Feature Writings

 Feature Writing:

Feature Lead Practice 1

    In class, I learned about feature writing and how to create a feature lead. We learned that feature writing tells a story. It has a beginning, middle, and end. It uses quotes liberally and allows the readers to see the story through detailed description and vivid writing. Feature leads are the opening sentences that, must grab the reader's attention by using interest-arousing words. 

Things you must know for writing a lead are:

Can be and often are longer than one sentence

Your chance to grab the reader’s attention

Should be specific to your story

Should not be filled with cliches

Should be in the third person

Must fit the mood or tone of the story

Practice Example

Story:

A study at the University of Michigan shatters some myths. The results were announced today. Women have a reputation for gossiping and talking, yet the study found the reputation is undeserved. The study, which required researchers to observe a number of people at work, found that women work both longer and harder than men—that men spend more time goofing off on the job. The study found that the average employed man spends 52 minutes, or 11 percent of each working day, not working: in scheduled coffee breaks, unscheduled rest breaks, at lunch beyond the normal hour, and so forth. The average working woman spends only 35 minutes, or 8 percent of her working day, in such scheduled and unscheduled rest breaks. The same study found that the amount of effort expended by women at work is 112 percent that of men. The discrepancy is more dramatic than the statistics indicate because men earn more than women for the same type of work. The average man in the study earned $13 an hour, compared to 9.34 for the average woman. The women tended to hold mainly clerical jobs, but those in managerial positions also outperformed their male counterparts.

Lead:

Women have a reputation for gossiping and talking compared to a man. Well, a study was done by the University of Michigan debunking this myth. In the study, researchers were required to observe a number of people at work, found out that women work both longer and harder than men. The study found that the average employed man spends 52 minutes or 11 percent of each working day mot working. In comparison, the average woman spends only 35 minutes, or 8 percent of her working day, not working. Then why is it that women spend less time not working and are still paid less than a man in the same type of work?