A feature story (also feature article, or simply feature) is a piece of journalistic writing that covers a selected issue in-depth. As such, a feature need not address an immediately topical subject as would be expected of a news story, is usually considerably longer, and may well present an opinionated view.
Features are commonly seen in newspaper supplements and magazines.
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While the distinction between published features and news is often clear, when approached conceptually there are few hard boundaries between the two. It is quite possible to write a feature in the style of a news story, for instance. Nevertheless features do tend to take a more narrative approach, perhaps using opening paragraphs as scene-setting narrative hooks instead of the delivery of the most important facts.[1]
In The Universal Journalist,[2] David Randall suggests the following categories of feature:
As the print media faces ever stiffer competition from other sources of news, feature stories are becoming more common as they can be more engaging to read. At many newspapers, news stories are sometimes written in "feature style," adopting some of the conventions of feature writing while still covering breaking events. Wire services such as the Associated Press, which previously made a point of distributing only news, now also include feature stories.
The Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing is awarded annually for a distinguished example of feature writing in an American newspaper or magazine, giving prime consideration to high literary quality and originality.
   | Teaching feature stories - Teaching feature stories from the newspaper (NiE) |
| | Poynter Online: The Feature Creature - Poynter Online - Ask Dr. Ink |
| | Feature Writing - Feature Writing, Marshall Soules, 2004 |
| | The Universal Journalist - The Universal Journalist Website |
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