Journalism notes on: Feature Writing and Freelancing, which will benefit the students and scholars.
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Oct 24, 2024
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About This Presentation
Notes on: Feature Writing and Freelancing, which will benefit the students and scholars who are pursuing their studies in media fields. Its just highlights the feature and freelancing aspect of media.
Slide Content
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 1
OE – FEATURE WRITING AND FREELANCING
UNIT - I
Feature: Definition and characteristics, process and techniques of feature writing,
language and structure of a feature, difference between news and features, finding feature
stories, research in writing feature stories, articles, and writing personal columns, feature
headlines, sources of feature, feature syndicates.
What is a feature article?
A feature article is a non-fiction piece of writing that focuses on a particular topic. You will
find them in newspapers and news sites, online blogs, or magazines.
However, they are not the same as news reports! Whereas news reports are more factual…
Feature articles are more subjective and emotive.
They commonly present information in a more narratorial manner to make them more
engaging.
What is Feature?
A feature story is a factual story that is not hard news but is instead a more personal
report about a person, event, or aspect of a major event. Feature stories typically appear
as articles in newspapers, magazines, and other publications, but they are also frequently
featured in other media, such as TV, radio, and podcasts.
Feature stories are distinguished from hard news stories, which are straightforward, factual
accounts of important happenings or events—just the facts. Feature stories often involve
elements of hard news, but they are intended to give readers more descriptions and details.
Feature stories are often just called features. One common type of feature story is a human-
interest story. Much less commonly, the term feature story refers to the main or featured
article of a publication.
Feature stories provide readers with information that they might not need to know
but that they (hopefully) want to know. Perhaps the most common examples of feature
stories are profiles of notable figures or average people, but there are many kinds.
A Feature story is a piece of news item written with a particular intention. So, it can be rather
subjective as the writer enjoys more freedom to insert his or her personal views in it, in
contrast to a new story where only objective facts are meant to be passed to the audience. In
an ordinary news story, the reader can never pass on any special comments of his own as it is
not permitted. His duty is to inform an event as such as it really happened. But, in feature
writing, personal comments on a particular topic are entertained, along with anecdotes,
quotations etc added to it so as to highlight the views of writer.
The intention could be to inform, or entertain or both, i.e., infotain (information +
entertainment). In feature writing, the topic need not necessarily be on a current issue. It
could be of any general topic of interest. So, the factor of updating needed for news story
never comes here.
What is Human interest Story?
A story or report, as in a newspaper or on a newscast, designed to engage attention and
sympathy by enabling one to identify readily with the people, problems, and situations
described.
STRUCTURE OF A FEATURE
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 1
OE – FEATURE WRITING AND FREELANCING
UNIT - I
Feature: Definition and characteristics, process and techniques of feature writing,
language and structure of a feature, difference between news and features, finding feature
stories, research in writing feature stories, articles, and writing personal columns, feature
headlines, sources of feature, feature syndicates.
What is a feature article?
A feature article is a non-fiction piece of writing that focuses on a particular topic. You will
find them in newspapers and news sites, online blogs, or magazines.
However, they are not the same as news reports! Whereas news reports are more factual…
Feature articles are more subjective and emotive.
They commonly present information in a more narratorial manner to make them more
engaging.
What is Feature?
A feature story is a factual story that is not hard news but is instead a more personal
report about a person, event, or aspect of a major event. Feature stories typically appear
as articles in newspapers, magazines, and other publications, but they are also frequently
featured in other media, such as TV, radio, and podcasts.
Feature stories are distinguished from hard news stories, which are straightforward, factual
accounts of important happenings or events—just the facts. Feature stories often involve
elements of hard news, but they are intended to give readers more descriptions and details.
Feature stories are often just called features. One common type of feature story is a human-
interest story. Much less commonly, the term feature story refers to the main or featured
article of a publication.
Feature stories provide readers with information that they might not need to know
but that they (hopefully) want to know. Perhaps the most common examples of feature
stories are profiles of notable figures or average people, but there are many kinds.
A Feature story is a piece of news item written with a particular intention. So, it can be rather
subjective as the writer enjoys more freedom to insert his or her personal views in it, in
contrast to a new story where only objective facts are meant to be passed to the audience. In
an ordinary news story, the reader can never pass on any special comments of his own as it is
not permitted. His duty is to inform an event as such as it really happened. But, in feature
writing, personal comments on a particular topic are entertained, along with anecdotes,
quotations etc added to it so as to highlight the views of writer.
The intention could be to inform, or entertain or both, i.e., infotain (information +
entertainment). In feature writing, the topic need not necessarily be on a current issue. It
could be of any general topic of interest. So, the factor of updating needed for news story
never comes here.
What is Human interest Story?
A story or report, as in a newspaper or on a newscast, designed to engage attention and
sympathy by enabling one to identify readily with the people, problems, and situations
described.
STRUCTURE OF A FEATURE
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 2
• Headline: Headline often decides whether the feature has to be read or not. So, it should
be as catchy that the reader should tend to start reading. Though the content is very fine,
an unattractive headline my deter the reading.
• The introduction: The introduction should be so persuasive that the reader should be
motivated to enter in to the body of the story and move further.
• The body: The body of the feature should reflect the details of the story. Different kinds
of views on a particular issue or topic could be represented without losing the underlying
and unifying rhythm and tempo of the story.
• Conclusion: The conclusion usually takes a definite perspective and a standpoint on a
topic and tries to convince its audience by the detailed descriptions and analysis made by
the writer.
While writing feature stories, it is important for the writer to understand which kind of
audience he or she is going to address. The feature should be prepared in accordance with
the taste of the audience. For instance, a feature on Dalits in India may not necessarily
satisfy the interest of scientists or doctors, who are generally interested in features related
to recent developments in medical system. The writer is supposed to bear in mind his
intention of what he wants to do, such as to persuade, motivate, warn, entertain, inform,
instruct, analyses etc.
HOW TO WRITE A FEATURE STORY
To write a feature story, the writer must first pick what type of feature story they are
going to write. Next, the should determine the article's purpose (e.g., to instruct, to persuade,
or to entertain the reader). Knowing what type of feature story is being written will help the
writer determine their purpose. The writer should also consider their audience, including age,
status, attitude, culture, lifestyle, and what language they speak. Understanding the audience
will help the writer determine what information to include in the article and how the article
should be written.
Qualities of a Feature Story
• Feature stories are descriptive and full of detail.
• Feature stories generally have a strong narrative line.
• Feature stories have a strong lead that grabs readers and makes them want to read on.
• Feature stories often depend on interviews.
• Feature stories include quotations from the person(s) involved.
• Feature stories combine facts and opinion, with a focus on the human interest side of
the story. While they can report news, the news content is not of primary importance.
• Feature stories both educate and entertain. They can include colorful detail as well as
humor.
• Feature stores contain the voice of the writer.
• Feature stories can be organized in a variety of ways (i.e., chronologically, narrative
fashion).
• Feature stories often put the “meat” on the “skeletal bones” of a news story.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 2
• Headline: Headline often decides whether the feature has to be read or not. So, it should
be as catchy that the reader should tend to start reading. Though the content is very fine,
an unattractive headline my deter the reading.
• The introduction: The introduction should be so persuasive that the reader should be
motivated to enter in to the body of the story and move further.
• The body: The body of the feature should reflect the details of the story. Different kinds
of views on a particular issue or topic could be represented without losing the underlying
and unifying rhythm and tempo of the story.
• Conclusion: The conclusion usually takes a definite perspective and a standpoint on a
topic and tries to convince its audience by the detailed descriptions and analysis made by
the writer.
While writing feature stories, it is important for the writer to understand which kind of
audience he or she is going to address. The feature should be prepared in accordance with
the taste of the audience. For instance, a feature on Dalits in India may not necessarily
satisfy the interest of scientists or doctors, who are generally interested in features related
to recent developments in medical system. The writer is supposed to bear in mind his
intention of what he wants to do, such as to persuade, motivate, warn, entertain, inform,
instruct, analyses etc.
HOW TO WRITE A FEATURE STORY
To write a feature story, the writer must first pick what type of feature story they are
going to write. Next, the should determine the article's purpose (e.g., to instruct, to persuade,
or to entertain the reader). Knowing what type of feature story is being written will help the
writer determine their purpose. The writer should also consider their audience, including age,
status, attitude, culture, lifestyle, and what language they speak. Understanding the audience
will help the writer determine what information to include in the article and how the article
should be written.
Qualities of a Feature Story
• Feature stories are descriptive and full of detail.
• Feature stories generally have a strong narrative line.
• Feature stories have a strong lead that grabs readers and makes them want to read on.
• Feature stories often depend on interviews.
• Feature stories include quotations from the person(s) involved.
• Feature stories combine facts and opinion, with a focus on the human interest side of
the story. While they can report news, the news content is not of primary importance.
• Feature stories both educate and entertain. They can include colorful detail as well as
humor.
• Feature stores contain the voice of the writer.
• Feature stories can be organized in a variety of ways (i.e., chronologically, narrative
fashion).
• Feature stories often put the “meat” on the “skeletal bones” of a news story.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 3
STRUCTURE OF FEATURES and Story Organization
A feature story includes the following elements that help with its organization:
Generally speaking, there might not any significance about the structure of a feature, and people will
like to divide it into three major portions, that is, the Intro, body and conclusion. However, with the
passage of time and considering the reservations and constraints of the readers, one must be giving
due attention to the division, and especially the transition from one portion to another, as a reader
must be carried along with it. Otherwise, he might lose interest in the middle, and would never read
that article again.
A feature is seldom written in the traditional inverted pyramid pattern or it can be written in a
narrative fashion, much like a good joke or anecdote. A good feature requires as much organisation as
the straight news story, for the feature has to flow smoothly and parts of a feature story must be kept
intact if it is to succeed. In the well-planned story, every paragraph, every sentence, should add to the
total effect. However, the structure may vary from feature to feature. However, it goes like this when
it is written with the usual standards.
1. Intro or Lead
The lead must attract immediate attention and pull the reader into the story. Leads can vary in
style and content. You can use description, narration, dialogue, question, unusual statement,
call to action, comparison-contrast. (Discussed in detail in the last lectures).
2. Transition
No matter how good the lead is, you need a solid transition into the body of the feature. If you
think of the lead as a lure to attract the audience, then the transition sets the hook. It makes
the reader want to continue. And it promises some kind of satisfaction or reward. The reward
can be entertainment, information or self-awareness but has to be something of value to the
reader.
3. Body
Sound knowledge of the subject, coupled with good writing skills, will let you take the reader
through a variety of experiences. You should use the standard writing devices of crisp
dialogue, documental but vivid fact and detail, careful observation, suspense and if
appropriate, plot.
4. Body is the major area
Whenever, one is writing the body of a feature – which can carry many short pieces –
following points must be kept in mind.
5. Never fill it, important part
People can try to fill the part only may be thinking that the reader has been gripped into a
certain situation and he will stick to reading the feature. It is never the case as the newspaper
reading is a willing one, and if the reader feels that he is being bored or over-burdened, he
might leave it even in the middle of the feature. So every word and concept must be rightly
written and rightly placed.
6. Should be well-connected, forceful and coordinated
All the paragraphs of the main body should be well-connected with each other. Jumping from
one idea to another should be well-thought and must be seen whether it is getting its
connection to the previous or the following paragraphs. Never take it for granted that the
reader is going to form linkages in the thought process.
Avoid unnecessary details
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 3
STRUCTURE OF FEATURES and Story Organization
A feature story includes the following elements that help with its organization:
Generally speaking, there might not any significance about the structure of a feature, and people will
like to divide it into three major portions, that is, the Intro, body and conclusion. However, with the
passage of time and considering the reservations and constraints of the readers, one must be giving
due attention to the division, and especially the transition from one portion to another, as a reader
must be carried along with it. Otherwise, he might lose interest in the middle, and would never read
that article again.
A feature is seldom written in the traditional inverted pyramid pattern or it can be written in a
narrative fashion, much like a good joke or anecdote. A good feature requires as much organisation as
the straight news story, for the feature has to flow smoothly and parts of a feature story must be kept
intact if it is to succeed. In the well-planned story, every paragraph, every sentence, should add to the
total effect. However, the structure may vary from feature to feature. However, it goes like this when
it is written with the usual standards.
1. Intro or Lead
The lead must attract immediate attention and pull the reader into the story. Leads can vary in
style and content. You can use description, narration, dialogue, question, unusual statement,
call to action, comparison-contrast. (Discussed in detail in the last lectures).
2. Transition
No matter how good the lead is, you need a solid transition into the body of the feature. If you
think of the lead as a lure to attract the audience, then the transition sets the hook. It makes
the reader want to continue. And it promises some kind of satisfaction or reward. The reward
can be entertainment, information or self-awareness but has to be something of value to the
reader.
3. Body
Sound knowledge of the subject, coupled with good writing skills, will let you take the reader
through a variety of experiences. You should use the standard writing devices of crisp
dialogue, documental but vivid fact and detail, careful observation, suspense and if
appropriate, plot.
4. Body is the major area
Whenever, one is writing the body of a feature – which can carry many short pieces –
following points must be kept in mind.
5. Never fill it, important part
People can try to fill the part only may be thinking that the reader has been gripped into a
certain situation and he will stick to reading the feature. It is never the case as the newspaper
reading is a willing one, and if the reader feels that he is being bored or over-burdened, he
might leave it even in the middle of the feature. So every word and concept must be rightly
written and rightly placed.
6. Should be well-connected, forceful and coordinated
All the paragraphs of the main body should be well-connected with each other. Jumping from
one idea to another should be well-thought and must be seen whether it is getting its
connection to the previous or the following paragraphs. Never take it for granted that the
reader is going to form linkages in the thought process.
Avoid unnecessary details
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 4
7. Avoid unnecessary details
When we say a particular portion of a feature is the main body, it never means that every
detail should be put in order to fill that body. There must be only relevant details without any
stuffing-the-sack idea. The writer must consider that the main body is as important as the
other portions of the feature. Concentrating in the same manner like the way the Intro or the
Lead is written, the reader will remain absorbed in the story.
8. But never omit important if it is required so
If unnecessary details are to be avoided, then it never means that the important should be
missed or omitted from the feature. Obviously the responsibility of keeping this intact and
observing the rule lies with the writer.
9. Building towards the climax
Main body should be used as a portion, which is building the feature towards the climax.
Hence, it must be planned in this manner that reader is expecting the climax after the main
body.
10. Length
If a reporter asks how long a feature story should be, the editor may reply, 'as long as you
keep it interesting.' Feature stories vary in length from two or three paragraphs to 15 or 20
triple-spaced sheets of copy. Readers’ interest is the main yardstick by which they are judged.
And editors are paid to accurately assess readers’ interest.
11. Conclusion
The conclusion should give the reader a sense of satisfaction. You need to tie the conclusion
to the lead so that the story has unity. Often you can do this through a short, tight summary,
occasionally, you can conclude with an anecdote or a quote that sums up the substance of the
story. With a narrative approach, you build toward a climax.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FEATURE ARTICLE
Now that we have a general understanding of what a feature article is, let’s take a detailed
look at their characteristics.
A feature article should,
• Explore a topic or issue of current importance
• Follows narratorial conventions (i.e. There is a plot, complication, and conclusion)
• Written in short paragraphs
• Combine facts and opinions
• Provide a perspective or angle about the topic or issue
• Includes catchy features (eg. Catchy title, images etc.)
COLUMN WRITING
Column has been described as an editorial with a by-line by the journalists. There are many
phases of similarities between a column in an editorial, which makes their distinction and
difference, really matter for experts’ opinions.
They bear close similarities as far as their form, style and material are concerned.
However all the columns cannot be said to have close similarities with an editorial. It has
been rightly said that column-writing is one -of the most satisfying and rewarding journalistic
exercise or assignment which is equal to personalised journalism.
It is the field where a column writer is invested with ample independence and liberty
to write on any topic or subject, with a clear flair of creative approach.
Various definitions
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 4
7. Avoid unnecessary details
When we say a particular portion of a feature is the main body, it never means that every
detail should be put in order to fill that body. There must be only relevant details without any
stuffing-the-sack idea. The writer must consider that the main body is as important as the
other portions of the feature. Concentrating in the same manner like the way the Intro or the
Lead is written, the reader will remain absorbed in the story.
8. But never omit important if it is required so
If unnecessary details are to be avoided, then it never means that the important should be
missed or omitted from the feature. Obviously the responsibility of keeping this intact and
observing the rule lies with the writer.
9. Building towards the climax
Main body should be used as a portion, which is building the feature towards the climax.
Hence, it must be planned in this manner that reader is expecting the climax after the main
body.
10. Length
If a reporter asks how long a feature story should be, the editor may reply, 'as long as you
keep it interesting.' Feature stories vary in length from two or three paragraphs to 15 or 20
triple-spaced sheets of copy. Readers’ interest is the main yardstick by which they are judged.
And editors are paid to accurately assess readers’ interest.
11. Conclusion
The conclusion should give the reader a sense of satisfaction. You need to tie the conclusion
to the lead so that the story has unity. Often you can do this through a short, tight summary,
occasionally, you can conclude with an anecdote or a quote that sums up the substance of the
story. With a narrative approach, you build toward a climax.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FEATURE ARTICLE
Now that we have a general understanding of what a feature article is, let’s take a detailed
look at their characteristics.
A feature article should,
• Explore a topic or issue of current importance
• Follows narratorial conventions (i.e. There is a plot, complication, and conclusion)
• Written in short paragraphs
• Combine facts and opinions
• Provide a perspective or angle about the topic or issue
• Includes catchy features (eg. Catchy title, images etc.)
COLUMN WRITING
Column has been described as an editorial with a by-line by the journalists. There are many
phases of similarities between a column in an editorial, which makes their distinction and
difference, really matter for experts’ opinions.
They bear close similarities as far as their form, style and material are concerned.
However all the columns cannot be said to have close similarities with an editorial. It has
been rightly said that column-writing is one -of the most satisfying and rewarding journalistic
exercise or assignment which is equal to personalised journalism.
It is the field where a column writer is invested with ample independence and liberty
to write on any topic or subject, with a clear flair of creative approach.
Various definitions
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 5
• “All those writings are columns published on regular basis under a permanent caption in the
periodicals and the periodicals.” – Prof Shafique Jhallandhari
• “A certain type of writing under a permanent caption” – Prof Maskeen Ali Hijazi
• “There are certain permanent topics in every newspaper. Under some presented news
announcements or information. Under some are given humorous, medical or scientific
writings. These permanent topics and their matter are given name of columns. And the writer
is called columnists.” – Dr Abdus Salam Khurshid
From the above definitions, we can naturally gauge the nature of the column writings, on a
wider canvas and scale. Actually columns serve the purpose of dividing the page vertically or
reducing its length of lines in the newspapers, which makes the reading of the newspapers
easy and enjoyable and especially to make correct connection between the different lines of
the newspapers.
Apparently, the columns go to a long way in making the pages of the newspapers a
beautifying proportions and symmetrical division of the newspapers and the periodicals.
Column also implies more in length than in width, also utilised for the purpose of headlines,
for example single column headline, double column headline etc.
Hard News and Soft News
There is some news which depicts the event as such. That is, the news on flood, accident,
earth quake are given in a very specific way without much comments and analysis. These
types of news are called hard news. There are some other categories of news where a lot of
interpretations, perspective, and analytical explanations are provided with. These types of
news are called soft news. Features and Middles come under this category
SOFT NEWS
SOFT NEWS, also called market-centred journalism, journalistic style and genre that
blurs the line between information and entertainment. Although the term soft news was
originally synonymous with feature stories placed in newspapers or television newscasts for
human interest, the concept expanded to include a wide range of media outlets that present
more personality-centred stories.
Traditionally, so-called hard news relates the circumstances of a recent event or incident
considered to be of general local, regional, national, or international significance. By contrast,
soft news usually centres on the lives of individuals and has little, if any, perceived urgency.
Hard news generally concerns issues, politics, economics, international relations, welfare,
and scientific developments, whereas soft news focuses on human-interest stories and
celebrity.
HARD NEWS
Hard news articles are written so the reader can stop reading at any time, and still come
away with the whole story. This is very different from an essay, which presumes that the
audience will stick around to the end, and can therefore build to a finish. There is no need to
put a "conclusion" on a news story. Each individual reader will "end" the story whenever he
or she gets bored. A particularly interested reader will keep reading to the end.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 5
• “All those writings are columns published on regular basis under a permanent caption in the
periodicals and the periodicals.” – Prof Shafique Jhallandhari
• “A certain type of writing under a permanent caption” – Prof Maskeen Ali Hijazi
• “There are certain permanent topics in every newspaper. Under some presented news
announcements or information. Under some are given humorous, medical or scientific
writings. These permanent topics and their matter are given name of columns. And the writer
is called columnists.” – Dr Abdus Salam Khurshid
From the above definitions, we can naturally gauge the nature of the column writings, on a
wider canvas and scale. Actually columns serve the purpose of dividing the page vertically or
reducing its length of lines in the newspapers, which makes the reading of the newspapers
easy and enjoyable and especially to make correct connection between the different lines of
the newspapers.
Apparently, the columns go to a long way in making the pages of the newspapers a
beautifying proportions and symmetrical division of the newspapers and the periodicals.
Column also implies more in length than in width, also utilised for the purpose of headlines,
for example single column headline, double column headline etc.
Hard News and Soft News
There is some news which depicts the event as such. That is, the news on flood, accident,
earth quake are given in a very specific way without much comments and analysis. These
types of news are called hard news. There are some other categories of news where a lot of
interpretations, perspective, and analytical explanations are provided with. These types of
news are called soft news. Features and Middles come under this category
SOFT NEWS
SOFT NEWS, also called market-centred journalism, journalistic style and genre that
blurs the line between information and entertainment. Although the term soft news was
originally synonymous with feature stories placed in newspapers or television newscasts for
human interest, the concept expanded to include a wide range of media outlets that present
more personality-centred stories.
Traditionally, so-called hard news relates the circumstances of a recent event or incident
considered to be of general local, regional, national, or international significance. By contrast,
soft news usually centres on the lives of individuals and has little, if any, perceived urgency.
Hard news generally concerns issues, politics, economics, international relations, welfare,
and scientific developments, whereas soft news focuses on human-interest stories and
celebrity.
HARD NEWS
Hard news articles are written so the reader can stop reading at any time, and still come
away with the whole story. This is very different from an essay, which presumes that the
audience will stick around to the end, and can therefore build to a finish. There is no need to
put a "conclusion" on a news story. Each individual reader will "end" the story whenever he
or she gets bored. A particularly interested reader will keep reading to the end.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 6
The Headline: Convey the general message in as many words as will fit (usually quite a
small space). A headline should be informational, and can be clever, as long as the cleverness
does not interfere with the information or earn groans from readers.
The Lead: The lead, or the first sentence of the story, is arguably the most important part of
the article. Based on the content of that first sentence, a reader will either look deeper into the
story, or move on to the next one.
Therefore, how you craft your lead is very important. There are some basic rules one can
follow:
• The who, what, when, where, how, why lead.
• Basically, just like it sounds. This lead tries to answer the 5 w's and one h in one sentence.
• Experimental leads. If you answer the "5 w's and one h" on the second or third sentences,
you can be more creative with the first. The results can flounder and die, or have a great
impact. Some examples for the pig story:
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEWS WRITING AND FEATURE WRITING
By now you may surely know what is ‘news’, and how it is written: A news story has to be
objective, topical, fresh, bare facts, generally fitted in a strait-jacket frame to meet the text-
book discipline, i.e., 5 Ws and 1 H. But a feature article is not necessarily written in that
formulaic manner.
As you know well, writing a news story has to be done within a tight deadline after
which the story loses its worth. A feature article can, however, be written in a comparatively
somewhat relaxed, easy timeline. There is plenty of scope for packing multiple viewpoints in
a feature, yet that may not be feasible or necessary in all features.
However, a news story is usually done in the pyramid style i.e.,, facts are presented
from the top to bottom in a structured manner. News items are written in an impersonalised
manner; often the reporter’s view has no place in the body of the news story.. Quotes have to
be ascribed to the sources, crucial people on the spot, whose views are vital and added to the
facts pertaining to the story and written within inverted commas (“ “), also called Quotes.
In order to be effective, news stories have to be short, sharp, to the point, crisp,
packing maximum information in fewest words to save valuable newspaper space, and also
the harassed reader’s time. But in order to be read and to retain the reader’s attention for
longer period, a feature has to offer much more details, be presented in a refined prose, and
the language bedecked with lots of ‘blossoms and flowers’, to be an attractive experience,
and to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
A news story, on the other hand, need not or may not be required to be accompanied
by a picture at all. All news stories don’t need to be illustrated with photographs. Besides,
there is no space in the body of a newspaper for that.
Finally, since newspapers and magazines meet varied needs, and cater to diversified interests,
the topics that suit newspaper features and magazine features will also thus essentially have
to be varied.
For example, while, magazines can, and actually many do, specialise in subjects such
as the human interest issues, controversial national and international matters, social, cultural,
religious, political problems, and so on, newspapers rarely follow that line.
INTERVIEWING REQUISITES
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 6
The Headline: Convey the general message in as many words as will fit (usually quite a
small space). A headline should be informational, and can be clever, as long as the cleverness
does not interfere with the information or earn groans from readers.
The Lead: The lead, or the first sentence of the story, is arguably the most important part of
the article. Based on the content of that first sentence, a reader will either look deeper into the
story, or move on to the next one.
Therefore, how you craft your lead is very important. There are some basic rules one can
follow:
• The who, what, when, where, how, why lead.
• Basically, just like it sounds. This lead tries to answer the 5 w's and one h in one sentence.
• Experimental leads. If you answer the "5 w's and one h" on the second or third sentences,
you can be more creative with the first. The results can flounder and die, or have a great
impact. Some examples for the pig story:
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEWS WRITING AND FEATURE WRITING
By now you may surely know what is ‘news’, and how it is written: A news story has to be
objective, topical, fresh, bare facts, generally fitted in a strait-jacket frame to meet the text-
book discipline, i.e., 5 Ws and 1 H. But a feature article is not necessarily written in that
formulaic manner.
As you know well, writing a news story has to be done within a tight deadline after
which the story loses its worth. A feature article can, however, be written in a comparatively
somewhat relaxed, easy timeline. There is plenty of scope for packing multiple viewpoints in
a feature, yet that may not be feasible or necessary in all features.
However, a news story is usually done in the pyramid style i.e.,, facts are presented
from the top to bottom in a structured manner. News items are written in an impersonalised
manner; often the reporter’s view has no place in the body of the news story.. Quotes have to
be ascribed to the sources, crucial people on the spot, whose views are vital and added to the
facts pertaining to the story and written within inverted commas (“ “), also called Quotes.
In order to be effective, news stories have to be short, sharp, to the point, crisp,
packing maximum information in fewest words to save valuable newspaper space, and also
the harassed reader’s time. But in order to be read and to retain the reader’s attention for
longer period, a feature has to offer much more details, be presented in a refined prose, and
the language bedecked with lots of ‘blossoms and flowers’, to be an attractive experience,
and to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
A news story, on the other hand, need not or may not be required to be accompanied
by a picture at all. All news stories don’t need to be illustrated with photographs. Besides,
there is no space in the body of a newspaper for that.
Finally, since newspapers and magazines meet varied needs, and cater to diversified interests,
the topics that suit newspaper features and magazine features will also thus essentially have
to be varied.
For example, while, magazines can, and actually many do, specialise in subjects such
as the human interest issues, controversial national and international matters, social, cultural,
religious, political problems, and so on, newspapers rarely follow that line.
INTERVIEWING REQUISITES
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 7
Managing the interview is about more than just asking questions and noting down the
responses. It means being reflexive enough to observe nuances in voice, tone, and words. It
is also about constantly gauging where you are in terms of your purpose, whether or not you
are getting the information you need to write an interesting and meaningful story, and what
else you need to be asking or observing.
The beginning of the interview sets the tone for the rest of the interaction. Make it as
cordial as possible, except in the rare case where you are indeed working with an
adversarial or antagonistic source, where you would try to keep it as neutral as you can.
You may have a personal opinion about the issue or about the person you are speaking with,
but you must take care to not let this influence your questions or the way you interpret the
answers.
The first few questions you ask should be aimed at getting the source to open up and
creating an atmosphere of confidence. You need to show that you have done your
homework. Then gradually, move on to more difficult or confrontational questions. Finally,
when you wrap up, make sure you leave open the possibility of a follow-up interview, or
calling for clarifications.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
1. Interviewing for Information
When journalists need authentic information or authoritative facts, they interview
people who are recognized or official sources, people who occupy positions that allow them
access to information, or those who actually generate such information. When journalists do
a story on the budget, they depend on the finance minister's office and government
secretaries who deal with economic affairs, and interview people who occupy positions of
responsibility. When journalists write about the power crisis, they go to an energy expert
for the scientific facts and to the government or electricity board for the policy response and
future plans. The interview would focus on facts, be generally short and to the point.
2. Interviewing Experts
For certain stories, a reporter requires an expert point of view either to validate the
facts presented in a story, or to explain a complex process or concept. Experts can provide
an informed perspective that can help readers understand an issue or an event, such as
climate change, global warming, or economic recession.
3. Opinion Interview
To write a sound and balanced analytical feature on an issue, journalists need to know
facts and understand its different positions and how they play out politically, economically,
and socially. A journalist's job in a complex story is to present a wide range of opinions,
along with the facts for the readers to have a comprehensive picture of whatever is reported.
Map out all the possible angles in an issue to reflect as many points of view as possible
within the time and resources at your disposal.
4. Person-on-the-Street Interview (POTS Interview)
The most common form of a journalistic interview is the 'POTS' interview:
A reporter asks an onlooker in an informal style, “Tell me, what you think of India's
win against Australia in today's match?”
“Madam, can you describe what you saw here just now?'
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 7
Managing the interview is about more than just asking questions and noting down the
responses. It means being reflexive enough to observe nuances in voice, tone, and words. It
is also about constantly gauging where you are in terms of your purpose, whether or not you
are getting the information you need to write an interesting and meaningful story, and what
else you need to be asking or observing.
The beginning of the interview sets the tone for the rest of the interaction. Make it as
cordial as possible, except in the rare case where you are indeed working with an
adversarial or antagonistic source, where you would try to keep it as neutral as you can.
You may have a personal opinion about the issue or about the person you are speaking with,
but you must take care to not let this influence your questions or the way you interpret the
answers.
The first few questions you ask should be aimed at getting the source to open up and
creating an atmosphere of confidence. You need to show that you have done your
homework. Then gradually, move on to more difficult or confrontational questions. Finally,
when you wrap up, make sure you leave open the possibility of a follow-up interview, or
calling for clarifications.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF INTERVIEWS
1. Interviewing for Information
When journalists need authentic information or authoritative facts, they interview
people who are recognized or official sources, people who occupy positions that allow them
access to information, or those who actually generate such information. When journalists do
a story on the budget, they depend on the finance minister's office and government
secretaries who deal with economic affairs, and interview people who occupy positions of
responsibility. When journalists write about the power crisis, they go to an energy expert
for the scientific facts and to the government or electricity board for the policy response and
future plans. The interview would focus on facts, be generally short and to the point.
2. Interviewing Experts
For certain stories, a reporter requires an expert point of view either to validate the
facts presented in a story, or to explain a complex process or concept. Experts can provide
an informed perspective that can help readers understand an issue or an event, such as
climate change, global warming, or economic recession.
3. Opinion Interview
To write a sound and balanced analytical feature on an issue, journalists need to know
facts and understand its different positions and how they play out politically, economically,
and socially. A journalist's job in a complex story is to present a wide range of opinions,
along with the facts for the readers to have a comprehensive picture of whatever is reported.
Map out all the possible angles in an issue to reflect as many points of view as possible
within the time and resources at your disposal.
4. Person-on-the-Street Interview (POTS Interview)
The most common form of a journalistic interview is the 'POTS' interview:
A reporter asks an onlooker in an informal style, “Tell me, what you think of India's
win against Australia in today's match?”
“Madam, can you describe what you saw here just now?'
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 8
In POTS Interview, a journalist looks for quick, on-the-spot reactions to events and
developments, and not for educated analyses. It is also called 'Vox Pop and Man-on-the-
Street-Interview (MOTS). ‘Vox Populi’ is a Latin phrase that literally means "voice of the
people". It is used in English to refer to "the opinion of the majority of the people". In
journalism, it refers to short interviews with members of the public.
5. Panel Interviews
There are occasions in a news conference or in a professional or political meeting
when journalists have to interview a group, representing diverse points of view. The panel
interview offers a unique opportunity to understand how different points of view intersect and
relate to each other. The interviewer in such cases should make sure that all points of
interest are addressed and that there is a proper angle with the required logic.
6. Profiles and Snapshots
A profile interview is an exploration to gain an insight into how the person thinks, and to
identify how experiences in the past that have shaped him or her professionally and
personally. The profile could aim to throw light either on an issue or on the person.
The way to a successful personality interview is to be familiar with the source as well as
the context of his or her work. A journalist cannot interview Medha Patkar without reading
up, not only on her own history within the Narmada Bachao Andolan but also about the
politics of big dams and resettlement issues.
Celebrity interviews are challenging because a journalist needs to find a point of
interest that is different from every other interview the person has given in the recent past.
Reading up on past interviews will also give a sense of what questions have not been asked or
angles not reported so far.
Unit-II
Types of features: news features, profiles, human interest, science, cultural, environmental
and travel sketches features, fashion. Modern trends in feature writing, commissioning
features, reviews, and its types – film, theatre, and book.
DIFFERENT TYPES/KINDS OF FEATURE ARTICLES:
Actually, there are no rigidly set up kinds or categories of features. However, eight categories
of features have been recognized by many western- particularly British and American-
professional journalists and noted journalism academicians.
These include:
1. News Features: Such features originate from and are based on important news
happenings, involving VIPs or notorious criminals or influential personalities. The
Indian Express, Delhi, specializes in such features - its recent news features on noted
criminal, Yasin Bhatkhal and his associates, who are now in prison; Uttarakhand
floods that caused huge damage to lives and property; jailing of Bihar’s former chief
minister, other state politicians and former IAS officers in the aftermath of the recent
Supreme Court judgment on convicted politicians are some examples.
2. Special Event Features: India holding Common wealth Games, Delhi University
organizing Annual Session of the 90th Indian Science Congress, India hosting the
UNESCO Annual Meet or Delhi being the venue of Commonwealth Heads of
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 8
In POTS Interview, a journalist looks for quick, on-the-spot reactions to events and
developments, and not for educated analyses. It is also called 'Vox Pop and Man-on-the-
Street-Interview (MOTS). ‘Vox Populi’ is a Latin phrase that literally means "voice of the
people". It is used in English to refer to "the opinion of the majority of the people". In
journalism, it refers to short interviews with members of the public.
5. Panel Interviews
There are occasions in a news conference or in a professional or political meeting
when journalists have to interview a group, representing diverse points of view. The panel
interview offers a unique opportunity to understand how different points of view intersect and
relate to each other. The interviewer in such cases should make sure that all points of
interest are addressed and that there is a proper angle with the required logic.
6. Profiles and Snapshots
A profile interview is an exploration to gain an insight into how the person thinks, and to
identify how experiences in the past that have shaped him or her professionally and
personally. The profile could aim to throw light either on an issue or on the person.
The way to a successful personality interview is to be familiar with the source as well as
the context of his or her work. A journalist cannot interview Medha Patkar without reading
up, not only on her own history within the Narmada Bachao Andolan but also about the
politics of big dams and resettlement issues.
Celebrity interviews are challenging because a journalist needs to find a point of
interest that is different from every other interview the person has given in the recent past.
Reading up on past interviews will also give a sense of what questions have not been asked or
angles not reported so far.
Unit-II
Types of features: news features, profiles, human interest, science, cultural, environmental
and travel sketches features, fashion. Modern trends in feature writing, commissioning
features, reviews, and its types – film, theatre, and book.
DIFFERENT TYPES/KINDS OF FEATURE ARTICLES:
Actually, there are no rigidly set up kinds or categories of features. However, eight categories
of features have been recognized by many western- particularly British and American-
professional journalists and noted journalism academicians.
These include:
1. News Features: Such features originate from and are based on important news
happenings, involving VIPs or notorious criminals or influential personalities. The
Indian Express, Delhi, specializes in such features - its recent news features on noted
criminal, Yasin Bhatkhal and his associates, who are now in prison; Uttarakhand
floods that caused huge damage to lives and property; jailing of Bihar’s former chief
minister, other state politicians and former IAS officers in the aftermath of the recent
Supreme Court judgment on convicted politicians are some examples.
2. Special Event Features: India holding Common wealth Games, Delhi University
organizing Annual Session of the 90th Indian Science Congress, India hosting the
UNESCO Annual Meet or Delhi being the venue of Commonwealth Heads of
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 9
Government Conference (CHOGM) etc. would all be deemed as special events.
Everything connected with these events would form excellent theme for a feature.
3. Profile/Personality Feature : Doing a personal profile of the United Nations General
Secretary, Ban ki-Moon, visiting India for the first time after his appointment; or
writing about the former US President’s wife, Michelle Obama’s, journey to the
American White House could be good subjects under this head.
4. Interview Feature: Talking to maestro singer Lata Mangeshkar, after she was
awarded the Bharat Ratna about her life story, and her life-long achievements as a
musician: tracing her early career years can be an ideal topic for an interview feature.
Also stories like speaking to the 70-year-old Japanese who scaled the Mount Everest
without oxygen would also be an excellent idea for such a story.
5. How-to Features: Such features are written for guiding users on how to operate or
handle sensitive, costly equipment, doing hazardous experiments or executing
dangerous jobs. The purpose is to instruct the user step –by- step, operation by
operation, for performing the activity, or accomplishing a tedious job expected from
the gadget or equipment. This helps the user to avoid accidents.
6. Background Features : Doing a report on an incident that may be connected with an
old, historical or ancient event. When the Clock Tower in Delhi’s Chandani Chowk
fell down several years ago, many newspapers wrote detailed pieces on its
background. Similarly, when the Indian Science Congress holds it Annual session
readers would like to learn about its history, functions, achievements, etc. These tit-
bits can form highly readable background features.
7. Investigative Features : Investigating the criminal career of the Bhatkhal brothers
and their associates can be an investigative feature. Probing the causes of communal
flare-ups in different part of the country would be good subjects for investigative
features.
8. Colour Features : These features are generally written on the subjects of which the
authors have deep knowledge and thorough understanding, besides adequate
command of the language. Often, these topics tend to be light, more descriptive, with
frequent creative play on the words, capturing the moods of a special occasion such as
a fair, holiday season with happiness and mirth flirting all around.
9. Adventure Features: Remember the young Kolkata girl, Bachandri Pal, the first
Indian woman to have climbed the Mount Everest. Hers was a unique feat, and that
formed a subject for an adventure feature. In this category also included are first time
travels to tough, highly hazardous, frightening regions of Asia, Africa, Antartica, etc.
10. Opinion Features : Such pieces are usually based on expertise or research and with
the single aim of expressing personal views on a crucial subject. That person’s
findings should, however, weigh heavily in the concerned circles. Historian Irfan
Habib on Nehru-Jinnah connections, India’s former foreign Secretary’s view on Sino-
Indian border dispute, or US role in the Middle East, or Chinese activities in the
South-East Asia, US’s former Secretary of State advocating a permanent membership
for India in the UN Security Council come under this category.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 9
Government Conference (CHOGM) etc. would all be deemed as special events.
Everything connected with these events would form excellent theme for a feature.
3. Profile/Personality Feature : Doing a personal profile of the United Nations General
Secretary, Ban ki-Moon, visiting India for the first time after his appointment; or
writing about the former US President’s wife, Michelle Obama’s, journey to the
American White House could be good subjects under this head.
4. Interview Feature: Talking to maestro singer Lata Mangeshkar, after she was
awarded the Bharat Ratna about her life story, and her life-long achievements as a
musician: tracing her early career years can be an ideal topic for an interview feature.
Also stories like speaking to the 70-year-old Japanese who scaled the Mount Everest
without oxygen would also be an excellent idea for such a story.
5. How-to Features: Such features are written for guiding users on how to operate or
handle sensitive, costly equipment, doing hazardous experiments or executing
dangerous jobs. The purpose is to instruct the user step –by- step, operation by
operation, for performing the activity, or accomplishing a tedious job expected from
the gadget or equipment. This helps the user to avoid accidents.
6. Background Features : Doing a report on an incident that may be connected with an
old, historical or ancient event. When the Clock Tower in Delhi’s Chandani Chowk
fell down several years ago, many newspapers wrote detailed pieces on its
background. Similarly, when the Indian Science Congress holds it Annual session
readers would like to learn about its history, functions, achievements, etc. These tit-
bits can form highly readable background features.
7. Investigative Features : Investigating the criminal career of the Bhatkhal brothers
and their associates can be an investigative feature. Probing the causes of communal
flare-ups in different part of the country would be good subjects for investigative
features.
8. Colour Features : These features are generally written on the subjects of which the
authors have deep knowledge and thorough understanding, besides adequate
command of the language. Often, these topics tend to be light, more descriptive, with
frequent creative play on the words, capturing the moods of a special occasion such as
a fair, holiday season with happiness and mirth flirting all around.
9. Adventure Features: Remember the young Kolkata girl, Bachandri Pal, the first
Indian woman to have climbed the Mount Everest. Hers was a unique feat, and that
formed a subject for an adventure feature. In this category also included are first time
travels to tough, highly hazardous, frightening regions of Asia, Africa, Antartica, etc.
10. Opinion Features : Such pieces are usually based on expertise or research and with
the single aim of expressing personal views on a crucial subject. That person’s
findings should, however, weigh heavily in the concerned circles. Historian Irfan
Habib on Nehru-Jinnah connections, India’s former foreign Secretary’s view on Sino-
Indian border dispute, or US role in the Middle East, or Chinese activities in the
South-East Asia, US’s former Secretary of State advocating a permanent membership
for India in the UN Security Council come under this category.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 10
11. Human Interest Features : A young boy who lost both his hands in a rail accident,
and paints beautiful sceneries with a paint brush tucked under his teeth, or the brush
held in his feet or a high school passout government clerk winning Rs. 5-crore in the
television shows “Kaun Banega Crorepati” show would be most readable feature
stories.
12. Development Features: As you would have understood, development
communication is an integral part of modern day media research and education.
Development stories from remote, far flung areas could present fascinating account
and be interesting feature reflecting the progress ordinary people there have made.
LANGUAGE USED IN FEATURE ARTICLES
Before we go into the nitty-gritty details for writing feature articles, you need to know what
skills and techniques you need to acquire in order to write a feature article!
1. Develop a personal tone
1. Share your opinions
2. Show your personality (eg. humorous, serious…)
3. Use semi-formal language (i.e. some colloquialism)
4. Use emotive language
2. Refer to the audience in second person language (eg. “you”)
3. Use literary and rhetorical techniques to engage the reader (eg. rhetorical questions,
anecdotes, imagery…)
4. Don’t overuse adjectives or adverbs. Use strong verbs and nouns to describe, instead of
adjectives and adverbs.
5. Use facts, quotes and jargon to add authenticity
6. Make sure you write in the active voice
FILM REVIEW:
Whenever a new movie is released, film reviews on that film find place in the newspapers to
draw the peoples’ attention towards its peculiarities. These reviews prompt them to decide
whether to go to watch it or not. But, the review should never be like an advertisement
falsifying the reality and misguiding the theatre goers. Instead, it has to be an objective
depiction of its features in an unprejudiced, concise and specific way. So, the writer at least
should watch it directly and analyse it. The writer’s personal view of actor or director of the
film, both positive and negative, should never colour the content of the review.
The first paragraph of the film review should include the name of the film, its
characters, its setting, the directors and the genre it belongs. The second paragraph has to
handle the summarised version of the story of film in such an attractive way that may draw
the attention of the readers. The following paragraphs will deal with the reviewer’s
comments and analysis about the relevance of the story, technical quality, relation to the
society etc.
BOOK REVIEWS
It is a special kind of analytical writing by the experts who are specialised in making in-depth
analysis of a particular book dealing with a particular subject. Many books in literature,
politics, sociology etc. are published in newspapers as book reviews. Through book reviews,
the readers get familiar with many books newly introduced in the market. The reviewer must
have in depth and comprehensive knowledge of the subject the book deals with and should
be able to evaluate and judge the book in terms of its significance and impact on the reader.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 10
11. Human Interest Features : A young boy who lost both his hands in a rail accident,
and paints beautiful sceneries with a paint brush tucked under his teeth, or the brush
held in his feet or a high school passout government clerk winning Rs. 5-crore in the
television shows “Kaun Banega Crorepati” show would be most readable feature
stories.
12. Development Features: As you would have understood, development
communication is an integral part of modern day media research and education.
Development stories from remote, far flung areas could present fascinating account
and be interesting feature reflecting the progress ordinary people there have made.
LANGUAGE USED IN FEATURE ARTICLES
Before we go into the nitty-gritty details for writing feature articles, you need to know what
skills and techniques you need to acquire in order to write a feature article!
1. Develop a personal tone
1. Share your opinions
2. Show your personality (eg. humorous, serious…)
3. Use semi-formal language (i.e. some colloquialism)
4. Use emotive language
2. Refer to the audience in second person language (eg. “you”)
3. Use literary and rhetorical techniques to engage the reader (eg. rhetorical questions,
anecdotes, imagery…)
4. Don’t overuse adjectives or adverbs. Use strong verbs and nouns to describe, instead of
adjectives and adverbs.
5. Use facts, quotes and jargon to add authenticity
6. Make sure you write in the active voice
FILM REVIEW:
Whenever a new movie is released, film reviews on that film find place in the newspapers to
draw the peoples’ attention towards its peculiarities. These reviews prompt them to decide
whether to go to watch it or not. But, the review should never be like an advertisement
falsifying the reality and misguiding the theatre goers. Instead, it has to be an objective
depiction of its features in an unprejudiced, concise and specific way. So, the writer at least
should watch it directly and analyse it. The writer’s personal view of actor or director of the
film, both positive and negative, should never colour the content of the review.
The first paragraph of the film review should include the name of the film, its
characters, its setting, the directors and the genre it belongs. The second paragraph has to
handle the summarised version of the story of film in such an attractive way that may draw
the attention of the readers. The following paragraphs will deal with the reviewer’s
comments and analysis about the relevance of the story, technical quality, relation to the
society etc.
BOOK REVIEWS
It is a special kind of analytical writing by the experts who are specialised in making in-depth
analysis of a particular book dealing with a particular subject. Many books in literature,
politics, sociology etc. are published in newspapers as book reviews. Through book reviews,
the readers get familiar with many books newly introduced in the market. The reviewer must
have in depth and comprehensive knowledge of the subject the book deals with and should
be able to evaluate and judge the book in terms of its significance and impact on the reader.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 11
The reviewer has to dwell upon the content, the range and the scope of the work and
how it becomes important for a reader. The book review should contain an overall
assessment of the book and its author. The impact of the subject, the background against
which it was written, the style of writing, the approach adopted etc. also come under the
assessment of the book. A review should be in such a way that the readers should get a real
critical understanding of the book.
The bibliographical details in the book review help the interested readers to locate the book
easily. Sunday Magazine supplemented with THE HINDU newspaper is noted for good book
reviews.
UNIT-III
Freelancing – Meaning, definition and scope of freelancing, qualities of a freelancer,
trends in freelancing The art of travel writing, historical subjects, personal narratives,
food, fashion, and health. Legal and ethical aspects of freelancing.
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
Unlike journalists on payroll, freelance journalists cover a wide range of topics
without being tied down to one set publication. They can choose to specialize in a single
topic or cover just about everything. They suggest their own story ideas to the editors and if
they get approved, they go about writing them for submission. Since they are freelancers,
they can work for more than one publication at a time, opening up numerous options. It can
be a competitive industry and it is important to establish the right contacts in order to get jobs
that may otherwise not be widely advertised. It is also crucial that freelance journalists stay
up to date with the current news and stories so they know what to report and when.
CHARACTERISTICS OR QUALITY OF FREELANCERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
No two freelancers or entrepreneurs are the same, but the best and most successful do share
some similar characteristics. The ability to work hard, professionalism, communication
skills, persistence, passion, self-discipline, and initiative are some of the most important
characteristics. Here, we define 11 characteristics that will help you succeed as a business
owner. It applies for both freelancers and entrepreneurs. However, you don’t need to master
all of these to perfection to make it. But you do need to learn to overcome your weaknesses if
you want to build a sustainable business and bring real value to your clients. It’s worth
taking your time to pause and reflect before you quit your job, and ask yourself: “Can I truly
see many of these characteristics in myself?” and if not: “Am I willing to learn what I lack?”
What makes for a successful freelancer and entrepreneur? What do freelancers and
entrepreneurs have in common over and over above saleable skills? Let’s take a look at the
characteristics of successful freelancers and entrepreneurs:
1. Hard Work
If you haven’t read Tim Ferriss’ excellent book "The 4-Hour Workweek", you should.
It’s packed with tips on how to run a business. Our only bone to pick with Mr. Ferriss is
the title he chose. Running your own business is usually a lot of hard work. Solo
freelancers and owners of new design agencies only have their own skills to sell. So,
unless you operate in an incredibly high-paid niche and live an incredibly modest
lifestyle, it’s fair to say you’re going to be working more than four hours a week, a lot
more.
Not only is there the client work to be done, but there’s also the sales, the marketing, the
general administration, the book-keeping, etc.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 11
The reviewer has to dwell upon the content, the range and the scope of the work and
how it becomes important for a reader. The book review should contain an overall
assessment of the book and its author. The impact of the subject, the background against
which it was written, the style of writing, the approach adopted etc. also come under the
assessment of the book. A review should be in such a way that the readers should get a real
critical understanding of the book.
The bibliographical details in the book review help the interested readers to locate the book
easily. Sunday Magazine supplemented with THE HINDU newspaper is noted for good book
reviews.
UNIT-III
Freelancing – Meaning, definition and scope of freelancing, qualities of a freelancer,
trends in freelancing The art of travel writing, historical subjects, personal narratives,
food, fashion, and health. Legal and ethical aspects of freelancing.
FREELANCE JOURNALIST
Unlike journalists on payroll, freelance journalists cover a wide range of topics
without being tied down to one set publication. They can choose to specialize in a single
topic or cover just about everything. They suggest their own story ideas to the editors and if
they get approved, they go about writing them for submission. Since they are freelancers,
they can work for more than one publication at a time, opening up numerous options. It can
be a competitive industry and it is important to establish the right contacts in order to get jobs
that may otherwise not be widely advertised. It is also crucial that freelance journalists stay
up to date with the current news and stories so they know what to report and when.
CHARACTERISTICS OR QUALITY OF FREELANCERS AND ENTREPRENEURS
No two freelancers or entrepreneurs are the same, but the best and most successful do share
some similar characteristics. The ability to work hard, professionalism, communication
skills, persistence, passion, self-discipline, and initiative are some of the most important
characteristics. Here, we define 11 characteristics that will help you succeed as a business
owner. It applies for both freelancers and entrepreneurs. However, you don’t need to master
all of these to perfection to make it. But you do need to learn to overcome your weaknesses if
you want to build a sustainable business and bring real value to your clients. It’s worth
taking your time to pause and reflect before you quit your job, and ask yourself: “Can I truly
see many of these characteristics in myself?” and if not: “Am I willing to learn what I lack?”
What makes for a successful freelancer and entrepreneur? What do freelancers and
entrepreneurs have in common over and over above saleable skills? Let’s take a look at the
characteristics of successful freelancers and entrepreneurs:
1. Hard Work
If you haven’t read Tim Ferriss’ excellent book "The 4-Hour Workweek", you should.
It’s packed with tips on how to run a business. Our only bone to pick with Mr. Ferriss is
the title he chose. Running your own business is usually a lot of hard work. Solo
freelancers and owners of new design agencies only have their own skills to sell. So,
unless you operate in an incredibly high-paid niche and live an incredibly modest
lifestyle, it’s fair to say you’re going to be working more than four hours a week, a lot
more.
Not only is there the client work to be done, but there’s also the sales, the marketing, the
general administration, the book-keeping, etc.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 12
If you think that building your own business is the miracle cure for work, think again. If
you’re not prepared to work hard, the entrepreneurial life will quickly show itself to be
an impossible dream.
Thomas Edison was a smart chap; businesses are built on hard work – no matter what
they try and tell you in the trendy media of today.
2. Communication Skills
Freelancers and entrepreneurs are in constant communication with their clients, with
their peers and with the world around them.
You need to be able to present yourself well over the phone, in person and in writing
(even if you’re not a freelance writer). You’ll need to master a host of communication
tools, too (each client has his/her own preference, and each will insist that it’s the
“industry standard”). That includes Skype, Trello, Basecamp, IM, VoIP, Voice Mail,
Slack, and many, many more. You can’t run a business without communication.
3. Professionalism
You don’t need to wear a suit to work if you don’t want to. You do, however, have to be
professional. If you have a client meeting, you need to dress appropriately. If you make a
promise, you need to deliver. You need to conduct yourself ethically and legally.
Professionalism doesn’t die when you stop being an employee; in fact, it’s an essential
part of running any business.
4. Time Management and Organization
You need to be ruthless about time management to succeed. Clients have deadlines; if
you miss those, you’ll cost them money, and they won’t want to work with you again
(they may also not want to pay you for the work you’ve done).
Freelancers and entrepreneurs learn to plan their time and stick to the plan. They know
what they can do in any given time frame, and they don’t overcommit. It’s tempting to
take all the business on offer, but you’ll end up with no business at all if you can’t
deliver. Learning to say “no” is part of the business owner’s life.
5. Persistence
If you’re the sort of person who gives up whenever an unexpected challenge presents
itself, freelancing and entrepreneurism is going to be really hard on you. To win clients,
you have to be persistent in marketing and sales. To deliver value for your clients, you
have to be persistent about doing the best work that you can do. When a client pulls a
project at the last minute, you can’t fall into a week’s funk gazing out the window – you
have to do something about it to ensure that you’re still earning. And so on…
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up.”
– Thomas Edison
6. Responsibility
Creative block/writer’s block/etc. are luxuries you can’t afford. Your client isn’t
interested in your excuses—they’ve given you the responsibility to get a job done; they
expect you to deliver.
If you’re not prepared to do the job come rain, sun, snow or shine—you’re not ready to
freelance. You only have one reputation, and squandering it might mean you never get
another chance to show the world what you have to offer. You have to take responsibility
to deliver the goods no matter how tough it might be to do so.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 12
If you think that building your own business is the miracle cure for work, think again. If
you’re not prepared to work hard, the entrepreneurial life will quickly show itself to be
an impossible dream.
Thomas Edison was a smart chap; businesses are built on hard work – no matter what
they try and tell you in the trendy media of today.
2. Communication Skills
Freelancers and entrepreneurs are in constant communication with their clients, with
their peers and with the world around them.
You need to be able to present yourself well over the phone, in person and in writing
(even if you’re not a freelance writer). You’ll need to master a host of communication
tools, too (each client has his/her own preference, and each will insist that it’s the
“industry standard”). That includes Skype, Trello, Basecamp, IM, VoIP, Voice Mail,
Slack, and many, many more. You can’t run a business without communication.
3. Professionalism
You don’t need to wear a suit to work if you don’t want to. You do, however, have to be
professional. If you have a client meeting, you need to dress appropriately. If you make a
promise, you need to deliver. You need to conduct yourself ethically and legally.
Professionalism doesn’t die when you stop being an employee; in fact, it’s an essential
part of running any business.
4. Time Management and Organization
You need to be ruthless about time management to succeed. Clients have deadlines; if
you miss those, you’ll cost them money, and they won’t want to work with you again
(they may also not want to pay you for the work you’ve done).
Freelancers and entrepreneurs learn to plan their time and stick to the plan. They know
what they can do in any given time frame, and they don’t overcommit. It’s tempting to
take all the business on offer, but you’ll end up with no business at all if you can’t
deliver. Learning to say “no” is part of the business owner’s life.
5. Persistence
If you’re the sort of person who gives up whenever an unexpected challenge presents
itself, freelancing and entrepreneurism is going to be really hard on you. To win clients,
you have to be persistent in marketing and sales. To deliver value for your clients, you
have to be persistent about doing the best work that you can do. When a client pulls a
project at the last minute, you can’t fall into a week’s funk gazing out the window – you
have to do something about it to ensure that you’re still earning. And so on…
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success
when they gave up.”
– Thomas Edison
6. Responsibility
Creative block/writer’s block/etc. are luxuries you can’t afford. Your client isn’t
interested in your excuses—they’ve given you the responsibility to get a job done; they
expect you to deliver.
If you’re not prepared to do the job come rain, sun, snow or shine—you’re not ready to
freelance. You only have one reputation, and squandering it might mean you never get
another chance to show the world what you have to offer. You have to take responsibility
to deliver the goods no matter how tough it might be to do so.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 13
7. Initiative
Are you ready to take charge? To ask questions when you don’t understand something?
To create opportunity where none seems apparent? If the answer is “yes”, then you’re in
the right place to build your business.
Freelancers and entrepreneurs have to be ready to take the initiative because there’s no
one else to take it. The comfort of employees is that it’s their manager’s job to take the
initiative when they’re not ready to. The business owners have to do it themselves and
whenever the occasion requires it.
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
― Andy Warhol, American pop art visionary, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol
8. Principles
You need to be truthful and honest with your clients. You need to set a high standard of
ethical practice. If you get a reputation for being a lying cheat… you’re not going to win
much work.
When things go wrong, it’s your job to put them right. That doesn’t mean be a doormat
for your clients, but it does mean that when it’s your fault things go wrong, you own up
and you do what it takes to put things right, even when it costs you time and money.
9. Goal- and Evaluation-oriented
Most freelancers and entrepreneurs are superlative goal setters. They set goals for their
client-facing work. They set goals for their businesses. They set goals for personal
development. They also pursue these goals single-mindedly. And they know that work
and life are iterative processes which they time and time again have to evaluate and re-
evaluate to meet their goals.
If you want freelancing and entrepreneurism to give you a sense of achievement and self-
worth, a lot of that comes through creating and attaining goals and being able to evaluate,
correct course and set new goals along the way.
10. Flexibility
You know the whole, “you can do anything you want as a freelancer and entrepreneur”
line? It’s not entirely true. There are days when you’re going to get up at 6 a.m. and work
until 2 a.m. because you have a commitment to meet. There are times when you’re going
to do boring, repetitive work as part of a bigger, more exciting project.
Business owners need to be flexible in their approach to survive. Clients don’t care about
your childcare commitments; they don’t care about your personal life; they don’t care if
you hate working on a Monday—all they care about is that you get the job done.
11. Self-discipline
This is really a summary of all the points above. Business owners need to be self-
disciplined because there’s no one else to instil that discipline. You may not love
working for a boss, but if you rely on a boss for a boot up the derriere when you’re not
“in the mood” for working, you’re going to find working for yourself a serious
challenge.
Are you dreaming of going for a swim to cool down during lunch break? You can easily
work from a beachside restaurant on a tropical island as long as you are super self-
disciplined and make sure you have great Wi-Fi. Here, it’s the co-founder of the IxDF,
Rikke Friis Dam, who takes a 15-minute break from work. It’s not that difficult to go
back to work if you are passionate about the work you do. Rikke actually finds it quite
easy to leave the beach after those 15 minutes as she loves her work.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 13
7. Initiative
Are you ready to take charge? To ask questions when you don’t understand something?
To create opportunity where none seems apparent? If the answer is “yes”, then you’re in
the right place to build your business.
Freelancers and entrepreneurs have to be ready to take the initiative because there’s no
one else to take it. The comfort of employees is that it’s their manager’s job to take the
initiative when they’re not ready to. The business owners have to do it themselves and
whenever the occasion requires it.
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
― Andy Warhol, American pop art visionary, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol
8. Principles
You need to be truthful and honest with your clients. You need to set a high standard of
ethical practice. If you get a reputation for being a lying cheat… you’re not going to win
much work.
When things go wrong, it’s your job to put them right. That doesn’t mean be a doormat
for your clients, but it does mean that when it’s your fault things go wrong, you own up
and you do what it takes to put things right, even when it costs you time and money.
9. Goal- and Evaluation-oriented
Most freelancers and entrepreneurs are superlative goal setters. They set goals for their
client-facing work. They set goals for their businesses. They set goals for personal
development. They also pursue these goals single-mindedly. And they know that work
and life are iterative processes which they time and time again have to evaluate and re-
evaluate to meet their goals.
If you want freelancing and entrepreneurism to give you a sense of achievement and self-
worth, a lot of that comes through creating and attaining goals and being able to evaluate,
correct course and set new goals along the way.
10. Flexibility
You know the whole, “you can do anything you want as a freelancer and entrepreneur”
line? It’s not entirely true. There are days when you’re going to get up at 6 a.m. and work
until 2 a.m. because you have a commitment to meet. There are times when you’re going
to do boring, repetitive work as part of a bigger, more exciting project.
Business owners need to be flexible in their approach to survive. Clients don’t care about
your childcare commitments; they don’t care about your personal life; they don’t care if
you hate working on a Monday—all they care about is that you get the job done.
11. Self-discipline
This is really a summary of all the points above. Business owners need to be self-
disciplined because there’s no one else to instil that discipline. You may not love
working for a boss, but if you rely on a boss for a boot up the derriere when you’re not
“in the mood” for working, you’re going to find working for yourself a serious
challenge.
Are you dreaming of going for a swim to cool down during lunch break? You can easily
work from a beachside restaurant on a tropical island as long as you are super self-
disciplined and make sure you have great Wi-Fi. Here, it’s the co-founder of the IxDF,
Rikke Friis Dam, who takes a 15-minute break from work. It’s not that difficult to go
back to work if you are passionate about the work you do. Rikke actually finds it quite
easy to leave the beach after those 15 minutes as she loves her work.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 14
12. Passion and Skills
If you want to have all the characteristics listed above and rock out as a successful
business owner, the best way to do it is to choose a niche in which you know that you’ll
love the work you do. That’s a niche which you are passionate about and where you can
grow and thrive—one where you don’t mind staying up until 2 a.m., because that’s
what’s needed to deliver the best work to your clients.
Passion, skills and success will most often go hand in hand. If you can’t resist improving
upon your skills and work because you are passionate about what you do, you’re going
to succeed.
Finding the right niche means you’ll be able to deliver awesome results for your clients.
Those are results that you will feel proud of, results that will make clients want to hire
you again and again. You can raise your income, improve your skills, and love the work
you do (or at least most of the work you do).
13. The Take Away: You don’t need to master all 11 characteristics to perfection to succeed
as a freelancer or entrepreneur. However, it’s crucial that you are aware of your strong
and weak sides and, preferably, seek to improve the qualities you lack to improve your
chances of succeeding as a business owner.
Being a business owner isn’t a walk in the park. Yes, you’re your own boss, and you’re
in charge of what you do and when you do it, but there’s a flipside to that. Freedom
includes the freedom to suffer—there’s no safety net, and when things go wrong—
you have to take responsibility. You have the responsibility of ensuring things go right,
too.
If freelancing and entrepreneurism were as easy as some folks make them out to be,
everyone would be a business owner. It’s worth taking a minute to think about this,
before you quit your job, and ask yourself, “Can I truly see these characteristics in
myself?” If the answer’s “no”, then ask: “Am I willing to learn to overcome my
weaknesses and learn what I’m lacking?”
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF FREELANCING
Legal and ethical issues confront entrepreneurs and freelancers on a regular basis; learning
how to handle them is vital to business success. The legal issues can always be explored with
a legal representative, but the ethical issues add more nuances to working life, and making
ethical decisions is not always easy. Yet, the ethical business – in the long run – is the one
that most people would prefer to work with.
Freelance businesses and business-to-business (B2B) start-ups need to have a handle
on the legal and ethical issues that may affect them, their clients or their suppliers. If you
want your business to have a good reputation, you need to be able to stay not just within the
confines of the law but to apply an ethical approach in all that you do.
LEGAL VS. ETHICAL
• What’s the difference between legal and ethical? Legal is simply a matter of
complying with the laws of your country and—often—with the laws of the client’s
country, too.
• Ethical is concerned with more than just the law. It’s concerned with the basic
principles and common sense of “right and wrong”. For example, you visit a
fellow freelancer’s office to discuss potential partnership work. As you’re sitting
down, the person you are meeting is called away for a few minutes. You glance at her
desk and see a complete list of her clients... wow—that was careless of her.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 14
12. Passion and Skills
If you want to have all the characteristics listed above and rock out as a successful
business owner, the best way to do it is to choose a niche in which you know that you’ll
love the work you do. That’s a niche which you are passionate about and where you can
grow and thrive—one where you don’t mind staying up until 2 a.m., because that’s
what’s needed to deliver the best work to your clients.
Passion, skills and success will most often go hand in hand. If you can’t resist improving
upon your skills and work because you are passionate about what you do, you’re going
to succeed.
Finding the right niche means you’ll be able to deliver awesome results for your clients.
Those are results that you will feel proud of, results that will make clients want to hire
you again and again. You can raise your income, improve your skills, and love the work
you do (or at least most of the work you do).
13. The Take Away: You don’t need to master all 11 characteristics to perfection to succeed
as a freelancer or entrepreneur. However, it’s crucial that you are aware of your strong
and weak sides and, preferably, seek to improve the qualities you lack to improve your
chances of succeeding as a business owner.
Being a business owner isn’t a walk in the park. Yes, you’re your own boss, and you’re
in charge of what you do and when you do it, but there’s a flipside to that. Freedom
includes the freedom to suffer—there’s no safety net, and when things go wrong—
you have to take responsibility. You have the responsibility of ensuring things go right,
too.
If freelancing and entrepreneurism were as easy as some folks make them out to be,
everyone would be a business owner. It’s worth taking a minute to think about this,
before you quit your job, and ask yourself, “Can I truly see these characteristics in
myself?” If the answer’s “no”, then ask: “Am I willing to learn to overcome my
weaknesses and learn what I’m lacking?”
LEGAL AND ETHICAL ASPECTS OF FREELANCING
Legal and ethical issues confront entrepreneurs and freelancers on a regular basis; learning
how to handle them is vital to business success. The legal issues can always be explored with
a legal representative, but the ethical issues add more nuances to working life, and making
ethical decisions is not always easy. Yet, the ethical business – in the long run – is the one
that most people would prefer to work with.
Freelance businesses and business-to-business (B2B) start-ups need to have a handle
on the legal and ethical issues that may affect them, their clients or their suppliers. If you
want your business to have a good reputation, you need to be able to stay not just within the
confines of the law but to apply an ethical approach in all that you do.
LEGAL VS. ETHICAL
• What’s the difference between legal and ethical? Legal is simply a matter of
complying with the laws of your country and—often—with the laws of the client’s
country, too.
• Ethical is concerned with more than just the law. It’s concerned with the basic
principles and common sense of “right and wrong”. For example, you visit a
fellow freelancer’s office to discuss potential partnership work. As you’re sitting
down, the person you are meeting is called away for a few minutes. You glance at her
desk and see a complete list of her clients... wow—that was careless of her.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 15
• Quick... Do you make a copy of that list by taking a picture of it with your phone? It
may be legal to do this (in fact, it almost certainly is legal to do this in most places)—
but it’s not ethical, is it? Breaching someone’s trust like that is wrong, no matter how
much we might want to try painting it over to look and feel right.
Common Legal Issues Every Freelancer and B2B Start-up Should Face Actively
Legions of possible legal issues face freelance and business-to-business start-ups. It would be
impossible to list all of those for every country; however, here are some common issues
you’ll likely face:
1. Data protection – How will you collect, store and dispose of information relating to
clients?
2. Privacy – How will you ensure that details provided to you are not shared with
others? What about when sharing details is necessary (because you’re working on a
project with other freelancers, for example)?
3. Intellectual property – How are copyright, trademarks and patents to be handled?
4. Contracts – How will you ensure that your contracts are watertight?
5. Safety law – Are you compliant with health and safety legislation?
6. Liability issues –What happens if something goes wrong and a client is hurt (or
perceive/s himself/herself/themselves to be hurt and sues you)?
The best thing to do to prevent legal issues is to use your common sense, research an issue if
in doubt, or seek the services of a legal practitioner in your environment, if necessary:
someone who knows the ins and outs of local law and can help you navigate it properly.
Author/Copyright holder: BusinessSarah. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY 2.0
Intellectual property is an area which is very likely to come up in your working life. You need
to know when to assert your rights and how to avoid infringing other people’s rights, too.
You should also consider insurance in the event that you are sued by a client or someone else
affected by your business. It can cost a lot of money to go to court.
If you can’t afford legal advice, you may be able to get advice from a business support
service provided locally to you or even your local Chamber of Commerce. Some countries
even offer completely free legal services for start-ups.
COMMON ETHICAL ISSUES EVERY FREELANCER AND B2B START-UP SHOULD
CONSIDER
Ethical choices may be less obvious and less clear-cut than getting the legal compliance
correct in your business. A freelancer may face a wide range of ethical dilemmas, but some
of the most common include:
1. Conflict of interest – How do you handle a potential client when they are seeking the
same results as an existing client, but you can only deliver those results to one client –
will you prevent the other from attaining them? (Think, for example, SEO on a
website – if you achieve top ranking for one dentist in your neighbourhood, you can’t
repeat that for another.) A sea of potential conflicts of interest can be found in
freelance life.
2. Dodgy clients – How do you deal with a potential client who promotes smoking in
the developing world? What about one who sells guns? A lot depends on where you
feel your own ethical responsibilities lie.
3. Setting out to fail – What will you do if a client instructs you to do something that
will cause the final outcome to fail? Is it ethical to take a client’s money if he/she/they
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 15
• Quick... Do you make a copy of that list by taking a picture of it with your phone? It
may be legal to do this (in fact, it almost certainly is legal to do this in most places)—
but it’s not ethical, is it? Breaching someone’s trust like that is wrong, no matter how
much we might want to try painting it over to look and feel right.
Common Legal Issues Every Freelancer and B2B Start-up Should Face Actively
Legions of possible legal issues face freelance and business-to-business start-ups. It would be
impossible to list all of those for every country; however, here are some common issues
you’ll likely face:
1. Data protection – How will you collect, store and dispose of information relating to
clients?
2. Privacy – How will you ensure that details provided to you are not shared with
others? What about when sharing details is necessary (because you’re working on a
project with other freelancers, for example)?
3. Intellectual property – How are copyright, trademarks and patents to be handled?
4. Contracts – How will you ensure that your contracts are watertight?
5. Safety law – Are you compliant with health and safety legislation?
6. Liability issues –What happens if something goes wrong and a client is hurt (or
perceive/s himself/herself/themselves to be hurt and sues you)?
The best thing to do to prevent legal issues is to use your common sense, research an issue if
in doubt, or seek the services of a legal practitioner in your environment, if necessary:
someone who knows the ins and outs of local law and can help you navigate it properly.
Author/Copyright holder: BusinessSarah. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY 2.0
Intellectual property is an area which is very likely to come up in your working life. You need
to know when to assert your rights and how to avoid infringing other people’s rights, too.
You should also consider insurance in the event that you are sued by a client or someone else
affected by your business. It can cost a lot of money to go to court.
If you can’t afford legal advice, you may be able to get advice from a business support
service provided locally to you or even your local Chamber of Commerce. Some countries
even offer completely free legal services for start-ups.
COMMON ETHICAL ISSUES EVERY FREELANCER AND B2B START-UP SHOULD
CONSIDER
Ethical choices may be less obvious and less clear-cut than getting the legal compliance
correct in your business. A freelancer may face a wide range of ethical dilemmas, but some
of the most common include:
1. Conflict of interest – How do you handle a potential client when they are seeking the
same results as an existing client, but you can only deliver those results to one client –
will you prevent the other from attaining them? (Think, for example, SEO on a
website – if you achieve top ranking for one dentist in your neighbourhood, you can’t
repeat that for another.) A sea of potential conflicts of interest can be found in
freelance life.
2. Dodgy clients – How do you deal with a potential client who promotes smoking in
the developing world? What about one who sells guns? A lot depends on where you
feel your own ethical responsibilities lie.
3. Setting out to fail – What will you do if a client instructs you to do something that
will cause the final outcome to fail? Is it ethical to take a client’s money if he/she/they
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 16
won’t listen to reason? You can see that the road ahead suddenly ends at a cliff edge.
You can already imagine someone moaning, “Oh, why didn’t you say something?!”
4. When the client sucks – If you don’t get paid, how will you respond? You can
always leave the client a bad review, but is airing your dirty laundry in public a good
idea? How will it impact on your own business? Might you appear petty? Worse,
might lashing out make them leave you nasty feedback?
5. Handling the competition – What do you do if you’re asked for your opinion on a
competitor? Is it ever OK to badmouth another freelancer?
6. Outsourcing conundrums – A client asks you to work on a big project; in fact, it’s
too big for you to handle. You know you can outsource some of the work and get the
job done easily enough. Should you tell the client about the act of outsourcing or
claim all the work as your own? When should you tell the client—before the work is
done or afterwards?
Author/Copyright holder: Luc Galoppin. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY 2.0
Outsourcing part of your business or project can leave you in real trouble if you don’t
approach it very carefully indeed.
Every freelancer and entrepreneur has different opinions on these (and almost every other)
ethical dilemmas. How would we handle them?
1. Conflict of interest – Speak to the existing client, without compromising the identity of
the potential client, and ask if they’re OK with us taking on the business. If not, we won’t.
If so, however, we would agree a small rate rise based on exclusivity at that time.
2. Dodgy clients – We wouldn’t represent pro-smoking companies (and we smoke) or a
host of other industries that we don’t consider to be ethical (including gun vendors). This
is a very personal call, and what’s right for us may quite possibly not be right for you—
and vice versa.
3. Setting out to fail – We would talk to the client and explain why we think they’re going
wrong. Then, if they insist that their way is right, we would put our objections in writing
and do the job, anyway. Ethically, we feel it’s important to let the client know what we
think, but in the long run, it’s their money, and they can spend it how they like... even if it
all sinks.
4. When the client sucks – We think it depends on the level of harm a client does to you. If
it’s a small dispute, let it go. If—on The other hand—it’s for $50,000… we think we’d
pursue it publicly. If they’re going to hurt our business that badly, they’d probably be
willing to hurt yours like that, too. The ethical responsibility at that point is to other
freelancers, so we would try to stop such a dangerous menace from wrecking more decent
businesses and soiling the freelance realm.
5. Handling the competition – Never badmouth the competition; it’s unprofessional. Sell
your strengths and value; don’t waste time attacking competitors. Even if a client
volunteers bad reviews of a competitor, try to steer the conversation back to your value-
adding skills and the work under consideration, without joining in the attack. You’ll look
and feel better.
6. Outsourcing conundrums – We’d tell the client that we would need to outsource the
moment that became clear. We’d share the details of the outsourcer, too. We wouldn’t be
comfortable passing other people’s work off as our own.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 16
won’t listen to reason? You can see that the road ahead suddenly ends at a cliff edge.
You can already imagine someone moaning, “Oh, why didn’t you say something?!”
4. When the client sucks – If you don’t get paid, how will you respond? You can
always leave the client a bad review, but is airing your dirty laundry in public a good
idea? How will it impact on your own business? Might you appear petty? Worse,
might lashing out make them leave you nasty feedback?
5. Handling the competition – What do you do if you’re asked for your opinion on a
competitor? Is it ever OK to badmouth another freelancer?
6. Outsourcing conundrums – A client asks you to work on a big project; in fact, it’s
too big for you to handle. You know you can outsource some of the work and get the
job done easily enough. Should you tell the client about the act of outsourcing or
claim all the work as your own? When should you tell the client—before the work is
done or afterwards?
Author/Copyright holder: Luc Galoppin. Copyright terms and licence: CC BY 2.0
Outsourcing part of your business or project can leave you in real trouble if you don’t
approach it very carefully indeed.
Every freelancer and entrepreneur has different opinions on these (and almost every other)
ethical dilemmas. How would we handle them?
1. Conflict of interest – Speak to the existing client, without compromising the identity of
the potential client, and ask if they’re OK with us taking on the business. If not, we won’t.
If so, however, we would agree a small rate rise based on exclusivity at that time.
2. Dodgy clients – We wouldn’t represent pro-smoking companies (and we smoke) or a
host of other industries that we don’t consider to be ethical (including gun vendors). This
is a very personal call, and what’s right for us may quite possibly not be right for you—
and vice versa.
3. Setting out to fail – We would talk to the client and explain why we think they’re going
wrong. Then, if they insist that their way is right, we would put our objections in writing
and do the job, anyway. Ethically, we feel it’s important to let the client know what we
think, but in the long run, it’s their money, and they can spend it how they like... even if it
all sinks.
4. When the client sucks – We think it depends on the level of harm a client does to you. If
it’s a small dispute, let it go. If—on The other hand—it’s for $50,000… we think we’d
pursue it publicly. If they’re going to hurt our business that badly, they’d probably be
willing to hurt yours like that, too. The ethical responsibility at that point is to other
freelancers, so we would try to stop such a dangerous menace from wrecking more decent
businesses and soiling the freelance realm.
5. Handling the competition – Never badmouth the competition; it’s unprofessional. Sell
your strengths and value; don’t waste time attacking competitors. Even if a client
volunteers bad reviews of a competitor, try to steer the conversation back to your value-
adding skills and the work under consideration, without joining in the attack. You’ll look
and feel better.
6. Outsourcing conundrums – We’d tell the client that we would need to outsource the
moment that became clear. We’d share the details of the outsourcer, too. We wouldn’t be
comfortable passing other people’s work off as our own.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 17
UNIT-IV
Scope for freelancing in print and electronic media, freelancing for social media, tools and
resources for freelance writers, freelancing as a profession in India and elsewhere. Career in
feature writing.
SCOPE OF FREELANCING: While it may take a lot of time and hard work to get
started, becoming a successful freelancer is achievable and comes with many benefits that
continue to attract increasing numbers of people to this lifestyle.
1. More freedom
One of the advantages of being a freelancer is that you have much more freedom than
when you work for someone else. You’re essentially running your own business, and
it’s up to you which new clients you take on, what your hourly rate is, and what hours
you work.
For example, if a potential client comes to you with a job that seems complex
and doesn’t pay well, you can turn them down. You are under no obligation to take on
any projects you don’t want.
2. Flexible hours
The ability to set your own hours can be particularly attractive. If you have kids, you
might choose to do your work while they’re in school and after they’ve gone to bed. If
you want to take off Wednesday because the weather is nice and work on a Saturday
instead, it’s entirely up to you. In general, as long as the work for your clients is
completed by the agreed-on deadlines, you have complete control over when and how
you do it.
3. Self-management
Again, as a freelancer, you’re your own boss. You choose your workload, your
schedule, your dress code, and every other aspect of how you run things.
That said freelancing isn’t a vacation. It’s up to you to make sure you keep your clients
happy, keep track of budgeting, seek new clients, and negotiate rates. You may find that
keeping on top of everything means you work double some weeks and very little others.
However, it’s all under your ultimate authority.
4. Location flexibility
Because you aren’t beholden to a single company or boss, you may be able to choose to
live anywhere as a freelancer and even travel while working. While some freelance jobs
may require you to be near your clients, it’s possible to find clients wherever you go.
A lot of freelance work is done digitally, which means you can be fully remote—
with clients worldwide—and live and travel wherever you please while completing it.
5. Compensation and earnings control
As a freelancer, there’s no need to ask your boss for a raise. You set your rates. You
also choose how much work you take on. To a certain degree, though, rates and amount
of work are subject to market forces. You can’t ask for astronomical compensation
without reducing your list of prospective clients.
However, many freelancers find that they can raise their rates over time as they do more
work and gain a strong reputation.
6. Improved skill set
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 17
UNIT-IV
Scope for freelancing in print and electronic media, freelancing for social media, tools and
resources for freelance writers, freelancing as a profession in India and elsewhere. Career in
feature writing.
SCOPE OF FREELANCING: While it may take a lot of time and hard work to get
started, becoming a successful freelancer is achievable and comes with many benefits that
continue to attract increasing numbers of people to this lifestyle.
1. More freedom
One of the advantages of being a freelancer is that you have much more freedom than
when you work for someone else. You’re essentially running your own business, and
it’s up to you which new clients you take on, what your hourly rate is, and what hours
you work.
For example, if a potential client comes to you with a job that seems complex
and doesn’t pay well, you can turn them down. You are under no obligation to take on
any projects you don’t want.
2. Flexible hours
The ability to set your own hours can be particularly attractive. If you have kids, you
might choose to do your work while they’re in school and after they’ve gone to bed. If
you want to take off Wednesday because the weather is nice and work on a Saturday
instead, it’s entirely up to you. In general, as long as the work for your clients is
completed by the agreed-on deadlines, you have complete control over when and how
you do it.
3. Self-management
Again, as a freelancer, you’re your own boss. You choose your workload, your
schedule, your dress code, and every other aspect of how you run things.
That said freelancing isn’t a vacation. It’s up to you to make sure you keep your clients
happy, keep track of budgeting, seek new clients, and negotiate rates. You may find that
keeping on top of everything means you work double some weeks and very little others.
However, it’s all under your ultimate authority.
4. Location flexibility
Because you aren’t beholden to a single company or boss, you may be able to choose to
live anywhere as a freelancer and even travel while working. While some freelance jobs
may require you to be near your clients, it’s possible to find clients wherever you go.
A lot of freelance work is done digitally, which means you can be fully remote—
with clients worldwide—and live and travel wherever you please while completing it.
5. Compensation and earnings control
As a freelancer, there’s no need to ask your boss for a raise. You set your rates. You
also choose how much work you take on. To a certain degree, though, rates and amount
of work are subject to market forces. You can’t ask for astronomical compensation
without reducing your list of prospective clients.
However, many freelancers find that they can raise their rates over time as they do more
work and gain a strong reputation.
6. Improved skill set
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 18
Freelancing means you take on various projects from multiple clients. Each project
brings something new to the table and provides an opportunity to expand your skill set.
You’ll likely find yourself learning new things as you go.
You may feel more stagnant in a traditional full-time job that may not always
involve continual learning and development. Freelancing provides many more
opportunities for growth as you tackle a wider variety of project types.
You may also wish to enhance your skill set on your own. As a freelancer, you
can choose how and when you do this instead of waiting for annual corporate training.
Many online courses and opportunities are out there, and you have the freedom to make
time for these as you see fit.
7. Ability to test a startup or small business concept
Freelancing allows workers to build their client base and successfully grow their own
businesses. As a freelancer, you can experiment and try different services and offerings
to see which ones make you more money and bring in more clients than others.
Once you’ve gotten your feet wet freelancing and learning the landscape, you may turn
to a freelance agency to expand your client base further.
FREELANCE WRITING JOBS IN INDIA: THE BENEFITS OF BEING A
FREELANCER
• Most individuals feel stressed when they get their paychecks. This is because they need to
earn more to make the ends meet and allow themselves to spend some cash on something
important. Have you thought about your financial perspectives seriously? What would you
do to earn more that you get monthly? What options can you benefit from?
• First, you may consider having two jobs, which is challenging because you will spend
more hours driving around, meeting clients, and completing the tasks given. Second, it is
reasonable to find a part-time position to get some more flexibility. Third, there is an
opportunity to work online so that you save time and effort working from home or your
office. Our organization proudly meets all the aforementioned demands.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 18
Freelancing means you take on various projects from multiple clients. Each project
brings something new to the table and provides an opportunity to expand your skill set.
You’ll likely find yourself learning new things as you go.
You may feel more stagnant in a traditional full-time job that may not always
involve continual learning and development. Freelancing provides many more
opportunities for growth as you tackle a wider variety of project types.
You may also wish to enhance your skill set on your own. As a freelancer, you
can choose how and when you do this instead of waiting for annual corporate training.
Many online courses and opportunities are out there, and you have the freedom to make
time for these as you see fit.
7. Ability to test a startup or small business concept
Freelancing allows workers to build their client base and successfully grow their own
businesses. As a freelancer, you can experiment and try different services and offerings
to see which ones make you more money and bring in more clients than others.
Once you’ve gotten your feet wet freelancing and learning the landscape, you may turn
to a freelance agency to expand your client base further.
FREELANCE WRITING JOBS IN INDIA: THE BENEFITS OF BEING A
FREELANCER
• Most individuals feel stressed when they get their paychecks. This is because they need to
earn more to make the ends meet and allow themselves to spend some cash on something
important. Have you thought about your financial perspectives seriously? What would you
do to earn more that you get monthly? What options can you benefit from?
• First, you may consider having two jobs, which is challenging because you will spend
more hours driving around, meeting clients, and completing the tasks given. Second, it is
reasonable to find a part-time position to get some more flexibility. Third, there is an
opportunity to work online so that you save time and effort working from home or your
office. Our organization proudly meets all the aforementioned demands.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 19
TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR FREELANCE WRITERS
1. Organization tools
As a freelance writer, your success depends on your ability to keep yourself working.
You are your own manager. Therefore, it’s up to you to keep all of your projects
organized and stay productive.
A good way to make sure that you’re meeting your goals is to use tools to help you out.
Tools like Trello can help you keep track of your schedule, projects, and productivity.
You can even add your client as a collaborator on a project so that they can stay up to
date with everything going on with it. You may even work with other team members on
work management platforms like Asana if the client adds you to any virtual
workspaces.
Freelance writing can also involve a lot of research. Writing
apps like Evernote can help you take quality notes and keep them organized for easy
future access. You never know when past research can come in handy.
2. Writing advice sites and online communities
Being successful as a freelance writer isn’t always about your writing. It’s important to
know your fellow writers and how the business works. There are plenty of blogs,
websites, and communities that can help you find the right clients, pitch articles, or
secure content marketing work.
Websites like ProBlogger, The Write Life, and Elna Cain can provide insight
into creating, publishing, and selling quality content. Online freelance writing
communities like Freelance Writers Den can offer support, or you can look for groups
on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. You can even try posting on message
boards on sites like Reddit.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 19
TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR FREELANCE WRITERS
1. Organization tools
As a freelance writer, your success depends on your ability to keep yourself working.
You are your own manager. Therefore, it’s up to you to keep all of your projects
organized and stay productive.
A good way to make sure that you’re meeting your goals is to use tools to help you out.
Tools like Trello can help you keep track of your schedule, projects, and productivity.
You can even add your client as a collaborator on a project so that they can stay up to
date with everything going on with it. You may even work with other team members on
work management platforms like Asana if the client adds you to any virtual
workspaces.
Freelance writing can also involve a lot of research. Writing
apps like Evernote can help you take quality notes and keep them organized for easy
future access. You never know when past research can come in handy.
2. Writing advice sites and online communities
Being successful as a freelance writer isn’t always about your writing. It’s important to
know your fellow writers and how the business works. There are plenty of blogs,
websites, and communities that can help you find the right clients, pitch articles, or
secure content marketing work.
Websites like ProBlogger, The Write Life, and Elna Cain can provide insight
into creating, publishing, and selling quality content. Online freelance writing
communities like Freelance Writers Den can offer support, or you can look for groups
on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. You can even try posting on message
boards on sites like Reddit.
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 20
As you get more established, try contributing to some of these freelance blogs.
Sharing your expertise could help build your credibility and get you noticed by potential
clients.
Some job sites that list freelance work opportunities include:
• Craigslist
• FlexJobs
• Mediabistro
Searching for freelance writing gigs on job boards can be tedious, though. Upwork
makes your job search easy. We’ll show you high-paying freelance opportunities for
highly skilled workers.
3. Editing tools
Nothing causes a business to view you as an amateur quicker than grammar mistakes. If
you’re going to make a living writing, your grammar must be exceptional, if not perfect.
However, time is money, and carefully proofreading and scrutinizing every article for
spelling and punctuation can take ages.
Software like Grammarly and ProWritingAid can do it for you. Tools like these
will identify errors in your work and suggest solutions, saving you a lot of time. Some,
like Grammarly, will even offer ways to make your writing easier to read.
4. CMS platforms and social media marketing tools
As a freelancer, your portfolio is even more important than your resume. Clients want to
see writing samples that prove you can handle their work. The best place to display your
portfolio is on an attractive website. But as an independent writer, you may not have the
budget to hire a website developer or the coding skills to create your own.
A content management system (CMS) platform—like Square space, WordPress,
or Wix—allows you to make a professional website without programming skills. CMS
platforms offer several designs and templates that make it easy to make your portfolio
appealing to potential clients.
After you’ve created your website, you’ll have to market it to bring in visitors.
You can purchase paid ads on sites like Facebook, Google, and Instagram, or you can
use sites like Social Jukebox or Hootsuite to manage your social media posts to target
your audience.
5. Online training courses
When it comes to freelance writing, the more skills you have, the better. Strong writing
isn’t the only thing clients look for. Skills like SEO and Photoshop can improve your
chances of landing work. There are also various types of writing, like
blogging, copywriting, and technical writing. A good freelancer should always be
learning.
There are plenty of inexpensive or even free ways to learn new skills online.
YouTube has a great collection of videos that can teach you just about anything. You
can also take courses and tutorials on websites like Coursera, Udemy, or Skillshare on a
wide array of subjects.
6. Accounting tools
You’re a writer, not an accountant, and the process of accounting probably doesn’t
interest you. Unfortunately, bookkeeping is a vital part of making sure you get paid.
You’ll need to create documents like bids, invoices, and receipts for your clients. You’ll
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 20
As you get more established, try contributing to some of these freelance blogs.
Sharing your expertise could help build your credibility and get you noticed by potential
clients.
Some job sites that list freelance work opportunities include:
• Craigslist
• FlexJobs
• Mediabistro
Searching for freelance writing gigs on job boards can be tedious, though. Upwork
makes your job search easy. We’ll show you high-paying freelance opportunities for
highly skilled workers.
3. Editing tools
Nothing causes a business to view you as an amateur quicker than grammar mistakes. If
you’re going to make a living writing, your grammar must be exceptional, if not perfect.
However, time is money, and carefully proofreading and scrutinizing every article for
spelling and punctuation can take ages.
Software like Grammarly and ProWritingAid can do it for you. Tools like these
will identify errors in your work and suggest solutions, saving you a lot of time. Some,
like Grammarly, will even offer ways to make your writing easier to read.
4. CMS platforms and social media marketing tools
As a freelancer, your portfolio is even more important than your resume. Clients want to
see writing samples that prove you can handle their work. The best place to display your
portfolio is on an attractive website. But as an independent writer, you may not have the
budget to hire a website developer or the coding skills to create your own.
A content management system (CMS) platform—like Square space, WordPress,
or Wix—allows you to make a professional website without programming skills. CMS
platforms offer several designs and templates that make it easy to make your portfolio
appealing to potential clients.
After you’ve created your website, you’ll have to market it to bring in visitors.
You can purchase paid ads on sites like Facebook, Google, and Instagram, or you can
use sites like Social Jukebox or Hootsuite to manage your social media posts to target
your audience.
5. Online training courses
When it comes to freelance writing, the more skills you have, the better. Strong writing
isn’t the only thing clients look for. Skills like SEO and Photoshop can improve your
chances of landing work. There are also various types of writing, like
blogging, copywriting, and technical writing. A good freelancer should always be
learning.
There are plenty of inexpensive or even free ways to learn new skills online.
YouTube has a great collection of videos that can teach you just about anything. You
can also take courses and tutorials on websites like Coursera, Udemy, or Skillshare on a
wide array of subjects.
6. Accounting tools
You’re a writer, not an accountant, and the process of accounting probably doesn’t
interest you. Unfortunately, bookkeeping is a vital part of making sure you get paid.
You’ll need to create documents like bids, invoices, and receipts for your clients. You’ll
OPEN ELECTIVE Feature Writing and Freelancing
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 21
also need to keep track of which clients have paid and how much you should be putting
aside for taxes.
Software options like FreshBooks and QuickBooks can help you keep up with all
of your accounting. Template websites also let you easily create and manage your
accounting documents. However, an easier option is to use Upwork, which records all
payments and creates invoices, guaranteeing you get paid for your work.
Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication, Loyola Degree College, Bangalore 21
also need to keep track of which clients have paid and how much you should be putting
aside for taxes.
Software options like FreshBooks and QuickBooks can help you keep up with all
of your accounting. Template websites also let you easily create and manage your
accounting documents. However, an easier option is to use Upwork, which records all
payments and creates invoices, guaranteeing you get paid for your work.
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