Writing a feature is like going on a first date... it's all about connecting
Photo by Andres Rodriguez, Dreamstime
You’re standing in front of the mirror getting ready for a first date when a panicked squeak slips from your pursed lips, ‘Ohmigosh-what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-wear?’
Alright... I admit this anecdote is probably only relevant to women; most men just wonder if they should change their undies.
Anyway, this flutter of panic is similar to the nerves that sometimes emerge when I sit down to write a feature article that I have been researching. My fingers will be poised to dance to a familiar rhythm when suddenly my heart hiccups, my brain nukes all creative thought and I… abort!
In the newly-cliched nanosecond, I’m up making coffee, filing, dusting, procrastinating.
Some call this writers' block. Others call it writer’s angst. I call it the, ‘Ohmigosh-what-on-earth-am-I-going-to-write?’ moment.
Because this is a common affliction – which can last anywhere from a few seconds to quarter-centuries, depending on the writer - I have decided I will reveal one of my personal formulas for whipping feature articles into shape.
As an aside, there is no right or wrong way to create a feature article, just as there is no right or wrong way to layer sponge, cream and brandy to create the perfect trifle. (Although, many may argue that it is copious amounts of said brandy that is the key ingredient of both aforementioned creations.)
The first impression
So, returning to the mirror and the immediate quandary of what to wear, your decision is usually based on making a good first impression.
This is exactly how you should approach your feature articles. You wouldn’t don your navy, nylon, two-piece tracksuit and uggies for the date, just as you shouldn’t dress down the first few sentences of your story for your reader.
You want your outfit to dazzle, intrigue, interest or excite your date. So too should your story lead capture the immediate attention of readers.
Let me give you an example from an article I wrote for Men’s Health magazine about erectile dysfunction (ED).
GRAHAM Lowe stands 180cm tall and weighs 91kg. He’s an international rugby league coach, a bloke’s bloke, one of the tough guys. He was the highly successful coach of the North Queensland Cowboys and a Winfield Cup commentator in the early 1990s when a secession of heart attacks and a brain haemorrhage almost killed him.
He survived, but the worst was yet to come.
I could have written a straightforward lead that simply explained that many men, like Graham Lowe, suffer from ED. Instead, I went for an introduction that set a scene and, hopefully, intrigued the readers.
Using an anecdote to begin an article, like I did in the Men's Health article, can be a very effective way to personalise a story and draw a reader in.
However, it is by no means the only way to begin a story. You can lead in with whatever hook you like, but think about those inroads that are the most engaging, personal, emotive... (I could go on with the adjectives, but I think you get the gist.)
Being creative doesn’t give you license to ‘beat-up’ a story by exaggerating, massaging or fondling the truth to make the story sound better than it is though.
Second base
Now that you have made a good first impression, it’s time to let your date get to know you better, to understand you, to learn a little of your background, to discover what makes you tick.
In feature writing, this is also the point where you steer your readers towards greater understanding; leading them towards the core point of the story and the background details that make it so.
Going back to the Men’s Health article, I told a little more of Graham’s story through background information and relevant quotes that were likely to resonate with readers or, at the very least, make them think.
Having set the story up, I then honed in on the core point of the story, which was about ED in general.
Quoting statistics and medical experts, I presented the facts relating to the incidence of ED, its causes and the emotional and physical impact it can have on men and their partners.
I find this mid-section of any story often the easiest to write because I am simply weaving the relevant facts, research and background into the story in the most logical order.
The kiss goodnight
Nearing the end of the date, your heart hiccups again, the mild panic re-emerges and you wonder how the evening will end.
Having 'connected' with your date, the last impression you want to leave them with is just as important as the first. Do you go for the handshake (disappointing); a peck (unmemorable); or, in high school lingo, the pash (strong, definitive, lasting)?
Like the lead-up to the kiss goodnight, when writing features there can be false starts and a lack of confidence in your ability to come up with the perfectly assimilated conclusion.
Writing a strong and memorable conclusion doesn’t have to be difficult though. Think to yourself, ‘Is there a message I want to leave the reader with; a call to action; a funny anecdote or quote that endears the interviewee to the reader; or, quite simply, can I summarise the story succinctly in a few short sentences?'
Cue the ED story again; I followed on from the statistics, research and the quotes to end on a voice of optimism.
“Fortunately, there is cause for optimism because this problem is both treatable and reasonably common,” according to sexual health psychologist Mark Anns.
I also included a number of breakout boxes that detailed treatment options, resources and another case study.
Just as there are so many ways to connect with a partner on a first date, there are unlimited ways to connect with your readers. Your overall aim, however, is to be creative and thorough so that you:
1. engage them;
2. make them understand;
3. leave a positive last impression.
So, next time you are sitting at your computer struggling to come up with that immortal intro or that memorable conclusion, just think, 'How can I make a great impression?'
Oh, and for those blokes still wondering if they should change their undies, my answer is, 'Yes! Most definitely yes.'
For more information about Pamela Wilson or WriteSmart, log on to http://www.writesmart.com.au/