Exam 10: Features: Alternative Story Types

"Feature stories offer particular benefits to public relations writers." Explain how.

Feature writers are expected to write leads that are clever, entertain readers with creative language, and attract readers into reading the story. How is this accomplished?

While human interest features generally take the form of lengthy interview articles, the journalist must remember he or she is not a stenographer and that the same rules apply for quotes discussed earlier: Keep 'em brief!

Features are non-fiction stories written with the writing techniques of fiction; while the content of feature stories is never imagined or created, the content may be treated imaginatively and creatively.

What are color stories?

Unlike news stories, features do not structure information in an inverted pyramid form, but are more casual, conversational and cleverly written.

What are backgrounders?

How does a personality profile differ from a news interview story?