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By NICOLASA SALAS - CAMAYA

Feature writing

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Page 1: Feature writing

By NICOLASA SALAS - CAMAYA

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FEATURE WRITINGis an in depth look at a person, situation or place. It is not a news, as in the latest – breaking headline, but some overlooked or under- appreciated tale.

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FEATURE WRITINGThe feature story makes the familiar new and the new familiar. The feature story could be the unknown personal side of a public figure or could be a newly diagnosed childhood behavior or some odd happening around.

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FEATURE WRITINGIts a human interest because it appeals to the emotions.

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Functions of Feature

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To entertainThe primary purpose of

feature story is to entertain or to give the readers pleasure and entertainment although it can also educate, instruct, advise, recommend and offer choices of action.

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To ExplainExplain what is happening in the

world, nation or community. It does not only inform the world as in the news but it explains. Like the death of Cory, it does not only inform the world of her death but also explain the impact of her death to the Filipinos, to the Philippine Government and to the world itself as she is an icon of democracy.

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To TeachTeach an audience how to do

something. This especially true when your feature story is about home and family life. Cooking, Making your home looks spacious with limited

space and other related topics.

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To suggestSuggest better ways to live. Topics like Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health, Fighting Cancer and Going Back to the Basic – Eat Vegetables , Exercises and Simple Lifestyles are just good features for this function.

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To examineExamine trends. It caters mostly to the younger generation. This is mostly done in most magazines creating the latest fads in dresses, gadgets and even people. Usually artists. Likewise new craze like cremation, stem technology.

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To narrateNarrate a personal experience, a tragedy or success story that inspire. It could be a personal story about rags to riches; a battle on a sickness; a boy or girl scout heroism.

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To tickleTickle readers through humor and witticisms. Aside from inspiring the readers, we can also tickle them with humor especially Filipino readers. This is the reason why when reading a newspaper they would first look at the comic section before going to the headline.

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To commentComment on social, political and cultural issues. Informative feature often had this function. When featurizing poverty and unemployment has something to do with social and even political issues.

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Types of features

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News feature– based on recent event or development. News like Cory’s Death, Acquittal of the accused of masterminding the ZTE Scandal. You can write a new feature like Cory’s battle from Democracy to Cancer.

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Personality Profile

– written to bring the audience closer to a person in or out of the news. This is one of the easiest features to write. 

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Human Interest story

– written to show a subject’s emotional or human side. It is usually a tragic story. Like the tragic story of Sajid Bulig, Rona Manghilum and other children’s heroism.

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Trend Story– are very popular because people are excited to read or hear about the latest fads. Example : Cremations, Stem Technology, Artificial Insemination

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Informative feature

– Topics that would fall under this category would include the extent of the drug problem in the Philippines, poverty, unemployment, abuses in the work place and the plight of the elderly population.

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News analysis– If you heard about the

Trillanes Revolt. It is an aborted coup at Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati last November 29, 2007. You can then write a news analysis of that development like why trillanes did it because of messianic complex or plain stupidity?

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How to article– examples of which

are the following. The art of making Oregami – Paper folding. The making of the famous tinapa from Talaga.

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Personal Experience

– it all about your experience.

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Humorous feature

– One of the most important functions of the feature to entertain. This is even difficult to write than any other ordinary feature.

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Investigative Feature

– Stories about militant killings and disappearances and other violations of human rights would fall under this category.

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Inspirational feature

– This also stresses the importance of education and a positive outlook as well as faith in oneself in order to succeed in life.

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Basic rules in crafting the

feature

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Short sentences

– 15 to 20 words per sentence is easy to read. Sentences longer that 30 words may be hard to understand.

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Short Paragraph

– Keep paragraphs short and vary them from one word to five average sentences. Remember a 100 word paragraph looks long in a narrow newspaper column.

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Easy words

– When technical or difficult word must be used, explain it as simply as possible.

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Personal words

– These are still good technique for holding the reader’s interest.

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Active verbs –

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Transitions

– these are very important to make a coherent paragraph.

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Interest building

– providing quotes like Im sorry, the Filipinos are worth dying for, the Filipinos are worth living for.

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The thinking/writin

g process

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You need to think first.

Reflect on what you want to tell your readers. It is like setting a purpose or a goal. You would like to make it as interesting to your readers as it is to you. Feature that does not follow the inverted pyramid. You can start with the least important to the most important.

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Use a thread.There is a need to see coherence in the article to fully understand the article. It is effective to weave a thread throughout the story which connects the lead to the body and to the conclusion. The thread can be a single person, an event or a thing that usually highlights the theme.

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Choose a theme –

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Newspeg

– It is called nut graph because it explains the reason the story is being written.

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Tools in building up the

theme

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Dialogue and quotations

– Feature writers often use dialogues or quotations to keep the story moving and alive. It gives the readers strong mental images and keeps them attached to the writing and to the story’s key players.

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Famous quotes– The use of quotes from famous persons or literary compositions would add to the scholarly nature of a feature story. It gives elegance to the story and it gives the impressions that the writer is well rounded.

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Idioms and anecdotes

– can add spice into the feature articles. They have to be woven subtly into the story in order to build up the theme. They must be simple and brief; relevant and have an intrinsic value.

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Establish a voice

– Another key element that holds a feature together is a voice the signature or personal style of each writer. It is the personality of the writer and can be used to inject color, tone and subtle emotional commentary into the story.

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Ending or conclusion.

The ending will wrap up the story and usually goes back to the lead often with a quotation or a surprising climax.

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Literary devices or techniques

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Flashback

– it tells of the events in the past that has relevance to the unfolding of the story. It is like setting the background for the story

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Parallelism– when you compare parallel events or events. EDSA events

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Contrast

– When you make a contrast or conflicting situations to emphasize a point in your story.

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Atmosphere

– It speaks of a tone of voice. It could be harsh, grating, cool, hysterical, loud, angry and sarcastic.

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Setting

– this refer to the time and place when the story happens

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Imagery

– The mental images formed as a result of the words used in the feature story or any form of literary piece.

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Diction– This means use, choice and arrangement of words and phrases.

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Figure of Speech

Metaphor – comparing objects without the use of like and as.

Simile comparing objects with the use of like and as

Personification – attributing human traits to inanimate objects. 

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A True StoryMayor Jose Ramos of Lapu-Lapu City encountered an old-timer from San Francisco, California at the Domestic Airport in Manila.

Ramon Sanchez asked how he could go to Surigao to visit his relatives he left 30 years ago. He had returned to the Philippines as a Balikbayan.

The mayor volunteered to help him by taking him first to Lapu-lapu City. Giving the old man P300 and a chaperon from his office, he then made arrangements for the old man’s flight to Surigao.

At this point, the balikbayan confessed that he was not that poor. He gave the mayor $ 5000, and all of the mayor’s staff $20 each.

The old man said he was happy to know that it is not true that Filipinos have lost their hospitality in 30 years.

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Golden Medicine for Giant Dilemmas

Penicillin for the bloody, powerful wounds. Eyemo for the dirty, reddish eyes. Strepsils for fiend sore throat. Looking for the best medicine for your heavy burdens? Does your head need to bounce on the strongest wall? Or your stressed soul wants to be amnesic to forget all your disputes?

There is no need to do that. The only thing recommended is to sit, open your mind and your eyes then enjoy the colorful world of writing. It will never leave a big hole in your pocket.

Turning on the page, the news articles will never let your life be left behind by the latest issues. It will make your busy world stupefied by the current events.

Well, after the shocking and surprising news, here comes the world of opinions, the editorial page, You will surely say yes or no, be either influenced or convinced with a lot of powerful words

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Editorial cartoonists will never let you guess the topic after reading the title of the amazing editorial. Each cartoon is always there ready to guide you.

On the touch of your gracious hand on the exciting paper, turning on the next page, your thirsty eyes will be overloaded with the meaningful, colorful and interesting stories in the feature page. After reading each, you may cry, laugh, inspired and of course fall in love.

Do you love sports? Then the last page is yours. It can give you exciting and nerve-breaking games and sports trivias. So read more of the sport stories, for every dribble counts.

This is the world of JOURNALISM. It is just something that contributes a lot of big things that give you remedy to your chaotic world. It will definitely color your life and give extra special joy. At the end of the day, journalism is still the golden medicine that can cure your giant dilemmas.

So common, make friend with journalism. Let it rock!

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Thank You….