Feature stories

A feature story is often written to describe an event or information of less-than-earth shattering importance. The story does not follow the typical news story format, can be much longer in length and allows writers a chance to showcase their more creative writing talents.

A feature lede must entice the reader into the piece. For shorter feature stories, writers may decide to use summary ledes which serve as a brief summary of the following story instead of focusing on the 5 W's.

Writers also have the option of using an anecdotal lede. These require that the writer carefully isolates the major point of the story and then finds an anecdote that makes that point simply and clearly.

The third option, a narrative lede, presents a story to the reader but typically run longer and include dialogue and quotes and set up scenes.

For stories that focus on a specific place, person or group of people, a writer should use a descriptive lede. Good descriptive ledes include only those details that support the main point of the story.

A question lede should only be used if the question will catch readers completely off guard and therefore entice them into reading the article.

In a Washington Post article describing the nearly tragic story of a woman and her lost engagement ring, the writer uses his skill of suspense to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The feature story is written almost as an adventure tale.

The narrative lede exaggerates the severity of the event and does not give the 5 W's but is short and enticing.

The nutgraf is the third paragraph and reads: When a woman loses her engagement ring in such a freakish fashion, society goes into crisis mode, as it should. By yesterday afternoon, 29 hours after the hole-in-one, a crowd has gathered in the 1700 block. Four Potomac Electric Power Co. guys, including two diverted from exploding-manhole-prevention duty, have removed two sidewalk grates and are taking turns sifting through muck 20 feet below. They know this is a major chance to be heroes.