people to find interesting stories. Research on your topic to find out some background information that can assist you to take an angle and also identify subjects to interview.
Consider the audience you intend to talk to. As you try to come up with ideas, think about the people who're going to read the story. What kinds of features are fascinating to the audience?
Interviewing the Audience
Schedule the meeting at a place and time convenient to the respondent. You may want to ask your subject to tell you the best place and time that is convenient for them.
Prepare for the interview by doing research beforehand to ensure you're asking compelling questions. Create a list of issues that will keep the discussion flowing.
Know the background and experience of the interlocutor, as well as their perspective on the topic of the conversation.
Avoid the yes or no questions because you won't get much information. Instead, ask questions which are open-ended. Ask questions starting with "why" or "how" because they give one an opportunity to give their opinion, tell a story or relate details.
Listening is a vital aspect of an interview. Avoiding giving too much of your observations, instead react to the interlocutor is telling you by nodding or smiling. Most people are highly likely to keep talking if the audience is receptive.
Preparing to Write the Article
Create an outline for your article. Piece the feature by selecting quotes, reviewing your notes, and drafting the structure. Begin with an introduction and decide on how you're going to develop the article. What information would you like to reveal first? As you conclude, consider the central theme or the lasting impression you intend to leave with readers.
Writing the Article
Create a hook to open the story. The first few sentences give you the chance to catch the audience and draw them into the story. If the first paragraph is dry, you'll lose your readers, and they won't continue reading the rest of the feature.
You can begin with an anecdote, a quote or an interesting fact to grab the attention of the audience. The first paragraph should have around 2-3 sentences.
Follow the outline that you drafted. This will help you to stay on track as you develop the article. Besides, the outline can assist you to remember how various details are connected and how different quotes back up the points that you're making.
Avoid using too many quotes. Although it can be enticing to include the direct quotes used by the respondent, never rely on them too much. Otherwise, this risks becoming a straightforward interview. Just write around the quotes to put them into context, create a story and enable readers to interpret what the subject is saying.
Finalizing the Article
Proofread your article to correct any grammatical and spelling errors. Also, ensure the article has got accurate information and facts.
You may want to ask an editor or friend to go through the feature and give you feedback. Be open to whatever feedback you get. They would like you to create a compelling article hence they'll advise you on how you can expand, change or clarify what you have already written to improve the article.
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