Blog Post 2: Unit 9 Project- News and Feature Stories (Greg)

Within Greg’s session (21/09/18), we had a look at the differences between news and feature stories, as well as attempting to create our own feature articles.

We started by discussing the ‘Inverted Pyramid’, which is the structure that most writing will follow. At the top of the pyramid, is the most important aspect of a piece of work, and at the bottom of the pyramid will be the least important/boring aspect.

Inverted Pyramid:

1. Lead
2. Very Important
3. Important
4. Not Important
5. Boring
6. Dull
7. 0

Once we had discussed the ‘Inverted Pyramid’, we looked into news and feature stories and what makes them different, and the fact that they are used in different circumstances.

Differences:

• Timing- news story is time-sensitive- publish story as soon as possible/Feature stories contain no urgent urgent content- can be written any time after an event
• Style- news story- emphasis on content rather than form (straight to the point)- average between 300-500 words/Feature stories- creative structure- can be more than 2000 words (more ‘wordy’)
• Beginning/Ending- news story is upfront- give the most important details first/Feature stories- can finish whenever (after important details have been integrated into the work)
• Questions- Who, what, why, where, when and how?

Finding a Focus for your Story:

• What is the central point?
• What is the central evidence?
• What is the central place?
• Who are the central characters?

Once we had explored the differences between the two and how we could find a focus for an article, we were given the task of creating our own feature story. We were allowed to base the piece on any theme, issue or person.

Before I started planning my piece, I researched how to write a feature story.

Writing a Feature Story: www.theguardian.com

• Cover essential elements- who, what, why, where, when, how?
• Place the most important things at the beginning (first paragraph)
• Plan what you’re going to say beforehand
• Look at your chosen theme carefully- consider the questions suggested/attempt to answer some
• You need an ‘angle’- focus your feature- there will always be something new to say
• You need quotes- reference where they have come from to avoid plagiarism

After I had gained this basic understanding of the feature story form, I started to plan my piece.

Planning: www.telegraph.co.uk

• 1991- Nirvana play Reading Festival
• ‘Nevermind’ hits stores (UK) 30th September- has gone on to sell 30 million copies worldwide
• Popularised a sound/DIY aesthetic, which have led to the likes of bands such as: Arcade Fire, Radiohead and The White Stripes
• Spawned ‘grungy’ fashion- Nirvana logo becoming a a staple part of clothing and merchandising
• Big divide within the industry- between major and independent labels as well as the ‘top-selling’ acts at the time (90’s- around the time following ‘Nevermind’s’ release)
• Cobain committed suicide in 1994

The Influence of ‘Nevermind’:

Chances are, for many the 90’s remains a distant blur of events, but for those that were not alive to witness the turn of the century, the 90’s will remain a historical decade packed with pivotal moments.

***

1991, Reading Festival, a band from Seattle fills the slot between ‘Silverfish’ and ‘Chapterhouse’. They were ‘Nirvana’. Within weeks of this appearance at Reading, they were set to release an album that would create waves within the industry.

That album was ‘Nevermind’!

Released on the 30th September 1991, it went on to sell 30 million copies worldwide- a much larger number than what was anticipated, and in turn, popularised a sound and DIY aesthetic that eventually led to the formation of bands such as: ‘Arcade Fire’, ‘Radiohead’ and ‘The White Stripes’, as well as the spawn of a ‘grungy’ fashion/style that was widely adopted and embraced by the youth.

The classic Nirvana logo- the yellow smiley face, became a staple part of the band’s merchandising, as well as something that many outlets would use to their advantage in the modern day.

Even now, many wearers of this logo, more than likely don’t know any Nirvana songs. This just goes to show that, years on from the birth and height of Nirvana, they still have a pretty prominent influence on today’s society- especially in terms of style and ‘re-emerging’ trends.

***

At the time of their rise in the industry, there was a big divide between the major and independent music labels, which meant the list of ‘top-selling’ artists seemed very pre-fabricated and biased.

Despite this, it was clear that people had grown tired of the ‘classic’ rock, heavily loved and endorsed by the ‘Baby Boomer’ generation. The youth felt more connected to Cobain’s distorted guitar and angst-fuelled lyrics, and had created an identity and style of their own- a style that would concrete itself firmly into society, and ever-changing world of fashion.

***

‘Nevermind’s’ success was never truly accepted completely by the band, due to the anticipated failure of it. However, the album spent an astonishing 302 weeks in the UK’s Top 100, and became the third, most-streamed album ever with 122 million global streams.

***

Nirvana built a legacy that will last through the ages, and have created memories for many people and will continue to do so for future generations.

Overall, this session was beneficial, in terms of, developing my understanding of the aspects that make News and Feature stories different, and how they are used in appropriate circumstances. The basic research, allowed me to create a basis for my piece that would follow the key elements of a feature story, whilst getting the information across that I needed.