English * Nederlands

Writing feature stories is great fun. Dig up something of special interest and start reporting! It sounds simple and yet it is complex. But, luckily, there is structure in this complexity. Because a feature story comprises news, description of atmosphere, facts and figures, fragments of interview or quotes and maybe a personal comment or observation. And, last but not least, a great structuring element is your target audience and its special interest. Complex yes, yet you can master this approach in a couple of consecutive days – as WebWord experienced with students in post Soviet countries.

Goal
Learn to write a short feature story for a target audience of your own choosing. Apply the journalist’s techniques.

Creative
Choose a subject of your own liking. Ask for a second opinion: can you manage, is it not overambitious, too complex, given the short time? Piece together information from a variety of sources (library, internet, institutes, newspapers etc). Conduct interviews with relevant parties, individuals, stakeholders. Describe what you observe. Check, double check and cross check facts and figures with statements. Write a feature, composed of the following elements:
•    100 (or f.e. 50) words facts and figures (possibly in a graph)
•    100 (or f.e. 50) words atmosphere (possibly illustration or photo)
•    100 (or f.e. 50 words interviews, i.e. quotes from interviews
•    100 (or f.e. 50 )words news (preferably as the lead of the story)
•    20 (or f.e. 10) words personal comment (optional, very often the selection made implies your opinion)
•    suggestion for the headline
No more and no less words in each box.

Please find at this link a group of zapreporters