It's a good idea to concentrate on features. Louise Holdenexplains where to start.
A magazine is designed for leisurely reading. That doesn't give you permission to bore. Your school magazine will probably have more features than it will any other kind of article, because your readers have the time to get stuck in. But keep your features brisk and lively, whether you're talking about school-corridor fashion, a local club game or international politics.
What is a feature? It's easier to tell you what it's not: a news story, a letter to the editor, a school essay, an opinion piece or a fact sheet. A feature article should be a combination of all of these, though: it should be timely and reflect the interests of your readers, it should contain some (but not too much) of the personality of the writer and it should be brimming with good-quality information and plenty of colour, in the form of quotes, facts and statistics, anecdotes, descriptions and observations.
A feature gives a writer the chance to explore some of the issues surrounding a theme. Take eating disorders. Your readers will already know that they are both common and tragic. What more can you bring to the discussion? Have you spoken to someone with direct experience, or have you had direct experience yourself? Have you obtained hard figures on the issue? Have you interviewed someone who works to help people with eating disorders? Have you obtained interesting statistics from other countries?
A personal brush with a big news story can also make an interesting feature. Do you live near the site of a proposed incinerator? News stories can kick off feature themes if you think creatively. Dunnes Stores' brush with the courts this month over allegations that it copied designer clothes could prompt a feature on student fashion.
• When writing a feature keep you should keep several points in mind:
• Make the focus of an article clear, and stick to it.
• Edit firmly, deleting any sentences that stray from the point.
• Write snappy, tempting openings.
• A short anecdote or a stark statistic can help to lure readers into your piece.
• Use facts and figures clearly. If you have a lot information to communicate, try putting an information panel with your piece. It attracts the eye, breaks up the text and can make an interesting design feature.
• Use opinion sparingly. You can pose interesting questions or challenge common beliefs, but don't rant.
• Get the language, grammar and spelling right. How do you that? Come back next week.
... Louise Holden
• For more about theIrish Times School Mag Competition, see www.irishtimesschoolmag.ie. If you would like to see a topic covered in this column, e-mail the author.
