Feature Writing

By Morgana Kennedy

Feature stories are something that I personally enjoy. Chapter 5 explains how to develop a feature and offers tips and tricks to writing one. Features give the writer a chance to be creative and develop their own voice through story telling.

The first thing to keep in mind is that there is no set way to write a sports feature. The goal is to find a compelling story. Audiences love drama, so a good way to tell a story is through conflict. Finding good material to cover is key. Sometimes it's a person. Sometimes it's a situation.

Before diving into writing, figure out why you want to tell the story. What's the angle? Why did you decide to write it now? Some reasons for writing a feature may be a certain player made the best play of their career or set a record. Maybe its the anniversary of an event or a beloved player's death.

Features require research. You need new information so that you can produce a fresh take on a subject. Something that will set your work apart from others who may choose the same topic. Read older features done on your subject and check social media for possible new stories coming out on it.

Once you've decided what the story is about try to obtain tiny details related to your subject. Go out and ask people what they think of this event or person. Call opposing teams. Verify information with coaches and other team members. Talk to the family if you're writing a feature on a person.


For features on a specific athlete they need to be fully developed with dynamic qualities. Speak to as many people as possible to get an understanding of who this person is/was. Show this person's character through their actions, dialogue, and physical appearance.

Create a setting for this person. You can often describe the setting before describing the person. It gives the audience a better picture.

Using literary techniques can be very helpful in feature writing. It's more than just reporting news. It's telling the story of someone or something.