News articles vs. Feature Articles: Why You Need to Know the Difference

Plenty of writers confuse them. Don’t let that be you.

Image courtesy of Word Wise at Nonprofit Copywriter

A news article and a feature article are two different kinds of content. But plenty of writers confuse them. And that’s a no-no.

Both news articles and feature articles are standard fare in magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and yes, blogs. But you don’t want to deliver a full-fledged feature when your client, an editor, or a publication asks for a news story. And vice versa.

So here’s the gist:

• A news story reports the facts about an event.
• A feature story explains the significance of an event. It offers analysis.

And here’s a bit more.

Timing

• A news article is time-sensitive and of immediate interest. Think election results, an accident, a robbery report, a product launch, a court verdict, a medical report release, a set of basketball game scores.
• A feature article can be published at any point. Its content is often evergreen or at least lasting.

Content

• A news story gives you the quick-and-dirty about the topic. It reports the facts: who, what, where, when, why, and…