Okay, in my Journalism class we are talking about making trend and feature stories and we were taught some really great and helpful tips for writing this type of story. Some may be questionable depending on your angle or what you're writing about, maybe, but these are still a summed up version of how to ensure you've written the best trend or feature story you could write. Get your pens and pencils ready for some note taking;
1. Use a unique angle.
Have something interesting at hand that you would enjoy writing about and approach it in a way that will be unlike other; be original.
2. Write a good lead or hook.
The first couple sentences are crucial because if they don't hook your readers in fast, then you've lost them. It's important to keep their attention and not lose them before they even get into it.
3. Use quotes.
A story is only as good as the quotes you have from people to keep your story interesting. There's not point in writing about something if you don't have something good to say about it. Quotes directly connect with the readers and can keep them reading.
4. Why?
There's nothing that sucks more than reading and wasting your time over something and not getting anything out of it. Your readers want to read about something interesting that you're going to enlighten them with or entertain them.
5. Credible, good sources?
No one's going to be interested in you're writing if you have an athlete giving you a quote about what clothes to wear to a pageant. You have to use appropriate sources and have credible sources that your readers can trust.
6. Details are life!
You know those news report stories where they basically tell the headline and then say they'll get back to you with that later at the 11 o'clock news? Those are the worst. Your readers want the whole run down. They don't want bits and pieces, they want it all.
7. Identify in your story.
Your story is only as good as the people who you have in it but if you're not identifying the people, how are your readers supposed to know who you're even writing about. Identifying sources, quotes for information, anything, is important and need to be included.
8. You're the author, not a character.
You should stay behind the pen and that's it. You should never write in anything other than third person. Readers need to be reading it as if they're reading a review, not being directly spoken to. Given there are some exceptions.
9. Don't be afraid!
The saddest part about writing is that your first draft is most likely going to be nothing but a first draft, a sketch of what you actually intend to write. You will write and write and then rewrite and rewrite some more before you're happy with it and that's okay.
10. Make it worthwhile.
The whole reason for writing is to relate to your readers and what they could be interested in. When writing, you should always write about something meaningful or important to your readers.
