Author: Rajrupa
Everybody likes a story. But for everybody to remain interested in it beyond the first 10 seconds, the story has to be good. Features are stories which inform. So for a feature to sell well, you have to be insightful and ‘inform well’.
Let’s take it from the top. Like any other article, a feature has to have a name, an introduction, a few paragraphs for the body, and preferably, a conclusion. But unlike any other article, a feature has to tell a story, most commonly from a personal perspective. The peg of the feature might have some relation to events in the immediate past. But, it is never breaking news and is generally longer than news stories. The personal touch is for certain the key point in any feature story.
The most crucial period in the life of the feature is the first paragraph. While some feature writers take quite a few paragraphs to arrive at the moot point, the latest trends prove that the shorter and crisper the start, the better the feature fares. People don’t like spending too much time deciding whether or not they want to continue reading the rest of the story. You have to draw the reader away from other engagements and entice him to read your article. You have to talk to him, be as communicative as possible in a one-sided conversation. You have to attract and retain reader interest with engaging narrative hooks that have to be planted in the story at the very beginning. Get the drama into the first act, so to speak.
For the body of the feature, take some time to delve deep into the topic. Expand with examples and be chatty, but informative at the same time. The content needs to be as long as it takes to cover your topic well. Humor, for some kinds of features, works best towards holding the reader’s attention and interest. For like a good story, a good laugh is always welcome.
For a fitting conclusion, wrap up the story, and say goodbye gently, or like a good short story opt for a dramatic twist or last minute revelation that keeps the reader thinking long after the article has been read.
All said and done, there are no strict dos and don’ts for feature writing. You have to speak from the heart rather from the head, try to be sympathetic rather than pedantic, make the reader laugh with you, rather than at the world in general. You have to make sure all this is in place merely to drive home your point in a way that appeals to your reader and ensures your article makes a lasting impression.
How to get started
You have to have a story to tell. With the outline of a story in your heart, try to figure out the most attractive way to tell it to your reader. Jot the moot point down, have an idea as to how to start and how to end, and most often, the rest falls into place. The narrative structure or the grid in which your story will lie will emerge automatically when you have a beginning and an end. The story-stagecraft, the humor, the brevity of lines, the snappy narration will hold your reader’s attention.
Tips to make it big as a feature writer
Be short, time is scarce. Be imaginative, use vivid descriptions, but never go theatrically overboard. Know your reader, if you are writing for the national media make sure you don’t use regional jargon. Be friendly not authoritative. Make sure there is enough punch in the beginning and the end. And most importantly, give the feature a flavor with your personal touch.
Companies that employ feature writers
Most newspapers and magazines in India have space for feature writers, but the availability of that space to you depends on contacts you maintain. The easiest way to build a bridge between yourself and the press is to visit the media house and speak to the concerned departments. Each house and section has different ways of dealing with freelance or regular feature writers looking for employment. Get to know them. And make sure you are armed with samples of your own writing for them to assess you, even before they test your skill via their own methods. Websites and paid blog sites too have opened up new opportunities for feature writers these days.
Where to train to be a better feature writer
The best training for a feature writer would be constant reading and keeping your mind open to anything that happens around you, even a tiny thing can prove to be an important ingredient for a delicious feature story. However, you can also try the creative writing courses offered by the British Council centers in all the major metros cities of India and those by the Xavier Institute of Communication, Mumbai, and Indira Gandhi National Open University.
How much do feature writers get paid in India?
The sky is the limit and the media house or the website you are writing for will have its own standards. An expectation of anything from 75 paise to Rs 2 per word depending on your experience would not be unreasonable for starters.
Now is a better time than ever to try out feature writing. As the members of the media jostle for elbow space in the battle of the ever-increasing dramatization of news, feature-flavored articles and snippets are becoming increasingly popular. So let your imagination run free and tell your story. Be original and sincere. The world is waiting.
About the Author
Chicago based Rajrupa studied English literature and gender studies before becoming a journalist for The Statesman and The Telegraph in Calcutta, jobs she really loved. She later worked as an instructional designer with Tata Interactive Systems in Mumbai and Calcutta and then as marketing communication specialist with Tata Consultancy Services and Hewlett Packard in Mumbai and Bangalore. She enjoys working with children and swears by Calvin and Hobbes, Simon and Garfunkel, and Satyajit Ray.
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