[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] .�McKinney�(1986)�said�a�human�interest�narrative�article�lead�should�"lure�the�reader�(and�this�includes�the�editor,�who�will�decide�whether�the�reader�gets�a�chance�at�it�or�not)�into�your�story�and�to�capture�that�person's�interest�so�that�he�cannot�put�it�down�until�he�learns�how�it�comes�out"�(p.�27).Narrative�organization,�then,�just�tells�what�happened�by�running�from�beginning�to�end.�In�this�case,�narrative�is�different�from�the�suspended�interest�because�the�best�material�is�saved�for�the�end,�and�different�from�chronological�because�it�does�not�lead�with�the�first�event�or�end�with�the�last�event.�You�have�the�most�flexibility�with�narrative�writing�by�not�forcing�what�becomes�the�beginning,�middle,�or�end�through�a�chosen�structure.�You�can�merge�elements�of�the�story�using�narrative�organization,�pulling�from�two�divergent�tracks,�or�themes,�if�needed.Blais�likes�to�use�metaphors�to�structure�her�articles�whenever�possible.�Blais�(1984)�said:�"The�structure�should�rise�from�the�material.�The�way�to�make�it�happen�is�to�make�yourself�an�authority,�to�know�so�much�about�your�subject�that�you�know�almost�as�much�about�your�subject�as�your�subject�knows�about�himself"�(n.p.).Page�173Giving�a�Feature�its�Personal�TouchesMaryln�Schwartz,�Dallas�Morning�News�feature�writer�and�columnist,�has�won�numerous�awards�over�the�past�30�years�for�her�work.�She�advocates�giving�a�personal�touch�to�her�stories:Sometimes�writers�find�it�hard�to�distinguish�between�a�feature�and�a�news�story.�This�is�the�best�way�I�can�explain�it:�We�all�know�the�biblical�story�of�Noah�and�the�Ark.�Just�before�it�rained�for�40�days�and�40�nights,�Noah�built�an�ark.�He�took�his�family�and�two�of�every�kind�of�animal�that�was�then�living�on�earth.�Every�living�creature�on�the�ark�was�saved�from�the�flood.�That�is�a�news�story.If�I�was�writing�about�that�event,�I'd�want�to�talk�to�Mrs.�Noah,�who�was�probably�having�to�clean�up�after�all�those�animals�for�40�days�and�40�nights.�That's�a�feature�story.When�I'm�writing�my�newspaper�column,�I�look�for�the�small�details�that�give�the�readers�a�clear�view�of�the�big�picture.�For�instance,�when�Prince�Charles�visited�New�Mexico,�I�wanted�to�give�an�example�of�what�it�means�to�be�royalty.�I�didn't�want�to�just�write�that�people�were�bowing,�because�we�already�know�that�people�bow�to�royalty.�So�I�just�watched�for�a�little�while.�Then�I�noticed�that�Prince�Charles�was�the�only�person�at�the�party�who�wasn't�wearing�a�nametag.�And�this�wasn't�a�"B"�Party.�Cary�Grant�was�there�and�he�wore�a�nametag.This�is�the�kind�of�touch�that�separates�real�royalty�from�mere�legend.�I�did�the�same�thing�recently�when�I�was�watching�the�Miss�America�contestants�give�their�predictable�pre�pageant�TV�interviews.�They�were�all�insisting�they�weren't�beauty�queens,�they�had�a�message�to�give�the�world.�They�didn't�want�to�discuss�sex�appeal.�They�wanted�to�talk�about�nuclear�disarmament.�Then�I�would�flip�channels�to�interviews�of�the�presidential�candidates.�The�political�analysts�kept�trying�to�talk�about�Michael�Dukakis'�charisma�or�George�Bush's�sex�appeal.�I�knew�I�had�my�column�when�I�began�to�realize�that�politics�and�beauty�pageants�have�somehow�become�confused�with�each�other:�"Would�someone�please�tell�me�what's�going�on?�Why�is�it�that�Miss�Montana�can't�wait�to�discuss�Manuel�Noriega�and�George�Bush�only�seems�to�want�to�discuss�his�grandchildren?"Page�174To�write�a�good�feature�story�requires�as�much�observing�as�it�does�writing.�You�can�have�a�beautifully�crafted�story,�but�no�one�will�really�care�unless�you�have�something�to�say.�Information�is�the�most�important�aspect.�There�will�always�be�an�editor�who�can�help�you�turn�a�better�phrase.�But�all�the�editing�in�the�world�isn't�going�to�help�if�your�information�isn't�interesting.You�don't�have�to�have�been�at�a�major�news�event�to�find�a�good�feature�story.�And�you�just�have�to�train�yourself�to�see�details�that�other�people�overlook.�Actress�Farrah�Fawcett�was�the�most�interviewed�actress�in�the�country�when�she�was�starring�in�the�'Charlie's�Angels'�TV�show.�My�editor�asked�me�to�do�a�story�and�to�be�sure�to�mention�that�the�actress�had�been�named�one�of�the�'10�Most�Beautiful'�on�campus�when�she�attended�the�University�of�Texas.�The�story�had�been�done�again�and�again.�I�didn't�think�anyone�would�even�want�to�read�it.�Instead,�I�decided�to�find�out�what�had�happened�to�the�other�nine�most�beautiful.�The�story�went�on�the�wire�and�was�used�in�about�40�newspapers.�I�got�my�information�by�phone.�It�took�only�two�days.�(Schwartz,�1988,�personal�communication)Page�1757 �Profiles�and�Personality�SketchesSome�profile�writers�will�tell�you�that�profiles�are�short,�vivid�biographies.�Profiles�such�as�these�are�similar�to�the�efforts�of�portrait�painters�or�sculptors.�An�artist�paints�a�life�like�portrait�of�a�person�with�oils�or�watercolors.�A�sculptor�might�use�clay�or�marble�to�create�a�bust.�As�a�writer,�you�can�also�create�a�portrait�of�a�person�using�your�command�of�some�very�different�communication�tools words�and�language.�Still,�personality�sketches�and�profiles�are�a�bit�different�from�biographies�and�different�from�other�portrait�art�forms.�Obviously,�a�profile�for�a�newspaper,�magazine,�or�newsletter�will�not�be�as�long�as�a�book�sized�biography.�Some�newspaper,�magazine,�and�newsletter�profiles�do�run�thousands�of�words�and�some�are�even�occasionally�published�in�installments.�And�some�are�excerpts�from�book�length�studies�of�an�individual biographies.�Most,�however,�are�much�shorter in�the�750�words�to�1,500�words�range and�more�concentrated�and�focused.Magazine�writer�Tom�Callahan�(1995)�said�article�profiles�are�a�hard�craft�to�master,�but�they�can�be�highly�rewarding�for�writers�and�their�readers.�''Profile�writing�is�fun,"�Callahan�said.�"Where�else�can�an�ordinary�person�like�yourself�end�up�interviewing�French�actresses,�powerful�politicians�and�other�exciting,�beautiful�people?�Such�assignments�give�you�a�backstage�pass,�a�ticket�to�go�places�few�of�us�would�otherwise�see�and�to�glimpse�lifestyles�others�only�envy"�(p.�40).Williamson�(1975)�called�profiles�in�depth�stories�about�an�individual�designed�to�capture�"the�essence�of�his�personality"�(p.�151).�Profiles�have�been�a�part�of�the�nonfiction�writer's�portfolio�for�generations
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