Miley, an avid Harry Potter fan, asks one of her teachers
before she boards the bus for her 2011 high school
graduation ceremony. She had already received several
warnings about wearing the cape to school, as it broke the
district’s student dress code no costumes rule.
Amy explains to those that pass by her that her flower vase
and checkerboard picnic tablecloth were they to stay. She
continued setting up her picnic every day after school
during the second semester of her junior year.
Natasia describes the night the she came home from the
hospital after receiving 12 stitches in her head. He foster
brother came home mad, threw a hammer across the room
and cracked open her skull.
Monica, the leader of the Japanese Culture Club, talks
about her club’s annual tea party. While a couple of the
club’s members come wearing kimonos with their
converse, many just opt to wear their blue jeans and Tshirts for the event.
FEATURE WRITING

A feature story is a journalistic article that
tends to take a narrative approach, using
opening paragraphs to establish a scene and
hook the reader.

A feature story shares a lot of the
characteristics of short fiction writing (plot,
character, setting, conflict, theme) but it
requires that all the elements be 100 percent
factual.

A feature story is about people or groups of
people

A feature story has a theme or a specific topic

A feature story can show a “slice of someone’s
life,” be about a dramatic situation, give
information to accompany a main news story,
dig deep and investigate a topic, explain the
background situation for a news event,
enlighten readers on universal topics through
the perspective of those “in the know”
FEATURE WRITING
FEATURE WRITING

Powerful lead
 Show the face (character) of the story
 Open with the specific, full of details and
description to flesh out the setting of the story
 Set the tone of the story by hinting at the plot and
upcoming conflict
The girl in the window, Lane
DeGregory, Times Staff Writer,
Posted: Jul 31, 2008 04:35 PM
The girl in the window, Lane
DeGregory, Times Staff Writer,
Posted: Jul 31, 2008 04:35 PM
Diving headlong into a sunny
paradise , By Lane DeGregory,
Times Staff Writer, In Print:
Monday, May 30, 2011
Diving headlong into a sunny
paradise , By Lane DeGregory,
Times Staff Writer, In Print:
Monday, May 30, 2011
Largo park keeper says
goodbye to his escaped owl
friend By Lane DeGregory,
In Print: Monday, February 14,
2011
Largo park keeper says goodbye
to his escaped owl friend By Lane
DeGregory,
In Print: Monday, February 14, 2011
The young Egyptian professional
could pass for any New York
bachelor.
Dressed in a crisp polo shirt and
swathed in cologne, he races his
Nissan Maxima through the rainslicked streets of Manhattan, late
for a date with a tall brunette. At
red lights, he fusses with his hair.
What sets the bachelor apart
from other young men on the
make is the chaperon sitting next
to him -- a tall, bearded man in a
white robe and stiff embroidered
hat.
The imam of a Bay Ridge
mosque, Mr. Shata, serves as a
chaperone to some 550 "marriage
candidates.” The meetings often
unfold on the green velour couch
of his office, or over a meal at his
favorite Yemeni restaurant on
Atlantic Avenue.
Tending to Muslim Hearts and Islam's
Future
By: Andrea Elliott
March 7, 2006
FEATURE WRITING

Nut graph
 Usually one sentence, but may be two to three
 Goes from the very narrow focused lead to a more
broad theme statement
 Works like a news story lead to provide a summary
 Writer may use critical thinking to provide the
summary. *If attribution of facts is not in the nut
graph (which is okay but may make the graph feel like
it has been editorialized), then evidence supporting
the conclusion drawn in the nut graph must be
attributed as the story continues

Nut graph
 Provides a justification of why the reader should
care and why the story is important
 May provide a news peg and a future date– a
newsworthy event that justifies the writing of the
feature story and explains why the story is timely.
(If news peg is not in the nut graph and there is
one available, it should be placed within 2-4
paragraphs after the nut graph).
To Young To Diet?
By Christopher Scanlan
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Feb. 19, 1994
To Young To Diet?
By Christopher Scanlan
Knight Ridder Newspapers
Feb. 19, 1994
UIL Wrap Up Slideshow
Presentation by Jeanne Acton
LEAD Some people say they would give the shirt off their back to
help people in need.
Junior Salvador Sanchez gave the roof over his head.
NUT GRAPH In February, Salvador convinced his parents to sell
their 4,500-square-foot home and move into a smaller, less
expensive home in a nearby neighborhood. Then he convinced
them to donate the profit from the sale, about $175,000, to two
local charities, the Capital Area Food Bank and The Bridge Project.
DIRECT QUOTE “We are a very blessed family,” Salvador said. “We
live a life of ease. We have food on our table every night. We buy
the things we want — big screen televisions, video games, nice
clothes, nice cars, etc. But our world, our community, is not as
blessed.”
--CON’T
UIL Wrap Up Slideshow
Presentation by Jeanne Acton
TRANSITION/NEWS PEG Salvador and his family will be honored
by the City Council on Tuesday. At that meeting, the council will
issue a challenge to the community to match the family’s donation
by June 1. People can donate directly to either charity or through
leaguetownhall.org.
FEATURE WRITING


The body
For beginners, use basic chronology
 Lead with a dramatic moment
▪ Use nut graph to reveal theme and to flash back to where
the story needs to start
 Follow a typical plot sequence: beginning, middle,
end
▪ Exposition (setting/characters/situation)—*Nut Graph*-Conflict/Rising Action– Climax—Falling Action—
Resolution

Other writing devices for the more advanced
 Story within a story
 Side story
 Foreshadowing
 Flashback
 Plot twist
 Incluing or infodumping background information
 Non linear story telling
Note: Story may be broken into several sections, like plays
are broken into acts, movies into scenes and books into
chapters
For troubled student, a sport
and a coach provide a chance
for a big reversal
By Bill Stevens, Times Staff Writer

Section 1a- Intro to a troubled Ladarious Jackson and a man
on a drop out mission/wrestling coach Travis DeWalt

Section 1b- Glimpse at the start of Ladrious’ troubles. He was
a crack baby

Section 2- Ladarious’ struggles with family, places to live, and
the law up through middle school. Also, hint a wrestling past
(watched it with his brother on TV)

Section 3- Struggles and triumphs while working on HS
wrestling team. Last graph ends with Ladarious homeless
again.
--CONTINUED
For troubled student, a sport
and a coach provide a chance
for a big reversal
By Bill Stevens, Times Staff Writer

Section 4- Personal trials and triumphs while trying to
continue his high school education. Wrestling wins, school
award, joining ROTC yet personal struggles like learning
disability, no transportation

Section 5- More personal triumphs– positive, upbeat look at
who Ladarious was as a senior

Section 6- Ladarious graduating.

The body
 Quotes
▪ Connects to and elaborates on the transition/nut graph,
without repeating what was previously said
▪ Shows the emotions of the story
▪ Format first time source is used: “Blah blah blah,”
attribution first name last name said. “blah blah blah.”
▪ Format second time source is used: “Blah blah blah,” last
name said. “blah blah blah.”

The body
 Transitions
▪ Provides important facts that are verifiable, factual
▪ Uses transitional words to help story flow
▪ Fact, indirect quotes or partial quotes may be used
Lead: Uses a descriptive story to introduce
Linked
Linked
Linked
a character, setting and/or conflict and
develop an angle. Hooks the reader before
related to a more general topic.
Nut graph: Provides a summary of a
more general topic/theme. Provides the news
worthy reason for the feature. Answers who,
what, where, when, how and why.
Direct quote: Helps reader move from
the nut graph to the next fact. The first quote
usually comes for the primary source and
always shows emotion.
Transition: Using facts, transitions help
keep the story flowing. They either provide
description or facts. Make sure to attribute
facts.
Direct quote: Helps reader move from
the previous transitional fact to the next. The
quotes can come for the primary or
secondary sources. Only quote emotion.
Transition: Using facts, transitions help
keep the story flowing. Transitions may be
indirect or partial quotes
Direct quote: Helps reader move from
the previous transitional fact to the next. The
quotes can come for the primary or
secondary sources. Only quote emotion.
And so on until the conclusion
Conclusion: Helps resolve the issues
for the reader and bring closure for the main
character. May circle back to the lead. Comes
in the form of a direct quote that is an
emotional statement that readers will
remember.
By Jessie Garcia. McKinney
North High School Reflections
yearbook 2010. Tops In Texas
Personality Profile.
At her father’s side, on his last night, Angie Ng (10) took all the time available she
had with him. She knew this was it, the last few minutes with any parent, having her mom
pass away in a March 2009 car accident.
I could not believe it; it was unreal, even at the funeral,” Ng said. “I guess you
could say I was in denial about it all.”
Only a mere four months after her mom’s passing, Angie Ng took on an adult role,
taking care of her terminally ill father who was suffering from colon cancer.
“I would try and cook dinner every night, I had to give him his right medication,”
Ng said. “Sometimes I had to help him walk around, as he would fall, and I would have to
catch him.”
With the help of nurses each day, Ng stayed by her dad’s side.
“I do not know what it was, but it is like I always knew he needed me, before he
even said anything,” Ng said. “If I had a feeling he was up, then I would go check, and he was
up.”
After her dad passed away, Ng turned to friends for support and to fill the time.
“I don’t want people worrying about me, but some days are hard, especially when I
am at home versus when I am at school having all these distractions,” Ng said. “I would have
never gotten through this without my friends; they are my biggest support system. I mean
they’re all I have left,” Ng said.
--CONTINUED
By Jessie Garcia. McKinney
North High School Reflections
yearbook 2010. Tops In Texas
Personality Profile.
Choir was another haven for Ng. Steven Nelms (f) and Angie became close,
starting during the summer.
“Angie would come to my office and we would just talk,” Nelms said. “Sometimes
her biology teacher was kind enough to notify her when they would be discussing genetics.
If she wanted to come to the choir hall to read the chapter she could, so she wouldn’t have
to hear the discussion.”
With her support system built around school faculty and friends, Ng was thrown
off course when she discovered that she had to move in with her aunt and go to a private
school.
“There were like only thirteen kids in my grade,” Ng said. “I literally started
bawling when I found that out.”
But, as her life unraveled before her, Angie caught a break when her best friend’s
parents offered her a place in their home.
“The Schuliens are the greatest people ever,” Ng said. “I try to do as much as I can
for them, as they have already done so much for me. Even through I have lost everything, I
still feel so blessed, because I know it could be so much worse.”
FEATURE WRITING

The conclusion should
 Remind the reader of the article’s purpose
 Be a thought provoking, emotional quote
 Be impactful, may encourage a change of opinion
 Circle back to the lead and finish off the anecdote
or imagery that was started in the lead
 Give closure for the reader in regards to the main
character of the story
For sick kids, ConKerr Cancer
pillowcase project creates a
pillow to cry on, or dream on
By Lane DeGregory
In Print: December 29, 2010
LEAD Chela Duran was propped up in her hospital bed last week, her left hand tethered to
an IV, when a woman wearing reindeer antlers popped through the door.
"I brought you something," said Kelly Barmore, a child life therapist at All Children's
Hospital. Her antlers wiggled while she walked. "These are pillowcases," she said, setting a
stack of brightly patterned fabrics on the bed. "See? We've got lots of different ones: cowgirl,
Tinkerbell, Santa." She flipped through the pile. "And it's not just for while you're here. You
can take it with you when you go home."
The girl looked up. "Can I go home now? 'Cause tomorrow is my birthday." She
would be 7.
"Well, then you need this one," said the therapist, pulling out a case covered with
colored balloons. "The magic birthday pillowcase."
For sick kids, ConKerr Cancer
pillowcase project creates a
pillow to cry on, or dream on
By Lane DeGregory
In Print: December 29, 2010
CONCLUSION The next afternoon, doctors discharged Chela.
She had missed her town's Christmas parade, missed her first grade holiday party,
missed birthday cupcakes with her classmates.
Her parents promised she could still celebrate.
But before they left for Chuck E. Cheese that night, Chela had a request. In her
bedroom at home, she pulled out the handmade case printed with the colored balloons. She
asked her mom to put it on her real pillow.
Maybe it still had some magic.
FEATURE WRITING

Covered the topic or event rather than used topics,
like the activities of clubs, to point to a interesting
story about someone involved, but remember the
story should be a narrow theme/ perspective about a
person or a group of people

Topic: Relay for Life

Feature Story: Student that is participating in the Relay for
Life for personal reasons– own survival of cancer, caring for
a relative with cancer, working as a volunteer in the cancer
wing of a hospital
BAD

On Friday night club
members and athletes,
including John Filbeck, will
be walking for a cause
during Relay for life.
Filbeck, once the starting
quarterback for the
Panthers, has a special
reason to be there. He just
survived four rounds of
chemo to fight his cancer.
GOOD

John Filbeck was more
afraid of never playing
football again than he was
of cancer. A 13-year-old has
his own priorities.
*excerpt taken from p. 49 of The Radical Wright by Bobby
Hawthorne

Used friends instead of finding the right people to interview (Main: A person with
a compelling story that is closest to the theme/topic, Secondary: The main
interviewee’s closest support system and the experts on the topic)

Failed to research the topic and have background knowledge of theme and of the
main subject before the interview. Asked, “What can you tell me about.”

Asked stupid/background questions like “What is the purpose of FFA?”

Relied on close ended questions rather than on open ended questions. Key words:
Describe it, how did it look, what happened next, how would others there
describe it, can you tell me more,

Stuck to pre-formulated questions rather than asking follow-up questions.

Tried to prove someone wrong instead of going in with an open mind

Talked the whole time rather than giving the subject wait time

Failed to bring paper, pen, tape recorder to take quality notes or took notes but
then took weeks before going through them
BAD
GOOD
Killing animals is such a
bad thing. What is your
opinion?
 Do you plan on being a
judge next year?
 Will the rules be the same
next year?


How do you feel about how
the current rules are being
enforced?
 Why did you stop eating
meat?
 How do you plan to carry the
base line with only one tuba
player?
 Can you tell me more about
what happened when the
principal walked in the room?

Didn’t choose a theme. Should have evaluated all
the possible stories themes/angles to be told and
then selected the most compelling one

Used a broad topic and tried to cover the whole
topic. A feature isn’t a person’s bio or a research
report that has to include all the information
about a person. Only information that tells a
story relevant to the topic should be used

Let the subject give an angle but was so focused
on one direction that you didn’t get any quotes
about it. So, don’t be afraid to re-interview
BAD
The dance club held it’s monthly meeting
in room B109 on Tuesday. During the
meeting the members decided on a car
was fund raiser for the first semester of
the school year and then a banquet for
the end of the year.
“I know we are going to be really
busy,” club president Chelsea McGuire
said.
After the business part of the meeting,
members had cake and cookies.
“Madeline’s mom makes the best
pineapple cake ever,” McGuire said.
Before everyone left for the night, the
group congratulated Megan Freyer who
will be leaving the group and the school
to travel with the Chicago based AllAmerican Kickers.
GOOD
As usual, Megan Freyer was the first in
the room. Dressed in her Just Dance
jogging pants and a school pride T-shirt,
she hooked up her classic black iPod, the
one selected not because of tie classic
but because black was the school’s color,
and prepared herself for the group’s
ritual Hello Dance. At the same time, she
also prepared herself for leaving the
dance room one last time.
Freyer, voted by the team as best
dancer and by the student body as most
school spirited joined the Chicago based
All-American Kickers, and rather than
returning to be captain for the Panther
Dancers next semester will be attending
an online school program that will allow
her to work around her schedule.

Weak leads
 Used news or summary leads
 Made sure readers knew your personal opinions
 Used first or second person
 Stated the obvious or generalizing situations rather than
using the “show don’t tell” method
 Used passive voice and took out all descriptions. Didn’t
appeal to the senses with writing
 Used cliches or pretentious descriptions
 Included“Imagine this…,” “Have you ever…,” “Do you
know…” or “Most people think…” leads
BAD
Imagine laying immobilized on the
football field waiting for an ambulance.
Sounds scary, right? Well, that is exactly
what happened to Lee York because an
ambulance wasn’t requested for the
game against Mansfield. And, get this,
ambulances aren’t at any athletic games.
They have to be called in after an injury
occurs.
GOOD
For 45 minutes, freshman offensive
lineman Lee York lay immobilized on
the football field waiting for an
ambulance as players and his worried
parents looked on, helplessly trying to
find out the condition of their son.
"It took my breath away," Lee York's
father, Bobby York said.
Lee was on a kick off return on Oct.
19 against Mansfield when he was
injured.
"He made a tackle with his head
down," head athletic trainer Scott
Galloway said. Doctors later
determined he suffered cervical strain
on his spine and a concussion,
Galloway said. *2000-2001 NSPA First Place, News Story By Parker
Holland and Cory Brady Eagle Eye, DeSoto HS, DeSoto, TX

Used weak nut graphs
 Bogged down the story with too much information
 Use personal opinions not facts
 Didn’t research topic so used generalities such as a
few, some, many
 Told too much at the start and took away from the
reason for reading
 Failed to reveal a theme or reason to write
BAD
Scanning the quad at Granite Bay
High School, a visitor would realize
something - GBHS is dominated by
white faces.
The student body isn’t getting a
feel of what the real world is like
because most of the student body is
white and there are only a few
Hispanic and Asian students.
GOOD
Scanning the quad at Granite Bay
High School, a visitor would realize
something - GBHS is dominated by
white faces.
More than 88 percent of students
at GBHS are white. Four percent are
Asian, 4.7 percent are Hispanic - and
just 1.6 percent are African American.
For senior Courtney Cooper and
other black students at GBHS, the
difference of the color of their skin is
more unconsciously realized than a daily
issue. *Living in a sea of white: Lack of diversity can be difficult
2000-2001 NSPA First Place, Diversity/Multiculturalism Story By Jessie Garton
Gazette, Granite Bay HS, Granite Bay, CA

Weak body paragraphs:
 Gave personal opinion in the transitions
 Used quotes for facts rather than emotions
 Structure of the story jumps so much that the
reader couldn’t follow the story line
 Moved from topic to topic without fleshing in the
details
BAD AS A FEATURE LEAD
While all Americans were influenced
in some way by the terror of 9/11, the
people of New York were particularly
affected. None were more deeply
impacted by the events of 9/11 than
those who managed to survive the
collapse of the World Trade Centers and
the families and friends of those who
did not. These individuals not only had
to deal with the terrorism they had just
witnessed in a very personal way, they
faced many other emotions and issues
as well.
This paper is an examination of a
widow who lost her husband in the
collapse of the World Trade Centers.
http://www.edb.utexas.edu/faculty/somers/911/winkler_%20paper.htm
GOOD
"Low points come and go," Sharon
says. "This has been a rough week for
me just because of the [six-month]
memorial."
Since the death of Marian, who
was one of 189 people to perish in the
Pentagon attack, Sharon has constantly
called her brother (and Marian's
husband) Bruce Serva in Washington to
share in his grief.
"If he's been having a good day, it's
OK," Sharon says. "If he's been having a
bad day, if he's been inundated with
paperwork, that's hard for him to bring
closure.“ *2002 NSPA The Echoes of Sept. 11 First Place, By Chen Wu Spark,
Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, OH

Weak conclusions:
 Let the conclusion become a summary
 Used a list of facts than a list of facts, information
about an event, etc. rather than a passionate quote
 In the closing personally cheered on the subject of the
story
 Preached to the readers in your own voice instead of
using information/quotes that may shape opinions
BAD
Teen partying is bad and if teens can’t
be responsible for themselves then the
parents are going to have to step up and
stay at home. Underage drinkers can’t be
left at home alone over the weekend
without a party happening.
“When mom leaves for Kansas next
week, I am going to have another party,”
the host said.
GOOD
If the neighbors did not know
about the party the night before, the
sight of the host's front lawn confirms
any suspicions.
"There are always millions of beer
cans," she said. "Whenever I go outside
in the morning, I see my neighbors
walking their dogs. They always give me
dirty looks."
The neighbors later call her mom,
again.
But next weekend, the mother's
job requires another overnight trip,
another party. *School's out, party's on NSPA 2002 First Place, Feature
By Owen Skoler Highlander, McLean HS, McLean, VA
2003
Crystal meth: The dirty high hitting teens
First Place, Feature
By Jeff Katz
Gazette, Granite Bay HS, Granite Bay, CA
2004
First Place, Feature and Brasler Prize Winner
By Heiko Yang
Spark, Lakota East HS, Liberty Township,
Ohio
2005
First Place, Feature and Brasler Prize Winner
By Mark Green
Mane Events, McKinney HS, McKinney,
Texas
http://www.stud
entpress.org/ns
pa/contests.htm
l#individual