Time to organise the researched Stuff!

Research shows most common flaw of a feature is poor organization. A successful feature needs well-organised material shaped into an engaging story with a strong lead and lively writing.

The hard part is not researching but effectively organizing the tons of material into a finished story.
Even harder is sifting and sorting the stuff and select the right one in specified word limit.

Here are some tips extracted from 'Writing Feature Stories' by Australian journalist Ricketson.

USE ONE OF THE TWO APPROACHES TO ORGANIZE YOUR MATERIAL
Make a list of your interviewee and documents and summarize the strongest quotes under each person name and useful facts from documents. One writer says she writes the most relevant paragraphs from immediately after interviews.

Alternately for complex features list the quotes and facts under six categories of key questions i.e Backgrounder questions, Scope questions, why questions, impact questions, reaction questions and looking ahead questions. A leading journalists research shows this is the most effective methodology.


GO THROUGH ALL THE MATERIAL FOR SIFTING
Go through all the material keeping in view the story. Highlight relevant facts and figures and comments from interviewees which can move the story forward and are interesting enough.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE CREAMY STUFF
Constantly keep an eye on Creamy stuff i-e dramatic scenes, anecdotes as well as potential leads and closes.

USE BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BRAIN
Talk to the editor or some reliable friend about the story now. It will clarify things in your mind and you will realize gaps in the story. You may get useful suggestions.
After the first draft logically using the left side of your brain, give some time to your right side of the brain which exudes creativity and initiative.  both sides of your brain. left logical right intuitive, creative and emotional.

DON'T WAIT TOO MUCH FOR INSPIRATION
But don't wait too much for the inspiration to strike. Let the right side do its work but start writing from left side otherwise you may end up rushing the piece risking factual errors and structural flaws or miss the deadline altogether. sometimes right side starts working after the first draft.

FORM A COMPELLING LEAD AND BILLBOARD PARAGRAPH

You need to grab reader's attention by alarming them, enticing them or intriguing them.
Ask yourself what is my story about in a nutshell? Why is it worth reading?
There is no formula for a successful feature, but there are do's and do's that can help.

Extracted from Writing Feature Stories by Matthew Ricketson

Key questions that need to be answered in a newspaper feature

Feature stories have different colors and flavors, but there are some fundamental questions we should keep in mind while planning and writing  feature. Some of the questions are fundamental to a particular story, some are peripheral and some are not needed.

BACKGROUND QUESTIONS?
What is the history of issue or event?
Is the history central or peripheral to the story?
Does the issue represent  the continuation of its historical context or have changed from it?

SCOPE QUESTIONS?
How big is the issue?
How widespread is the impact of the issue such as national, international, provincial, or local?
Is the issue rising or falling?
How many different ways the issue manifest itself?
Are there any hotspots that epitomise it?
Does any other issue bear on the one you are writing about?
Does other issue heighten its importance or diminish?

WHY QUESTIONS
Economic: Is money involved? Can we follow the money trail?
Legal: Are changes in law, taxes or regulation are affecting different parties? What? and How?
Political: whether politics plays a part?
Psychological: Are there any emotional or psychological forces?

IMPACT QUESTIONS
Who is likely to be helped / hurt?
What is the emotional response of helped or hurt people?


REACTION QUESTIONS
Who is screaming loudest?
What are they saying or doing?
What is the impact of screaming ?

LOOKING AHEAD QUESTIONS
What is likely to happen in the future?
What people involved and observers are saying will happen in the future?

Extracted from Matthew Rickeston's Writing Feature Stories.