Feature Perfect

By Ms. Inee A. Martinez

2009 NSPC Champion-Pagsulat ng Lathalain

Winner, Philippine Star’s #DearClass, Essay Writing Contest. October
2016
Former News Editor- NTC-Fiat Lux
Former Staffer, UST Education Journal- Panitikan/Literary
Department
School Paper Adviser, San Roque Elementary School, Marikina City
• The cliché says a picture
paints a thousand words,
but a good feature story is
worth a million pictures.
Feature is a work of fiction based on facts. 
Maaring ito'y produkto ng malawak na imahinasyon ng
manunulat ngunit hindi dapat ito nawawala sa katotohanan.

1. Gawing pasabog ang lead. There are different ways to start a

feature article.
2. As much as possible, focus on one angle based sa binagay na
topic.Kailangan may Emphasis, Coherence ang mga paragraph
ninyo.
3. Avoid using too much dialogs. Minsan kasi nasosobrahan sa
palitan ng lines, thus, nagiging short story na. 
4. Avoid lenghty paragraphs. Okay lang na madaming talata, na
may 2-3 pangungusap. Kaysa sa konting talata pero sobrang
haba naman.
• 5. Don't show. Let the readers feel what you are
talking about.
6. Kung kabog ang opening, kailangan mas
kabog ang ending. There are also different ways
on ending it.
7. Think of a catchy title.
8. Wag kalimutan ang social relevance ng topic.
8. MAGBASA. WAG PURO JADINE!
9.Gumawa ka ng sarili mong style. Yung
komportable ka.

10. PUSO!
 What is a Feature Story?
 A feature story is an essay written
by a journalist on a varied subject
of human interest.
 It provides the writer’s
interpretation of a story, widen
reader’s analysis of a certain topic
unlike a news story, which simply
provides the facts.
●
Stresses accuracy
Not
News
A truthjust
provides
form
Provides story dry
informati
ofandon
●
●
Differs
●
and
Features from
interpret, news
add
information
depth from a
inand
Never color, instruct
intent or
sacrifices
its
●

reporting
uniquefacts
entertain
accuracy angle
for creativity
 Structure
Nut Graph Conclusion
Title Lead (Intro) Body (Blocks )
(Angle) (Ending)

The entire
Grabs the Best leads History
anecdotal in article in a Sense of
reader's nature, 3 nutshell Closure
attention paragraphs long,
, illustrates how that
Scope
individual case is actually
representative of a bigger
A microcosm trend or how it fits into a
Cause Ends the
Highlights bigger overall picture
of the bigger story with a
main idea story
a well-worn formula
that’s still used by the
Wall Street Journal and
Impact punch
countless other
publications today.
A good lead beckons, Action of The best kind
Includes invites, informs,
“a paragraph that says
contrary force either sums up
attracts and entices. and/or reinforces
what this whole story is
keywords about and why you the central message
should read it. Future of the story
Different Titles

1. Question
 Bakla, Bakla Paano ka Ginawa?
 Are We There Yet?
2. A word
 Asin
 Journalost
3. A phrase
 Anak ng Kumander
 A Life Less Ordinary
4. A sentence
 Red ang Luha ni Michael
 The Year I Became Sweet

5. Symbolism
 Red ang Luha ni Michael
 Papertowns
6. Inday Style
 http://www.com.ph
Different Leads

1. Narrative/ Conventional Lead

Justin Greer’s 2,800 friends have never seen him

cry. His father has seen him cry only once — the
day last October when doctors told the 16-year-
old football player that what he thought was a bad
case of the flu was actually leukemia.
 UAAP MVP. Spiking machine. Superstar.

You can name it all but she still keeps

her feet on the ground and believes
that volleyball would be her forever
love.
2. Song
“ Wala ka bang napapansin
Sa iyong kapaligiran?
Kay dumi na ng hangin,
Pati na rin ang ilog natin”
3. Letter
Dear Friend,

This is happening.
I am here and I am looking at her and she is so beautiful.
I can see it.
This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story,
you are alive.
Dear Ate Charo,

Tawagin niyo na lang ako sa

pangalang Imbeng. Sumulat
ako upang ipagbigay alam sa
inyo ang aking karanasan sa
nagdaang bagyong Yolanda.
3. Quote
“We have to break our own
walls of Jericho.”
“Ang mahirap ang mas lalong
dapat magsikap.”
4. Inday Style
d2 na me. Wer na u?
I kennat.
Choosing an Angle (Nut Graph)

• Think of an angle (point or theme) as you

approach your story.
• Is the story of interest to the audience?
• Does the story have holding power? (emotional
appeal)
• What makes the story worthy of being reported?
• The theme answers the question: So what?
Five Different Approaches You Can
Take On A Topic

Smoking
Profile People who have suffered diseases as
●
●

a result of smoking

Explanatory ●
How smoking leads to
Pieces diseases

Issues/Trends
Issues/Trends
●
● The rise of smoking among
women in urban areas

Investigative
Investigative
●
● How cigarette companies use
innovative strategies to target teens

The story of the first person to sue a cigarette

Narrative
●
●

company for causing him to develop cancer

 Language and Style

A personal tone through

Use of relevant jargon to
the use of informal, Facts to validate the
add authenticity to the
colloquial and first person writer’s viewpoint
information & opinions
narrative
 Language and Style

Use of exaggeration &

Use of rhetorical question Anecdotes to hold the
generalization to add
to involve the reader reader’s attention
humor
 Language and Style

Emotive words to evoke a Effective use of imagery

Use of direct quotes to
personal response in the and description to engage
personalise the topic
reader reader’s imagination
 IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF A
BODY
• Voice ⁻ The "signature" or personal
style of each writer
• Voice is the personality of the writer
and can be used to inject color, tone,
subtle emotional commentary into the
story.
The ending/conclusion
• End your story imaginatively.
• A summarizing statement or a wrapping up of
highlights of the story.
• A punch line or the highest point of interest.
• A restatement of the lead or a tie-up to come
out with the whole article.
• The ending will wrap up the story and come
back to the lead, often with a quotation or a
surprising climax.
.
The fault(s) in our…

Feature story
A. Boring- It does not grab the reader’s
attention. There is little or nothing
fresh about it and perhaps everything
is said the same old way with clichés.
B. Verbosity- The use of too many
words for the required effect which
includes weariness.
c. Lack of clearness- This involves long
phrases, sentences and ideas that are badly
arranged. The reader makes no swift
favorable response, not knowing what the
story is all about.
d. Lack of dramatic quality- No awakening
of reader’s curiosity.
e. Abstractness- No vivid pictures with
concrete verbs and nouns. Leaves no
impression.
FEATURE WRITING TIPS 101

1. Brain storm ideas.

2. What’s the purpose?
3. Research the topic.
4. Grab the reader’s attention.
5. Keep that attention.
6. Leave an impression.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
AND GOD BLESS! 
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Twitter: @ineemartz