A news feature takes an in-depth look at a topic or subject matter, delivering more than just hard facts. It uses literary and rhetorical techniques to keep readers interested until the end of the piece and leave them with a well-rounded narrative that has a lasting impact.
While the format of a news story is flexible, it usually adheres to an inverted pyramid structure and contains both a lead-in paragraph and a detailed body that presents evidence in support of its argument. A good feature article will also use persuasive language features like emotive language, quoting, statistics, rhetorical questions and direct address to engage its audience.
The first step in writing a great feature article is to have a compelling and engaging topic that can spark curiosity and empathy from the reader. Then, the writer can start thinking about how to tell the story and what elements will be required to do so.
Depending on the type of article, a news feature can be anything from a profile of an artist or celebrity to a human-interest story that showcases the struggles of a community in need. A good news feature will be entertaining, educational or informing and can be found in newspapers, magazines and online publications.
As with all articles, it’s important to double-check your work before submitting it for publication. An extra pair of eyes can help catch grammatical errors, ensure your facts are correct and improve the flow and clarity of your writing.
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