(Taken from PRNewsWire)
A feature should be more informative and entertaining than a news story. It can make more use of the vernacular or idiom. This helps better relate the tale. It is more acceptable in a feature to tell how the senses react. Include the sight, smell, feel, and sound.
First thing, tell what your feature is about. Do this also in the headline. It is the headline the editor reads when checking the schedule of stories in a feature package. Many decide then.
The lead paragraph should be concise. Try to keep it under 30 words. It requires an element that grabs readers' attention. It is an element that intrigues, challenges or otherwise spurs the reader to continue.
Facts are implicit to a good story but are best employed one at a time. Use them to emphasize the points you make rather than stacking them in a single paragraph or sentence. Avoid superlatives. Facts have more impact.
Don't digress. Each sentence should move the story along; tell a key element of it, back up what you said in the lead and help the story reach its conclusion.
To keep it tight and punchy, use simple, declarative sentences. When you see the word "and," substitute a period.
Intersperse the text with quotes. They are best used to pass along someone's opinion. Attribute quotes and statements to an individual. Identify the person's affiliation or expertise.
Avoid attributing with such words as "echoed," "joked," "commented." "Said" can be said repeatedly without disturbing the sensibilities of the reader. "Says" - the present tense - gives the story a feel of currency and is today acceptable in most lifestyle reporting.
Adjectives help. But multiple adjectives interrupt. Feed them into the story one at a time.
Clarity is important. Make every word count.
A feature writer is both a reporter and a story teller. A feature writer enjoys telling a good story. He or she "spins the yarn."
To tailor your feature release to our style: