After reading Chapter 6, you should know and understand:

• what features are;
• what the most common feature topics and formats are;
• how to come up with ideas for feature stories;
• how to tell if your feature idea is a good one and how to turn it into a story;
• how the style of feature writing differs from news writing;
• what story structures work well for features;
• how to research and write biographical profiles;
• how to write special stories and series that explore people and issues in greater depth (enterprise projects);
• how to do investigative reporting, and what to watch out for;
• how teamwork can help turn stories into appealing packages through package planning;
• how to condense material using short-form alternatives, such as bios, checklists, timelines and diagrams; and
• how to write editorials, columns and reviews.