First Feature Story

THere should be 2 documents:

The first one – shorter:

the story topic in a one paragraph description, and
the feature structure you are using to write it.

The story must be typed in 12-point type, with 1.5 or 2 point spacing. It must be posted in “Word” format. If you are using Google docs, then convert your document to Word, save, and post it in Word.

The story must be not less than 520 in length. Be wary of passive writing, overloaded sentences, and extensive paragraphs.

This is a feature story. It should reflect a type of lead as discussed in the lectures. It should follow the structure of a feature story as discussed in the lectures. The story should be highly descriptive in nature.

It doesn’t have to be a BIG story. Look in your local circles. For example, if a group of friends meet via zoom, each week, help us to get to know why, something about the people, what they get from meeting in zoom, etc. Help us to get to know them and their personalities.

The story should be descriptive and take us into the present moment with you. For example, if it was a story about a family that raises Scottish Terriers, make us feel the fun of playing with terrier puppies.

The story should reflect an idea of your own and include all your own original work. As with most stories, others might have done similar topics, but be careful to make this your story and do not plagiarize the work of others.

It should not be an announcement of an event or strictly an event story. The story should be a human interest story. For example, you might talk about a new painting exhibit that has opened, but the heart and the majority of the story is to tell us about the painter, his or her art, and its meaning.

If it was a story about an open-air market, it should not be event-centered, but people-centered. We should get to know an artisan or two, what they make, their livelihood, and their experiences in creating their wares for the public.

The story should not be a “DYI, how-to, or information-centered” story. It should not be about COVID unless it is a up-close and people-centered story.

It can not be strictly an autobiographical account wherein you are the story, although you may be part of it. For instance, you might be in a travel story, but the focus is on where you are traveling, the place you are visiting and the people you find there.

It should include quotes from interviews that you conducted with at least two people. Quotes must be properly attributed as discussed in our reading assignments.