What is Feature Writing?
Excerpts from a lecture by Dr. Lourdes D. Servito
What is this thing called FEATURE?
Why is it known as the jewel of the newspaper?
What happens to a newspaper without the features?
FEATURE spells:
F – factual not fictitious
E – Entertaining
A – appealing to the emotions
T – timely or not timely
U – unusual
R – reader-oriented
E – explanation, extrapolation – extending or projecting known info
The jewel or gem (precious stone) of the newspaper - something treasured for “time and eternity”
Where can we find these “jewels”?
1. newspapers’ entertainment sections
2. magazine stories – Reader’s Digest, Time Magazine
3. agency publications – Mabuhay (PAL)
What do features do? (Functions of Features)
Profile people who make news
Analyze what’s happening in the world, nation, or community
Suggest better ways to live
Teach an audience how to do something
Examine trends
Explain events that move or shape the news
Entertain
What are the “makes” of these “jewels”? (Kinds of features)
1. newsfeature – based on a news event
2. travelogue – travels, places
3. profile or personality sketch – leaders, achievers, celebrities, or the man on the street
4. how to’s or how-to-do-it features – practical guidance articles
5. informative features – ex. All about roses; All about fart
6. human interest features – dramatic, touchy
7. string of pearls – opinion poll, collection of featurettes on similar topics
8. oddities – bizarre, unusual, odd, extraordinary
9. personal experience feature
10. Trend stories – people, things, or organizations having an impact on society. Ex. Latest fads
11. In-depth stories – based on extensive research & interviews
12. Backgrounders – add meaning to current issues by explaining them further
HOW TO WRITE THE FEATURE
Structure or parts:
1. Title – “come-on” head
2. Lead (feature lead) – 1st sentence or paragraph of the story
3. Body – development of the story
4. Conclusion or ending
Kinds of Feature Leads
1. short sentence lead
2. striking statement
3. one word or two words or staccato lead – series of one-word or two-word sentences
4. parody lead – taken from lines of a song, poem, movies or literary pieces
5. quotation lead – direct or indirect
6. question lead
7. descriptive lead
8. contrast lead
Feature Devices:
1. Figures of Speech – simile, metaphor, hyperbole, etc.
2. Adjectives & Adverbs
3. Descriptive words and phrases – “hyphenated” words – ex: a you-will-look-again beauty
4. Beautiful language and style – interest arousing
ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS
Following the laws of Progressive Reader Involvement:
1. Tease me.
2. Tell me what you are up to.
3. Prove it.
4. Help me remember it.
Sources of Feature Article Ideas (Seeds of Writing)
1. Topic File – collection of topics
2. File of Ideas – compilation, album
3. Interviews
4. Observation – have the nose for news and nose for features
5. Personal Experience
6. Printed Materials – books, newspapers, magazines (Reading good models… reading a lot!)
7. Rich media or multi-media
Suggested Activities for Feature Writing
1. Visit a botanical garden. Write a feature story about the trip, or about the garden or some interesting plants.
2. Invite a resource person in the class. Interview the resource person and ask for a CV or some basic info & interesting aspects of his life. Write a profile.
3. Think of an unusual person, place or thing or idea encountered – something that is bizarre or extraordinary. Write an oddity.
4. Think about an interesting hobby or collection then feature its beauty, significance or value.
5. Recall an unforgettable trip, travel or experience. Feature it in such a way as to entertain your readers.
6. Conduct extensive research and interviews to write an in-depth story about a significant issue or concern. Ex. Global warning & Climate Change, Its Impact to Modern Society.
7. Compile ideas on a happy or funny topic then write a feature that is entertaining and make laughter the best medicine. Ex. Flatulence, what babies do, kinds of nose.
8. Compile, clip & paste samples of feature stories that struck you. Write your own version or parallel stories.
9. Read magazine stories, novels, feature books. Enrich your vocabulary by reading & compiling interesting words & phrases. Write down your feature story using some of your compiled/ new vocabulary.
10. Participate in a simple seminar like baking or making ice cream or malunggay delight then write a how-to-story or practical guidance feature.
Categories: Feature Writing Tags: communication skills, English, English speaking, feature, feature writing, interesting, Journalism, Journalist, knowledge, learning, skills, writing skills
Tips in Feature Writing
Here are some simple tips in enhancing your feature writing.
1. Use alliterations.
Example:
“We happily hopped out the truck…”
“[The rain] waltzed with the wind!”
“Nothing super specific. Nothing deadly demanding. Nothing surprisingly strange.”
“The only things duplicated close to reality were our smiles exuding excitement.”
“…it could mean a warm welcome, a bubbly birthday greeting, a great gratitude, a crowning congratulations, a friendly farewell…”
2. Use rhymes.
The tone of your piece is vital. Sprinkling some rhymes will make the feature more readable. But be aware not to overdo it, or your write-up will end up as a poem.
Example:
“So, you better be there in the flesh and feel the blood come up your head!”
3. Make good use of the Figures of Speech — simile, metaphor, personification, and hyperbole.
The Figures of Speech is an effective tool in enhancing you feature writing. Make use of them frequently.
Example:
Simile:
“My abdomen began to itch like ants infesting it.”
“[The showers were ] like pure, wet silk gently wiping my forehead down to my chin.”
“…smoothly swinging like a fine golden lace.”
Metaphor:
“Emotionally, I was…caught in a cyclone!”
Personification:
“…colorful and transparent stripes rested upon the green leaves of a petite coconut tree; almost kissing the ground.”
“…allowed the [rain] showers tickle my tired face.”
“I am amazed by the electronic box that swallowed up my one-dollar fare…”
Hyperbole:
[The waves ] really were overwhelming, they could swallow a mountain.
“[The leis] almost drowned my face.”
4. Avoid redundancy or unnecessary repetition. Use pronouns, synonyms of words, or alternative description/terms.
Example:
(to avoid too much usage of “rainbows”)
“They say that at the end of a rainbow rests a pot of gold. It was only in Hawaii where I have seen the literal end of those mysterious bows of colors. It was morning when I was strolling down the campus of BYUH when colorful and transparent stripes...Surprisingly, those perfect bows across the Hawaiian sky at times come with another, equally exquisite!”
(to avoid too much usage of “Aloha”)
“These are the things “Aloha” is famous for; but I learned that this sweet five-letter word means more than a greeting; even more than an expression of love — the “Ha” in it means “the breath of life.” “Aloha” is more than a mere word or a simple greeting. It is love; it is life, it is also the spirit of a supreme being.”
* “it” used with grace
(to avoid too much usage of “scratch” and its forms)
My abdomen began to itch like ants infesting it; and scratching was a no-no. At times I just can’t fight the strong urge to run my nails up and down my belly.
(to avoid too much usage of “cry” and its forms)
“…I suddenly woke up howling in pain…My screams and cries got him carried away, he didn’t know what to do. Without any tinge of exaggeration, the bawling didn’t stop…”
5. Use repetition with purpose and with grace.
Example:
“No morning sickness. No dizziness. No nausea.”
“It is love; it is life, it is also the spirit of a supreme being.”
6. Play with hyphenated adjectives. Possibilities are almost unlimited; you could even make up your own.
Example:
“…zit-free skin people noticed it.
“Dancing the enchanting hula, on the other hand is a very relaxing and love-filled experience.”
“…caught helpless in a car-clogged road.”
“That clearly explains the y-shaped gesture.”
“…this sweet five-letter word means more than a greeting.”
“…a self-controlled giggle with a kid-like rubbing of feet on the bed.”
“The robotic, close-to-human voice of the bus still runs through my head.”
“…we were on a swim-at-your-own-risk beach.”
7. Use a variation of sentences– from a one-word sentence to simple, compound, complex, and compound complex sentences.
Example:
“No morning sickness. No dizziness. No nausea. My practitioner said, “Good for you.” Indeed; it was a blessing. No early and unwanted signs of the first trimester. I wanted and needed to work. Otherwise I’ll be as bedridden, immobilized, and could possibly be hospitalized as how my Mother was when she was conceiving me.”
“My bulge began to show; people stared at it and I wasn’t used to it, I wore a jacket. Awkward.”
“Later I realized the irony: the person who bought me my first craving for my first baby was my student, instead of my husband! Funny. My emotions, as well, got the most of me. It was a bit unusually intolerable.”
8. Use ironic descriptions.
Example:
“It was a site both beautiful and dreadful.”
“…stretching our hands out pointing at the furious yet flaunting sea.”
9. “Show” your readers rather than “tell.”
(even in narrative features, let them see and actually imagine what you have written)
Example:
“Gray, coarse sand; non-exhilarating waves; and murky shore; that’ how beaches looked like to me until I had my first plunge into the Hawaiian waters — white, fine sand; thrill-filled waves; and clear, blue waters.”
“The first sight of the azure sky, crystal-clear waters, boosted by the calm kiss of fresh air and the soothing touch of the non-scorching sun, made us charge the tempting sea!”
“…we inevitably panicked holding our heads as high as we could; with lips firmly closed to avoid swallowing saltwater.
10. Use words that are not too elementary nor highfaluting words.
Example:
happy = joyful, blissful
sad = gloomy, cheerless
beautiful = stunning, striking
funny = amusing, hilarious
If unfamiliar or too uncommon words are inevitable, make sure to inject context clues for your reader’s better comprehension.
If using elementary words can not be avoided, use it with purpose — to avoid redundancy, or merely stating/describing a simple idea.
11. Don’t overuse or “under use” a word.
Example:
“The kid was blissful because he saw his missing pencil.”
“Blissful” connotes a feeling deeper than “happiness.” The thought of the sentence doesn’t require a very strong feeling of gladness. Hence, “blissful” is inappropriate.
“The kid was cheerful because he saw his missing pencil,” is more appropriate.
Another Example:
“The clown was funny; I laughed my heart out.”
The sentence’s idea was more than a “funny clown.” “Funny” is not enough to express the full meaning of the line.
“The clown was hilarious; I laughed my heart out,” is better.
12. Be innovative and creative — you could actually make up your own words!
(make sure it has context clues and simply logical, comprehensible to your readers, not compromising good grammar).
“…*swelling with pain, a few touch or movement, even the pull of gravity ouched me.”
* context clue
My Pregnancy: 2nd Trimester
At 5 months
My clothes won’t fit me; maternity dresses were too big for me. I had nothing to wear; left me frustrated.
My bulge began to show; people stared at it and I wasn’t used to it, I wore a jacket. Awkward.
Back and joint pains were killing me; I can’t sleep on my back nor on my belly; not used to sleeping on my sides. I was deprived of good night Z’s.
My hands and feet were beginning to swell; my sister exclaimed I had huge thighs and feet bigger than my husband’s –to which I crisply disagreed!
July 2009
I had puffed cheeks which came from either eating or swelling. My hands weren’t spared; my wedding ring stuck in my finger.
With my husband Khristopher (puffed up cheeks at 5 1/2 months)
Occasional headaches doubled my anxiety.
I was constipated but ironically advised not to push hard.
I had hearty appetite; made me gain close to 20 pounds! I felt like consuming twice my regular meal. My weight gain though, delighted my friends saying it fits me better than walking all-bones.
Since voraciousness seemed to satisfyingly haunt me; heartburn and breathlessness frequented me.
At 5 1/2 months
My abdomen began to itch like ants infesting it; and scratching was a no-no. At times I just can’t fight the strong urge to run my nails up and down my belly.
My navel amusingly started to protrude. It’s funny how cleaning became easier.
But one of the worse parts of the second trimester came to me at midnight of July 21 when I suddenly woke up howling in pain. My husband, from his deep sleep frantically got up shocked and confused. I yelled “cramps!” tapping on my right foot which I couldn’t move. A slight one tripled the sting.
My screams and cries got him carried away, he didn’t know what to do. Without any tinge of exaggeration, the bawling didn’t stop for about 20 seconds I could hardly catch up my breath. Until after few more seconds, the pain naturally subsided; I had a huge exhale of relief it immediately put me back to sleep. It was my first leg cramps in my entire 26 years of existence!
In the morning while recalling what happened that night. He said he was trying to do some stretching with my feet like how he does on his basketball games. Unfortunately, he did it with my left foot instead. That night I didn’t notice at all that he was doing such with my left foot, because all my attention was drawn to my suffering right foot!
Notice my weight gain.
I know these cramps were of no match to the natural pains I would undergo on actual labor and delivery day. I just can’t barely imagine how painful it would be when a simple right leg cramp already kept me hysterical!
Above all, one of the best parts of the second trimester was the awaited fetal movements. It was amazing; it’s like tiny bubbles bursting inside me; like bouncing butterflies. My husband envied and at times pretended he felt the baby punch or kick. Then came July 16; the baby was actively playing and poking my intestines. I grabbed my husband’s hand, pressed it against my abdomen. After a few minutes of waiting and searching for the right spot he shouted an abrupt, airy, and long “ooohhhhhhhh….” He finally had his, I should say, first communication with our baby– a priceless feeling!
See my baby? (at 6 months)
The 6th month was also worth anticipating, as this is the usual time for undergoing ultrasound. One more week and we’ll learn if our baby’s a girl or a boy.
Proud of my tummy at 6 months
Another superb feeling on the 4th to the 6th months is the emotional acceptance of pregnancy. I finally felt one with my baby. I could already proudly parade my tummy’s shape with the least thought of people staring at it; awkward feelings faded. I was already soaked into the reality of a baby, our baby, growing in me. My feelings had finally intertwined with the truth of cradling, in three more months, an angel my husband was talking to and giving kisses every morning and every night — a heart melting site for me.
Can't wait for him/her to come out.
Categories: CHIT-chats Tags: discomforts of pregnancy, feature, knowledge, learning, pregnancy, pregnant
My Pregnancy: 1st Trimester
No morning sickness. No dizziness. No nausea. My practitioner said, “Good for you.”
Indeed; it was a blessing. No early and unwanted signs of the first trimester.
I wanted and needed to work. Otherwise I’ll be as bedridden, immobilized, and could possibly be hospitalized as how my Mother was when she was conceiving me.
Those were also some of the reasons why we didn’t find out at once about my pregnancy until one month after conceiving.
Recalling the first 30 days I got pregnant but unaware of it, I could point out signs; yet subtle ones. . I always got so heavy headed; I can’t help but sleep. I am a natural sleepy bear; but those yawns were simply irresistible. I also craved for my student’s Kelogg’s, strawberry-sprinkled, rice crispies snack; I ate four. How queer; I don’t usually ask for my students’ snacks. In another instance, the same student was merrily munching this circular Filipino delicacy showered with peanuts on top (I don’t know exactly what it’s called) when I asked him to buy me one from the puto (rice cake) stalls. Later I realized the irony: the person who bought me my first craving for my first baby was my student, instead of my husband! Funny.
My emotions, as well, got the most of me. It was a bit unusually intolerable.
After the memorable day of finding out about our baby, more symptoms and discomforts came mushrooming.
Cravings became stronger. Mine though were not like those odd and hilarious stories of some who’d ask their husbands for an order of KFC fried chicken in the middle of the night, and with much accuracy; or ask for a freshly-picked mango in a December afternoon, like how my Mommy compelled Daddy; not to mention, it should be his own hands who’ll pick the mangoes. She even desired for a roasted wild bird from the rice fields. The hunter should and must be no other than my Daddy. To relate the brief and amusing story: he went to the rice fields with an air gun, headed home with a lifeless wild bird, held upside down on its cold feet and immediately grilled it; the smoke kept my mother salivating; more so when she ate it. She even described it with many M’s — mmmmmmasarap (delicious). All the while she thought Daddy really did the sharp, skilled shooting; but the fact is: he bought the bird! My mom just learned about it years later.
I also didn’t demand for a refrigerator, a karaoke, a cushioned bed, or a house and lot, and if request is ungranted, I’d bleed, or even undergo miscarriage – the thing my husband was very anxious about. He even warned me with a shaking head about such behavior.
The least things I asked from him were sopas (chicken soup), chicharon, french fries and Jam Sweet Jam spaghetti. Nothing super specific. Nothing deadly demanding. Nothing surprisingly strange. These were not because of my husband’s warning nor did I prefer to; it all came naturally.
People frequently commented that my pregnancy is not maselan (crucial). But I still took unsolicited advice on taking extra care during the 1st three months since it’s the most critical stage. Almost all my moves were calculated; my husband gave me extra nursing; almost pampered me.
At one and a half months, no obvious tummy yet. (March 26, 2009)
The physical changes, too, are worth note taking.
My tummy was not yet that conspicuous, I could still camouflage it under baggy shirts and loose tops. But my slight weight gain was noticeable, being naturally skinny. A beige line ran down my abdomen. Suprisingly, my hair became darker and grew faster; my face got the luxury of clearer, zit-free skin people noticed it. They said I will be expecting a girl having this sort of pregnancy glow, which I didn’t really take seriously. Fatigue naturally didn’t spare me. Though I didn’t actually do any exasperating activities; my body was so exhausted, so withered. “What to expect when you’re expecting,” answered that unusual feeling: even though my outside body is not exerting much effort, my insides were busy and often got worn out building and producing my baby’s cradle within me — the placenta, amniotic fluid and what-not.
Emotionally, I was also in a whirlpool or caught in a cyclone!
During the second month, in spite of the confirmation from a disposable pregnancy test and from my doctor; I still had some skepticism. I was yet emotionally detached to the fact that I am a mom-to-be; that another heart beats inside of me.
I just didn’t cry, I howled over petty things; my husband would complain.
I was also so anxious I might make a wrong move and lose the baby. A slight jerk worried me. Bumps on the road made me lift my butt off the seat. The irony is: I ride on my husband’s two-wheeled vehicle, the thing which many people worry about especially my parents.
I was close to being paranoid.
At three months, I was so impatient, I want the baby already cradled in my arms; but fortunately reading pregnancy books really helped me overcome those emotional roller coaster.
This is my online journal entry on my baby’s first three months of life; and my experiences with him/her. 
Categories: CHIT-chats Tags: English speaking, feature writing, interesting, ironic, Journalism, Journalist, knowledge, learning, pregnancy
Sonnet to Dolour
Sonnet to Dolour
By: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito (December 1982)
You were then a coined word
By two souls bound with mutual drems,
Dreams conceived and nurtured between odds and events;
Carried through the years, for or against the world;
The bells rang, that day fully remembered
Candles lighted..music heard…banquet held…
That was nearly a year back…
And the bells rang again, one chilly December dawn —
A woman sighed hard …and innocent cry heard…
Even the night birds rejoiced! … for that
“dream-come-true”
A “domy” and a “Lourdes” have cherished, days in and out;
And your coming means..more beads of dreams
That time and foreverness will unfold,
For you’re the fruit and emblem of that love beyond compare!
Maria Dolour
This poem was written by our Mother when Dolour, our eldest was one year old.
Sonnet to Dolour
By: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito (December 1982)
You were then a coined word
By two souls bound with mutual drems,
Dreams conceived and nurtured between odds and events;
Carried through the years, for or against the world;
The bells rang, that day fully remembered
Candles lighted..music heard…banquet held…
That was nearly a year back…
And the bells rang again, one chilly December dawn —
A woman sighed hard …and innocent cry heard…
Even the night birds rejoiced! … for that
“dream-come-true”
A “domy” and a “Lourdes” have cherished, days in and out;
And your coming means..more beads of dreams
That time and foreverness will unfold,
For you’re the fruit and emblem of that love beyond compare!
Dolour and Thelmo
She wrote this other poem, 23 years later.
MY ELDEST DAUGHTER
By: Dr. Lourdes D.Servito (Oct. 16, 2005)
My eldest daughter, my first born,Maria Dolour,
You are a pride of the family; a blessing to everyone.
Every stepof your way pleased the Holy One,
Living the Gospel, a shining example you are;
Discipline, dedication and devotion to work,
Excellence in numerous aspects and endeavors,
Scholastic feats,academic honors and achievements;
Talents, skills, knowledge, God gave’em all to my
dear eldest daughter.
Daddy and Mommy are lucky enough to have you;
A sacred duty to nourish, nurture and care for you,
Until forever, we share the love we have for you.
Getting married for time and eternity: a dream-come-true.
Happiness and success for you and your beloved Thelmo;
Together forever, together fulfill your goals here and hereafter, too.
Eternal familywe build together;endlesslovewegive tobothofyou.
Remember the promise:we have nothing to lose, we have everything to gain…
I don’t have to lose my daughter, I have to gain a son.
Married for time and all eternity at the Laie, Hawaii Temple
Categories: Poetry Tags: English speaking, Journalism, Journalist, knowledge, learning, skills
April Beauty
April 1986
This poem was written by our Mother when April, our youngest was eight years old.
April Beauty
By: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito (Jan. 30, 1994)
One April 13 proves to be lucky;
As a beautiful baby came to be.
My 3rd treasured gift divine;
I labored for hours in pain.
You made your first cry then.
In this world, just in time, for
That was almost my last breath.
God had it His way that
I would be able to see,
My own “April Beauty,”
Yes, I named you April,
Maria April Sunday to be complete.
But as you showed your bedimpled face,
Everybody calls you “April Beauty.”
You are indeed endowed with
Precious gifts – beauty, talents
Charm, alertness, and brains.
As years go by, you are
Growing to be more and more
A pretty girl of everyone’s dream,
Developing more talents and skills.
Soon you’d be reaping great laurels,
As I envisioned to be
Yet life has other challenges,
You have to be prepared always,
Use your divine endowments
And be the kind God has
Planned you to be.
April Beauty
This was another poem she wrote 11 years later.
MARIA APRIL SUNDAY
BY: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito (Nov.05, 2005)
Maria April Sunday is the 3rd and youngest;
April-born, specificallyon the 13th, Sunday in 1986,
Regal and arrogant nose, double dimples, lovely face.
Interesting personality, wholesome young lady;
April Beauty, I fondly call her since infancy.
April for short, born same month with her Dad,
Prel for shorter; she’s female “junior” of Domingo (Sunday) in calendar.
Religious, brainy, Upian,sweet fighter and nature lover,
Intellectual communicator, artist, writer, gospel teacher.
Like mother, like daughter in many aspects.
Sunday is Domingo (her Daddy) in the old Spanish calendar;
Unique name that holds a story behind;
Nurtured in a gospel-centered home;
Dedicated, patient, frugal and delightsome.
A precious gem of the Servito family;
Yeah, the cute baby now turns to a beautiful lady.
Maria April with the proud parents of their youngest journalist. (UP graduate of B.A. Mass Communications, Minor in Broadcasting)
Categories: Poetry Tags: English speaking, good grammar, Journalism, Journalist, knowledge, learning
Guidelines in Feature Writing
Excerpts from a lecture by Dr. Lourdes D. Servito
(Lecture delivered during the Division Journalism Workshop held at Pangasinan National High School, Lingayen, Pangasinan, Oct. 8-10, 2008)
1. Use the “You” approach or the 3rd person.
Ex: Are you health-conscious? Beware of milk and milk products with melamine.
2. Use the feature leads, NOT dull beginnings or “kitchen sink.”
Ex: “The façade still stands. Newly-painted concrete walls are still seen erected. But all wooden structures from the roofs to the ceilings and dividers are totally charred and pulverized into black and grey ashes and soot.”
OR
“The majestic municipal hall is rolled down to complete ruins. The culprit? The four-hour-blaze; the September 15 flames that grilled the Calasiao Municipal Hall.”
NOT Dull Beginning: “A fire hit Calasiao Municipal Hall last Sept. 15 destroying all the offices attached to it.”
NOT Kitchen sink: “A raging fire consumed the Calasiao Municipal Hall at dawntime Sept. 15 which lasted for four hours; even when fire trucks were around until eleven in the morning and millions of properties and office equipment were destroyed but the lives of the inmates were saved and no one was reported hurt except the one and only fireman who tried to stop the fire at its peak hour.”
3. Inject literary tint. Use the feature devices.
Ex: “What now Calasiao? Thy beautiful house is gone. Where will thou begin? You are like a queen robbed of a throne, or an orphane girl that lost its abode.”
NOT: “What will happen to Calasiao after its municipal hall was burned?”
4. Use vivid descriptions. (Describing a place or situation)
Ex: “Up above the skies on a sunny afternoon, the white, thick, flat clouds form a wide floating plain landscape where angels walk their feet gently touching the soft floor.”
NOT: “Above the clouds, you can see more clouds…”
5. Make comparisons alive by using analogies.
Ex: The earth – as Mother Nature
Mother Nature – as a lady
Destruction of the Earth and natural resources – like raping Mother Earth
Loved one 00 as pretty rosebud, apple of your eyes, puppy love, man/woman of your dreams.
“Mother Earth is now crying for help. Where have all the flowers and the trees, as well as the fishes gone? While nature’s resources are given for man to live and be happy, it is also man that squanders and destroys them. Stop raping Mother Earth like a helpless lass!”
6. Use idioms as appropriate.
Ex: At loggerheads – fighting; not in good terms or can’t see eye to eye
“Student leaders are at loggerheads over points for co-curricular activities.”
Cross bridge – make a decision
Call the shots – decision-maker, head
“She calls the shots in a well-known corporate office in Manila.”
7. Make a file of adjectives and descriptive phrases and associate words/terms, coined words which may form part of your file of ideas for feature writers.
Ex: Beautiful – charming, tantalizing, devastating beauty, enticing, majestic, magnetic, flawless, electrifying, lovely, pretty face, looking wow, queenly, princess, Cinderella, Snow White.
Handsome – winsome, Prince Charming, loveable, adorable, heartthrob, ideal man, dream boy, Mr. Right, or man of your life.
8. Write a catchy title, one that compels attention.
Ex: a. We are different, we are the same
b. A sparrow’s paradise
c. Solidarity you
d. What now, Calasiao?
9. End with a big bang, with a grand finale NOT just a sense of finality.
A powerful quotation or question, end with something to remember
Ex: On meeting challenges:
“When the door is closed, windows will be opened.”
A presscon experience:
“Indeed, my experience is a bit of hell and a bit of heaven.”
Categories: Feature Writing Tags: English, English speaking, feature writing, good grammar, Journalism, knowledge, learning, writing skills
I Miss You My Hawaii
My favorite trio
This is one of my favorite Hawaiian songs ever. It was sang and performed by the Hawaiian trio Na Leo Pilimehana; and this was their number one song; the most famous one, released in 2000.
NA LEO PILIMEHANA, which in Hawaiian means the voices blending together in warmth, is the most popular, most award-winning and biggest selling female Hawaiian group in the World. Na Leo consists of three childhood friends, Nalani Choy, Lehua Kalima Heine and Angela Morales. These three Hawaiian women run their own record label; compose, write lyrics, record and perform music; they do volunteer work; play sports and they’re moms and wives. They are real women with real lives sticking close to their ideals and putting their friendship first. (source: www.naleo.net)
(left) Angela Morales, (right) Nalani Choy (bottom), and Lehua Heine
The song was composed by an uncle during the time when his niece moved away from Hawaii to pursue college. She wrote his uncle saying how she missed the islands; and the words in the song expressed how she long for Hawaii.
Whenever I hear the song, I get extremely nostalgic on going back to Hawaii. I hope someday I could visit the islands again, bringing along with me my husband and my family.
We performed a hula dance with the tune of “I Miss You My Hawaii” during the RYSA in 2007; and I can’t get enough, I wanted to sway some more; I wanted to tell more of the stories with my hands and hips, on how I feel wistful about Hawaii. The song really conveys the mystic enveloping the Aloha islands, you just can’t help but long for it.
Na Leo Pilimehana
I Miss You, My Hawaii
By: Na Leo Pilimehana
I. I hear the wind traveling down the Koalou
It touches my skin and makes me think of
how much I miss you, my Hawaii
I breathe the fragrance of the yellow ginger lei
I look inside myself to find the words to say
How much I miss you, my Hawaii
CHORUS:
Everytime I stop to watch the moon dance
across the early evening sky
Everytime I hear a country tune I can see the
shores of Wai’ani
Everytime I listen to my heart telling me it longs
to go back home
And it makes me want to
Cause I miss you, my Hawaii
II. I catch the glimmer of your face across the sky
I watch the setting sun and I begin to cry
Because I miss you, my Hawaii
I rest my head upon the sands of Waikiki
I close my eyes and I hear you calling me
How I miss you, my Hawaii
Categories: CHIT-chats Tags: English proficiency, English speaking, feature writing, Hawaii, knowledge, learning
Things I miss about Hawaii
They say that at the end of a rainbow rests a pot of gold.
It was only in Hawaii where I have seen the literal end of those mysterious bows of colors. It was morning when I was strolling down the campus of BYUH when transparent rows of colors rested upon the green leaves of a petite coconut tree; almost kissing the ground. I didn’t see any pot of gold. Yet the fact that I have actually saw something close to a myth –that is the end of a rainbow; for me is more than beholding a pot of gold! To add to the mystic of Hawaiian rainbows, I am equally amazed on how one is reflected by another; “double rainbows,” to be exact. Yes. Surprisingly, those perfect bows across the Hawaiian sky were at times come with another, equally exquisite!
More so, Aloha rainbows are never aloof. In a day, one could see at least two to three rainbows! How adorable and magical they are!
The miss the rain showers of Hawaii.
One night on my way to Hale 5 (women’s dormitory) from an exhausting day at work, I was welcomed by rain showers, so fine it waltzed with the wind! I then raised my head up and allowed the shower tickle my tired face. It’s like pure, wet silk gently wiping my forehead down to my chin — a relaxing, very calming experience I long to feel again.
I miss clipping a flower on my right ear.
Flowers are a huge part of the Hawaiian culture and identity. On an ordinary day, ladies, married or not walk around with a flower on their ear; be it as big as a hibiscus (gumamela, Hawaii’s state flower) or as simple as a plumeria (calachuchi) and a gardenia (rosal). Even the buds of a ginger flower (camia) adorn and accentuate their long, wavy hair.
Flower on the right ear means you’re single or “available.” Flower on the left, convey you are “taken” or married. If I may get the chance to visit Hawaii again, mine would be on my left ear.
I miss the flower leis of Hawaii.
August 15, 2002 was my first day in Hawaii. Landing at the Honolulu International Airport, I was welcomed with flowers leis embellishing my neck. The most leis I received however was during my graduation in June 15, 2005; it almost drowned my face. I also received leis from friends and my sister Dolour yearly during my birthday.
Offering leis mean many things; it could mean a warm welcome, a bubbly birthday greeting, a great gratitude, a crowning congratulations, a friendly farewell, or an expression of lasting love. This is indeed a very beautiful Hawaiian tradition very nostalgic.
I miss the 8-lane highways of Hawaii.
With an everyday traffic jam in almost anywhere in the Philippines; there’ll be no wonder why something as simple as a highway is worth-longing for.
Travelling is no hustle. In my three-year stay in Hawaii, I had no experience of being caught helpless in a car-clogged road. In addition to the ease they bring to trekkers, the mesmerizing mountains on the right and the blue beaches on the left, doubles the comfort of travellers.
I miss the “shaka” Hawaiian style.
The hand-flashing showing only the little finger and the thumb, commonly shown as “shaka,” has a funny story to tell. In a small show at the Hukilau beach, purposed to raise funds, showcased a role-playing on a historical event – the unifying of the Hawaiian islands.
The fisherman portraying King Kamehameha kept waving at the crowd. The giggling people answered with a sarcastic wave showing only their little finger and thumb, unknowing of the tragic, equally amusing experience behind it. While fishing, a shark literally tore off three of his fingers leaving only his first and fifth fingers! That clearly explains the y-shaped gesture.
I miss the sea breeze of Hawaii.
BYUH lies a few yards away from the seashore; and you can really smell and feel the fresh, soothing sea breeze; and even if the sun is up and shining, the feeling doesn’t go near bad; amazingly it augments the rejuvenating sensation. It’s ironic because my past experiences (in the Philippines) with sea breeze coupled with the pricking sun rays equals to an icky, sweaty feeling. It queries me because obviously, we have the same sun and yet the feelings vary.
I miss The Bus of Hawaii.
I miss everything about The Bus (Hawaii’s public transportation) but the smell and the motion sickness it brought me – not to mention my unpleasing experiences light-headed.
The travelling system is very profound, not to mention how highly sophisticated those yellow, wheeled boxes are! Forgive my being almost naive but I am amazed by the electronic box that swallowed up my one-dollar fare (be sure to bring an exact amount; it doesn’t give change); I am impressed by how it specifically announced names of places it passed by – “Kamehameha,” “Ala Moana Boulevard,” “BYU,” and so on. The robotic, close-to-human voice of the bus still runs through my head. I am also pretty astonished by the way you say “para.” Actually you don’t have to utter a word to make a stop. But if you need to, you just have to pull the silver wire lined against the huge windows then the voice would say “stop requested,” with the words written in red on the rectangular screen positioned atop the bus operator’s head.
I miss the Hawaiian beaches.
You may refer to my previous blog dated July__ , and you’ll learn why I miss the beaches of Hawaii.
I miss the Aloha spirit.
I miss the rainbows of Hawaii.
They say that at the end of a rainbow rests a pot of gold.
Pay closer attentionto the 2nd bow, a bit faint yet equally exquisite!
It was only in Hawaii where I have seen the literal end of those mysterious bows of colors. It was morning when I was strolling down the campus of BYUH when colorful and transparent stripes rested upon the green leaves of a petite coconut tree; almost kissing the ground. I didn’t see any pot of gold.
Notice the subtle, 2nd bow.
Yet the fact that I have actually saw something close to a myth –that is the end of a rainbow; for me is more than beholding a pot of gold! To add to the mystic of Hawaiian rainbows, I am equally amazed on how one is reflected by another; “double rainbows,” to be exact. Surprisingly, those perfect bows across the Hawaiian sky at times come with another, equally exquisite! More so, Aloha rainbows are never aloof. In a day, one could see at least two to three rainbows! How adorable and magical they are!
The miss the rain showers of Hawaii.
Rainshowers waltzing with the wind
One night on my way to Hale 5 (women’s dormitory) from an exhausting day at work, I was welcomed by rain showers, so fine it waltzed with the wind! I then raised my head up and allowed the shower tickle my tired face. It’s like pure, wet silk gently wiping my forehead down to my chin — a relaxing, very calming experience I long to feel again.
I miss clipping a flower on my ear.
white plumeria on my right ear
Flowers are a huge part of the Hawaiian culture and identity. On an ordinary day, ladies, married or not, walk around with a flower on their ear; be it as big as a hibiscus (gumamela, Hawaii’s state flower) or as simple as a plumeria (calachuchi) and a gardenia (rosal). Even the buds of a ginger flower (camia) adorn and accentuate their long, wavy hair.
Flower on the right ear means you’re single or “available.” Flower on the left, conveys you are “taken” or married. If I may get the chance to visit Hawaii again, mine would be on my left ear.
I miss the flower leis of Hawaii.
June 15,2005 BYUH Graduation (with sister Dolour) I love the leis and the haku!
August 15, 2002 was my first day in Hawaii. Landing at the Honolulu International Airport, I was welcomed with flower leis embellishing my neck. The most leis I received however was during my graduation in June 15, 2005; it almost drowned my face. I also received leis from friends and my sister Dolour yearly during my birthday.
Offering leis means many things; it could mean a warm welcome, a bubbly birthday greeting, a great gratitude, a crowning congratulations, a friendly farewell, or an expression of lasting love. This is indeed a very beautiful Hawaiian tradition very nostalgic.
I miss the Hawaiian hula.
hula dancing for my husband on our wedding day
The first day I got to watch a live Hawaiian wahine (woman) dancing hula was during our freshman orientation at BYUH; I still clearly remember, it was by the Banyan Tree in front of Hale 1. She was dressed in a beautiful flowery dress; she had her hair tied in a bun with a smile stamped on her equally pretty face; and of course hips that were smoothly swinging like fine golden lace. She swayed so effortlessly, mesmerizing the crowd.
Dancing the enchanting hula, on the other hand is a very relaxing and love-filled experience. The hips and the hands tell a story; most of the time, a story of love. On my wedding day, I conveyed my Aloha to my husband in the form of a hula; dancing to the tune of ”Love and Honesty;” a song I really love. That was the most memorable; the sweetest hula I ever did.
I miss the 8-lane express ways of Hawaii.
With an everyday traffic jam in almost anywhere in the Philippines; there’ll be no wonder why something as simple as a highway is worth-longing for.
Travelling is no hustle. In my three-year stay in Hawaii, I had no experience of being caught helpless in a car-clogged road. In addition to the ease they bring to trekkers, the mesmerizing mountains on the right and the blue beaches on the left, double the comfort of travellers.
I miss the “shaka” Hawaiian style.
"shaka" local Hawaiian style
The hand-flashing showing only the little finger and the thumb, commonly known as “shaka,” has a brief and funny story to tell: a show at the Hukilau beach, purposed to raise funds, showcased a role-playing on a historical event – the unifying of the Hawaiian islands.
The fisherman portraying King Kamehameha kept waving at the crowd. The giggling people answered back with a sarcastic wave showing only their little finger and thumb, unknowing of the tragic, equally amusing experience behind it– while fishing, a shark literally tore off three of his fingers leaving only his pinky and the pointer fingers! That clearly explains the y-shaped gesture.
I miss The Bus of Hawaii.
The Bus of Hawaii
I miss everything about The Bus (Hawaii’s public transportation) but the smell and the motion sickness it brought me – not to mention my unpleasing experiences being light-headed.
The travelling system is very profound, not to mention how highly sophisticated those yellow, wheeled boxes are! Forgive my being almost naive but I am amazed by the electronic box that swallowed up my one-dollar fare (be sure to bring an exact amount; it doesn’t give change); I am impressed by how The Bus specifically announced names of places it passed by – “Kamehameha,” “Ala Moana Boulevard,” “BYU,” and so on. The robotic, close-to-human voice still runs through my head. I am also pretty astonished by the way you say “para.” Actually you don’t have to utter a word to make a stop. But if you need to, you just have to pull the silver wire lined against the huge windows then the voice would say “ting! stop requested,” with the words written in red on the rectangular digital screen positioned atop the bus operator’s head.
I miss the sea breeze of Hawaii.
Feel the Hawaiian Sea Breeze
BYUH lies a few yards away from the seashore; and you can really smell and feel the fresh, soothing sea breeze; and even if the sun is up and shining, the feeling doesn’t go near bad; amazingly it augments the rejuvenating sensation. It’s ironic because my past experiences (in the Philippines) with sea breeze coupled with the pricking sun rays equaled to an icky, sweaty feeling. It queries me because obviously, we have the same sun and yet the feeling is different.
I miss the Hawaiian beaches.
You may refer to my previous blogs and you’ll learn why I miss the waves and beaches of Hawaii.
I miss the Aloha spirit.
“Aloha”to Hawaiian means many things; it could be as simple as a “hello,or “welcome;” it could be a “farewell” and itcould be as deep as an “i loveyou.” These are the things “Aloha” is famous for; but I learned that this sweet five-letter word means more than a greeting; even more than an expression of love — the “Ha” in it means “the breath of life.” “Aloha” is more than a mere word or a simple greeting. It is love; it is life, it is also the spirit of a supreme being. It may be referred to as charity, the pure love of Christ. It is indeed a very meaningful, sacred word for the Hawaiian people.
It is at times inexplicable; but for those who have come to Hawaii and experienced it; they share the same feeling of nostalgia; they long for the Aloha spirit. I hope it would stay thriving in me and radiating it though I am away from Hawaii.
Categories: CHIT-chats Tags: BYUH, English speaking, feature writing, Hawaii, knowledge, learning
JOURNA LIZ
This is a poem my Mommy composed when I was a baby.
By: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito (1983)
You’re never expected yet never unwanted,
Just in time you desired to be apart from me,
Not to be away but in my arms you’d stay.
For the past 270 days, your presence within,
Conditioned most of my activities.
At time you were a hindrance;
Yet at times you were a relief.
You’re absolutely a part of me when more
And more challenging tasks were on.
We tackled journalistic works, thick and thin.
Together we did work in between multifarious pains…
Pains that were worth enough to had been endured.
You came out leaving no press work dangling.
We call you Journa Liz, sounding like who I am.
Perhaps you’d like to be another me;
but it’s you who’d decide who you would be.
For sure you’d be yourself and be on your own.
You’re never expected yet never unwanted,
Just in time you desired to be apart from me,
Not to be away but in my arms you’d stay.
For the past 270 days, your presence within,
Conditioned most of my activities.
At time you were a hindrance;
Yet at times you were a relief.
You’re absolutely a part of me when more
And more challenging tasks were on.
We tackled journalistic works, thick and thin.
Together we did work in between multifarious pains…
Pains that were worth enough to had been endured.
You came out leaving no press work dangling.
We call you Journa Liz, sounding like who I am.
Perhaps you’d like to be another me;
but it’s you who’d decide who you would be.
For sure you’d be yourself and be on your own.
This is another poem she wrote 22 years later.
By: Dr. Lourdes D. Servito (Nov.5, 2005)
Journa Liz comes at the midst of my Tres Marias
Our family is proud of her; her unique qualities…
Unusual and superb communication skills,
Resounding personality, sweet and brilliant,
Numerous talents: melodious voice, memory power;
Amiable, religious, kind, sanguine: good speaker, photojournalist,
literary writer, and powerful teacher.
Like no one else, I gave her a unique name,
It fits her…in time she achieves her dream,
Zestfully, she marches with pride at a famed university in U.S.A. not just in name, but in reality.
The realization of Mommy's words: B.A. International Cultural Studies with Emphasis on Communication, Major in Journalism
Categories: Poetry Tags: BYUH, English speaking, good grammar, Journalism, Journalist, knowledge, learning, literary, speech improvement, writing, writing skills