A good feature story opens with the reader's problem or the season, introduces one expert, gives practical tips, quotes the expert once and names the company no more than twice. Below are five short examples, on health, money, home safety, food and pets, each tied to a 2027 date and annotated. All are invented for this guide.
Want to know whether your story would run? Todd Simon, National PR Director, will tell you on a strategy call.
Book a call with ToddFive short feature stories, each tied to a date in the 2027 feature story calendar. They are shortened to about 340 words so you can read them quickly; a full story usually runs 450 to 700. Every one is invented for this guide, and the notes under each say why it works.
All five follow the same rules: the opening is about the reader, one expert is introduced early, the tips are practical, there is one quote, the company is named twice at most, and there are no statistics, promises or prices.
Health: Men's Health Month, June
An invented example, written for this guide; it is not a published story. [Company] and [Name] stand in for your company and your expert.
Questions to bring to your next checkup
Most people leave a checkup and then remember the one thing they meant to ask. June is Men's Health Month, which makes it a good time to book the visit you keep putting off and to walk in with a plan.
A short list of questions helps the appointment go further. Here is what to raise, according to [Name], [title] at [Company], a medical practice.
Write down what has changed. Note sleep, energy, mood, appetite or new aches, even small ones. A list is easier to hand over than to recall in the exam room.
Bring your family history. Ask relatives about conditions that run in the family and take what you learn. Your clinician uses it to decide what deserves a closer look.
Ask which screenings are right for you. Age, history and lifestyle all play a part. Ask what is due now and what can wait until the next visit.
List everything you take. Include vitamins, supplements and anything over the counter, along with the reason for each. If it is easier, bring the bottles.
Talk about your habits. Sleep, alcohol, tobacco, activity and stress all give your clinician useful context. Plain answers lead to better advice.
Leave with a plan. Before you go, repeat back what happens next: any tests, follow-up visits and who to call with questions.
Bring a second set of ears. If you like, take a partner or friend along. They may remember something you forgot to mention, and they can help you recall what was said afterward.
"The patients who get the most from a visit are the ones who come with a list. I would rather hear every small question than miss the one that matters," says [Name].
[Name] also suggests putting the next appointment on the calendar before leaving the office, so the follow-up does not slip. Ask the front desk how to reach the practice with questions between visits, and keep that number in your phone.
For more health tips, visit [Company]'s website.
Caption: A man writes questions in a notebook in a clinic waiting room. Photo credit: [photographer or source].
Why the health example works
- Date hook: the lede ties the story to Men's Health Month and gives the reader a reason to act this month, not someday.
- Expert: the clinician is introduced in one line with a title and the type of practice. That is enough for a reader to trust the advice.
- Tips: every tip is something the reader does before or during the visit. None of them tells anyone what is wrong with them. The story keeps sending the reader back to their own clinician.
- Photo: send a plain, real moment such as someone writing a list. It matches the story and needs no medical setting or props.
Money: The tax filing deadline, April
An invented example, written for this guide; it is not a published story. [Company] and [Name] stand in for your company and your expert.
What to gather before you file your taxes
Tax season has a way of turning the kitchen table into a paper pile. April 15 is the usual filing deadline, and the work feels lighter when you start collecting early.
Most of the job is finding things, not figuring them out, and a little order now makes the rest easier. Here is what to gather, according to [Name], [title] at [Company], a tax preparation firm.
Pull together your income paperwork. That means wage statements and forms from employers, banks, clients and anyone else who paid you. If one has not arrived, contact the sender.
Find last year's return. It shows what you reported before and helps you spot anything that has changed. Keep a copy where you can find it.
Collect records for expenses you may deduct. Receipts for charitable gifts and medical costs, education costs and, if you are self-employed, business expenses are common examples. Ask a tax professional what applies to you.
Confirm the personal details. Have names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers for everyone on the return. If you want a direct deposit, have your bank details handy.
Note the life changes. A marriage, a new child, a move, a new job or the sale of a home can all change how you file. Tell your preparer about each one.
Put it all in one folder. A paper folder or a labeled folder on your computer works. Add items as they come in so nothing is left for the last night.
"People tend to treat taxes as one big event, but it goes more smoothly as a habit. Drop each document in the folder the week it arrives, and the filing is mostly gathered before you sit down," says [Name].
If you think you will miss the deadline, [Name] suggests asking a tax professional about your options well ahead of time, not on the last day. Questions about your own situation are always worth asking a professional who knows the rules for your state.
For more help getting ready to file, visit [Company]'s website.
Caption: Papers, receipts and a laptop sit on a kitchen table, sorted into folders. Photo credit: [photographer or source].
Why the money example works
- Date hook: the lede names the usual deadline, April 15, and nothing else about money. It gives the date without any figures or promises.
- Company in the background: the firm appears only as a short description of the expert's work, then again in the last line. The advice itself needs no firm at all.
- Tips: each tip is something to find or collect, so a reader can turn the story into a checklist. Where the answer depends on the person, the story says to ask a tax professional.
- Headline: it says what the reader will get, in plain words. It has no company name and no promise about the result.
Home safety: Fire Prevention Week, October
An invented example, written for this guide; it is not a published story. [Company] and [Name] stand in for your company and your expert.
How to make a home fire escape plan the whole family remembers
Ask a family how they would get out of the house if an alarm sounded at night, and you will often get a long pause. Fire Prevention Week, every October, is a good reminder to talk it through, and the easiest time to start is now.
A good plan is simple enough for a child to repeat. Here is how to build one, according to [Name], [title] at [Company], a home services company.
Draw a map. Sketch each floor and mark every door and window. Let the kids help, since drawing it makes it easier to remember.
Find two ways out of every room. The usual way is the door. The second might be a window. Make sure windows open easily and are not blocked.
Pick a meeting spot outside. Choose something fixed and easy to name, such as the mailbox or a tree. Everyone goes there and stays there.
Test your smoke alarms. Press the test button on each one and replace batteries as the maker directs. Make sure there is an alarm on every level.
Practice, including at night. Walk the route together a few times a year. Try it in the dark so it feels familiar when it counts.
Teach the basics. Show children how to feel a door with the back of a hand before opening it, and to crawl low under smoke. Once everyone is out, they stay out.
Plan for people who need help. Decide who will assist young children, older relatives or anyone with limited mobility. Remember pets too, but never go back inside for them.
"A plan only works if people can do it half asleep. We keep it short and say it out loud: get low, get out, meet at the mailbox, call from outside," says [Name].
[Name] suggests putting a copy of the map on the refrigerator and going over it again whenever a babysitter or houseguest stays over. Short, calm practice sessions work better than a long lecture, especially for younger children.
For more home safety tips, visit [Company]'s website.
Caption: A parent and child trace an escape route on a drawing of their home's floor plan. Photo credit: [photographer or source].
Why the home safety example works
- Date hook: the lede points to the October fire safety push and then speaks to the family, so the date feels like a reason to act, not an advertisement.
- Expert: the company type is named plainly in the introduction. The expert's own habit shows up in the quote, which is what makes them believable.
- Tips: each one starts with a short action a child could repeat, and the order follows how a family would actually build the plan, from map to practice.
- Photo: send a picture of people doing the task, such as drawing the route together. It shows the reader what to do, and it needs no smoke or flames.
Food: National Nutrition Month, March
An invented example, written for this guide; it is not a published story. [Company] and [Name] stand in for your company and your expert.
Easy ways to get more vegetables into weeknight meals
By the time dinner comes around, many people are tired, and the vegetables in the fridge are the first thing to get skipped. March is National Nutrition Month, a good moment to find small habits that stick.
You do not need new recipes to eat more vegetables. Here are easy places to start, according to [Name], [title] at [Company], a nutrition practice.
Add to what you already make. Stir spinach into pasta, put peppers in tacos or grate carrots into a sauce. Familiar meals are the easiest to change.
Keep frozen and canned vegetables on hand. They keep for a long time and are ready when fresh ones run out. Check the label if you are watching ingredients.
Prep once, use all week. Wash and chop a few vegetables on the weekend and store them in clear containers. When they are easy to see, they are easier to reach for.
Roast a pan. Toss chopped vegetables with oil and seasoning, spread them on a sheet pan and roast while you do something else. Leftovers work in salads, wraps and omelets.
Start dinner with vegetables. Put out raw sticks with a dip, or a simple salad, while the main dish finishes. Hungry people will often eat what is in front of them.
Use sauces and spices. A little garlic, lemon or a favorite sauce can make a plain vegetable more appealing. Keep a few seasonings within reach of the stove.
Let everyone choose. Ask each person to pick one vegetable at the store. People are more likely to eat something they helped choose.
"I tell families to aim for a little more, not a perfect plate. One extra vegetable at dinner, most nights, is a habit you can keep," says [Name].
[Name] also recommends tasting a vegetable prepared a new way before deciding you dislike it, since roasting and steaming can taste very different. If you have a health condition or a special diet, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian about what fits you.
For more everyday food ideas, visit [Company]'s website.
Caption: A cook slides a sheet pan of chopped vegetables into the oven. Photo credit: [photographer or source].
Why the food example works
- Date hook: the lede starts with a tired weeknight, which every reader knows, and brings in National Nutrition Month second. The problem comes first and the date follows.
- Tips: every tip builds on food the reader already cooks. None says what a vegetable will do for your body, so the editor has nothing to check.
- Quote: it sets a modest goal, a little more instead of a perfect plate. That is how a dietitian really talks, and it is not a slogan.
- Photo: send a bright shot of ordinary cooking in a real kitchen. It looks like the advice and not like a stock ad.
Pets: Summer travel, July
An invented example, written for this guide; it is not a published story. [Company] and [Name] stand in for your company and your expert.
Traveling with your pet this summer: a plan and a packing list
A summer trip is more fun when the dog or cat comes along, but only if the car, the hotel and the pet are all ready. A little planning before July road trips and flights makes the day smoother for everyone.
Here is how to get ready, according to [Name], [title] at [Company], a veterinary clinic.
Visit your veterinarian first. Ask if your pet is ready for the trip and if vaccinations and records are up to date. If your pet gets anxious or carsick, ask what can help.
Check the ID. Make sure tags are on the collar and your phone number is current. If your pet has a microchip, confirm the contact details with the registry.
Travel safely. Use a carrier or a harness made for cars, and never leave a pet in a parked vehicle. A car can get dangerously hot, even with the windows cracked.
Practice first. If your pet is not used to the car or a carrier, start with short trips around town. Praise calm behavior and build up from there.
Plan the stops. Build in regular breaks for water, a walk and a bathroom stop. Keep a leash on until you are well away from traffic.
Confirm where you will stay. Call ahead to ask about pet policies and any rules for the room. Look up an animal hospital near your destination.
Pack for your pet. Bring food from home, a water bowl, medications, a leash, waste bags, vaccination records, a favorite blanket or toy and a recent photo in case your pet gets lost.
"Pets pick up on our stress. A short practice drive and a familiar blanket in the carrier go a long way toward a calm trip," says [Name].
[Name] also recommends keeping feeding times close to normal on the road, so the routine feels familiar. Offer water often, and keep an eye on how your pet is acting once you arrive, since a new place can take some getting used to.
For more pet care tips, visit [Company]'s website.
Caption: A dog wearing a harness sits in the back seat next to a packed travel bag. Photo credit: [photographer or source].
Why the pets example works
- Date hook: the lede ties the story to July travel in one sentence. The reader sees the season and the benefit together.
- Tips: the packing list sits inside a single tip as a plain run of items, so a reader can copy it. The other tips cover planning, so the story reads as both a checklist and advice.
- Company in the background: the clinic is described in a few words when the expert appears and is named again only in the last line. The tips never mention a service.
- Photo: send a picture of a pet that is safely secured for travel. It shows the advice in action and it models good practice for readers.
Write your own
- Pick a date that fits your company with the story angle finder.
- Lay out the parts with the feature story template.
- Write the story using how to write a feature story.
- Paste the draft into the feature story checker before you send it.
Questions
What is an example of a feature story?
A story that helps readers with something they care about now, such as questions to bring to a checkup in Men's Health Month, with tips from one expert and one quote. This page has five, each annotated.
What makes a good feature story?
It is useful to readers first and about the company second. It opens with the reader, gives practical advice, quotes one expert like a person talking, and names the company only when it introduces the expert and in the close.
Can I copy these examples?
Yes. They are invented for this guide, with placeholders for every name. Copy the structure, put in your own topic, expert and advice, and check the result against the house rules before you send it.
How this page was made
Examples written for NewsUSA and checked against the rules in the how to write a feature story guide: no statistics, no promises, no prices, the company named twice at most. NewsUSA figures (2,000+ US news sites within 30 days, live-only billing, the 2,637-site September 2026 campaign) come from NewsUSA and its campaign reports, which Todd Simon can show you on the call. How these guides are made.