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How To Write Great Feature Articles

By on December 10, 2015

If you are hoping to make money from writing feature articles you need to understand how. If you become great at writing feature articles, and get a consistent flow of work,  can make you a healthy and very rewarding living from doing so.

What you must remember however, is that competition is fierce, and getting to that highly desirable point where you have a regular income from your writing isn’t easy. These 5 easy to follow tips will help you write fantastic feature articles that are likely to get noticed.

So how do you write great feature articles? Read on to find out.

1. Understand your audience

Find out who your reader is, and learn about them. Really think about who this person is, what do they like to do, where do they like to shop, where do they live, work, and hang out? Understanding your reader as a real person gives you insight into what they are likely to read, and what kind of information will interest them. If you can do this, and tailor your writing accordingly, it will have a clear direction, and appeal to those readers you are hoping to interest.

2. Know what your point is

This may sound obvious, but have you really had a good hard think about what you are trying to get across? What kind of reaction are you hoping the reader to have once they have finished reading your piece? Are you trying to motivate them to act? To buy something? To change their mind? Are you trying to make them feel happy, angry, excited, or sad? Having a clear idea of your end goal is hugely important, and will help you write your piece with ease.

3. Research the publication

If you have a great idea for a feature article, don’t simply write it and send it off to as many magazines and newspapers as you can in the hope that someone will bite. Take your time to research who would be best suited to feature your article. Find out who the right person is to send your work to, make a polite enquiry first. You don’t want to annoy editors by wasting their time, as they may be people you hope to work with in the future, so approach publications in the right way and you stand a much better chance of seeing your work in print.

4. Think about your tone

Make sure your article is interesting and engaging. A clever writer can turn even the dullest topic into an interesting read, and if you are writing feature articles each and every one should have a clear point, an attention grabbing heading, and well written, well structured content that discusses the point(s) in an informative and engaging way.

5. Get ready for feedback, and questions

Once your article has been published, you can’t just sit back and relax. It is now easy for anyone and everyone to have an opinion on your work. You may be complimented, criticised, subject to ridicule - make sure you are prepared for that. It is also a good idea to pre-empt any questions that may come up as a result of your work, get ready to answer them thoroughly, back up your points, and explain your claims. Being proactive before your work is published saves any delay, or panic if you are suddenly inundated with questions about it afterwards.

On following the above steps you should find that you have produced a great article, one which is written in the correct tone and style for your audience, that gets their attention and engages them, and one which is suitable for the publication you are sending it to. If you do this each and every time you write, you are sure to start seeing your published work out there in no time!

Bethany Cadman -contributor

Bethany Cadman -contributor

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