DEMANDS OF A FEATURE:Entertainment and Interest, Both sides of picture

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Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

LESSON 05

DEMANDS OF A FEATURE

If on one hand, certain responsibilities and duties are to be fulfilled by the feature, then there are certain

demands of every feature, which must be met by him as a writer of features.

They are:

Explanation

The basic importance of the features is fullest explanation and explication of the difficult points, so as to

make it more and more intelligible to the general masses at large. Feature-writing is actually at par with

detailed reporting which includes all the requisite information and facts under study, suitable to be

presented to the general readers. Features are uniquely based upon some interesting news-stories, which

absorb the popular attention immediately or popular attention can be diverted. In the feature, the

background of the particular news-story is presented side by side the present situation. For detailed

information, all the relevant facts and figures are included in the feature. Feature not only includes the

detail information as well as the personal feelings and impressions, which collectively assist the readers

and the officials to arrive at some firm conclusions and to form public opinion.

Entertainment and Interest

It has been justifiably said that feature is actually a news-story but converted into detailed and attractive

and interesting form. Moreover feature writing also contains relevant photographs, turning it into a

colourful and pictorial writings, which naturally increase their interest and entertainment. A feature is a

news-story from facts point of view and is a drama or a narrative from the point of view of its particular

style of description. The newspapers and the periodicals usually owe their success to the interesting and

attractive narrative of ifs feature articles. A feature manifests the basic and bare facts of a news-story but

in an attractive and attention-absorbing manner. Otherwise the features would have been considered as

drab writings, particularly in this age of awful pre-occupations and lack of leisure and even more when

thousands of voices and messages and writings follow the man. It is the objective and demand of the

feature to provide materially all available and necessary information, facts and figures and equip and

prepare the readers with moral values to confront and face the competition of age and times. So, feature is

not a means of material and mental entertainment, but it renders moral and ethical services to the readers.

Information and guidance

The features are usually objective-oriented, as to the information and guidance. The objectivity is the

moot question of the feature-writing, which forms the basis of success of any newspapers, journal,

magazine or a periodical. In other words, features are not enough merely to provide entertainment and

interest but they also have an objective to serve.

Both sides of picture

A feature shall, be considered consummate and perfect only if it gives and explicates both sides of picture

of an issue, an event or a problem. Feature reflects the real life and is usually written on the current issues,

and gets data and material from living society. A good feature writer gets information, facts and figures

from the relevant persons and employs his sensitive thinking and observation This virtually makes a

feature most interesting, alluring and attention absorbing immediately.

Diagnosis of Problems

Another important demand of the feature is its diagnosis of problems prevalent in the society at a given

period. Features are destined to reflect the mood of the society, to detect the underlying problems which

have diseased rather marred the society. Features not only detect the problems, but also undertake to study

and examine the causes and factors, which have led to a deteriorating state. They are meant also to

suggest the possible remedies and feasible measures to be taken to check the onslaught. Features render

valuable social services, by examining the countless social and psychological problems and their

suggestive and possible solutions. The features impel the readers to ponder over the serious topics and

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

even habituate them to form a solid thinking, and to prepare them to face hard facts of life in a light vein

with unconscious means without putting any unnecessary stress and strain on them.

Favourite of readers

The readers are more interested in reading the feature rather than a column or an editorial. As a feature is

more interesting, easily readable and intelligible and effective than a cold and logically written editorial

and even a personalised column. Features are not only the favourite item for the readers, but even the

feature writers usually earn and enjoy better reputation. A feature is a perfect article as it includes all the

aspects of an issue, which the readers peruse with keep and deep interest and even increases the

circulation of a newspaper on any day.

Attractive prose pieces

The features are literally and figuratively compositions of superb beauty, with unique and excellent style

of writings, on which the whole sub-structure of a newspaper stands solidly. They are really the moving

spirit in the newspapers. Their beauty owed to excellent style of narrative and employing the bare facts

and figures in such a manner so as to be easily digestible. Their presence not only increases the

circulation of a paper manifold and even invests the papers with new meanings of importance and

influence.

In the present age, the newspapers and the periodical cannot ignore the likes and dislikes, requirements,

demands of the public psychology. Long articles with drab heaps of information, facts and figures are not

consistent with the popular temperaments.

People like simple narrative and direct address to them.

Feature appears the only branch of journalism, which provides entertainment, instruction and education,

interest to the people. Features generally engross the attention of the readers from the very beginning to

the end.

Characteristics of features

· They usually entertain more than they Inform, Instruct, or advise, although they may do all four.

· They may be of any length, ranging all the way from rather long magazine articles to the short

human-interest story.

· They are factual and require reporting, but they are related to news stories in few other ways.

· They may or may not be timely. If they are timely and related to a current news event, they are

likely to be more appealing to a newspaper's readers.

· They may or may not be timely. If they are timely and related to a current news event, they are

likely to be more appealing to a newspaper's readers.

· They may be written in any form and in any style. The only criteria are that the form and style be

appropriate to the content and to the purpose of the story.

· They permit the reporter to use all his knowledge and cleverness to write a story that is original in

idea and treatment.

· They are well organised, always written from a carefully constructed plan or out-line.

· They rarely have a news lead. Instead they more often have novelty leads.

· They usually strike the keynote in the opening sentences, which permit the reader to come into

quick contact with the crux of the story, and arouse interest.

· They usually are not cut in makeup. Thus, the reporter may use any devices of the fiction writer

that he wishes suspense, surprise, dialogue, description, narration, climax, and the likes.

· They depend upon the writer to apply his imagination to the facts.

· They are written with friendly simplicity.

· They apply all the principles of effective writing to achieve unity, coherence, and emphasis,

which are essential to all good writing.

· They use specific nouns, adjectives, and verbs to create vivid images, sounds, and feelings for the

reader.

· They usually can be improved by rewriting to eliminate the writing faults.

· They bring the reader as close as possible to the experience or idea related in the story.

Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

They use fresh, original figures of speech where appropriate.

They often incorporate, where appropriate, the suggestions of a number of well-known writers

whose ideas follow in part:

Make the article replete with episodes and anecdotes.

Put something in quotation marks very early in the article.

Use the second person and bear the subject in upon the reader as a matter of urgency to him.

Make ideas concrete by use of specific figures and illustrations that readers understand.

Use dialogue and local colour, characterisations, arid appeals to the senses. Let readers see, hear,

taste, or feel what happened.

Keep the paragraphs short.

Use long sentences and short sentences judiciously mixed.

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