The Art of Feature Writing

In an age when specialization is the key word, journalism cannot remain a distant cousin. Gone are the days when reporters sourced news, sub-editors edited their copies and editors had the responsibility of publishing a good product. Today, the definition of journalism or news gathering has undergone a drastic transformation so that journalists work in chosen areas and feature writers, in particular, have a specific task cut out for them. They write stories which can stand apart from the regular news reports and the exploration of content covers a myriad range of beats from entertainment to health and sports to politics. The emphasis is on exclusive interviews, investigations, research, addition of in-depth details, creating colourful scenarios, moods and peeks into personal lifestyles. Feature writers are the ones who get added space on the inside pages. They also have the Sunday supplements and marked feature pages as their playing field. But opportunities are not enough by themselves. Feature writing is a different ball game altogether. To begin with, it requires acumen for creating the right kind of stories. Next, it calls for a particular style of writing and the use of language which steps beyond the sometimes mundane task of simply putting the information across to the readers. This book is therefore a guide to all those who wanted to write features but did not have a clue about the right approach. Step by step, it takes the reader through the interesting world of feature writing, pointing out the slippery paths that need to be avoided and trakking through the lush woods which makes the journey so very interesting. The book can be used by both, students of journalism to get a grip on the practicalities of feature writing as opposed to what theory states and by the freelance writers or even those already on the staff of publications to see how weaknesses can be turned into strengths. The important thing, finally, is to keep adding dimensions as a writer. The more you know, the better a writer you can be.