There is no single formula for writing a feature story. Such a story explores topics in greater depth than a usual news story, but like the latter still must be totally factual and objective. A feature may lack hard news value, with relevance being less important than simple interest.
How do we find a feature topic? Be curious and observant. Ask yourself, What's interesting? What's different? What's everybody talking about?
Consider topics involving "universal needs;" e.g., needs most people have in common, like food, clothing, shelter and home, sex and love, health, approval and belonging, self-esteem, work, entertainment and sports, and current events.
Types of feature stories can include profiles or personality features about a single individual's character and circumstances; historical features commemorating dates of important events and offering perspective on what past events mean now; adventure features that describe an unusual or exciting experience; and explanatory features that offer more detailed descriptions or explanations of things, trends or ideas in the news.
Also, there are how-to features that tell readers how to perform a task; occupational or hobby features that tell of jobs or niches that are different or interesting; personal experience or participatory features written in the first person voice; behind-the-scenes features giving readers an inside view of an event; medical features involving health or fitness topics; business features on a new person or aspect of local commerce, and seasonal features highlighting an annual season or holiday, among other types of features.
Types of features ledes are less rule-laden than for straight news stories. You must interest people and lure them into the story. Often, alternative ledes work best. You can be much more loose and informal than with a hard news story, but like a hard news report everything must still be based on facts and what you have discovered.
The body of a feature story is also exempt from many of the usual rules. In organization, it simply must be coherent. Facts must fit together smoothly and logically. Emphasize lively details and action, and try to bring characters to life. Again, everything must still be based on verifiable facts, not opinion or imagination. You can be creative in writing style, but don't create things that didn't happen or that you can't verify.
The ending of a feature story, unlike a hard news story, offers a satisfying conclusion. (In a hard news story, we don't end with the ending because the lede is the ending, summing up end result and ultimate outcome.) The ending could be an anecdote or a quote, but it should wrap things up.
But DON'T end with a summary of what happened. You'll likely just state the obvious.
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