Feature story template From NewsUSA: https://trynewsusa.com/feature-story-template Replace everything in [square brackets]. Delete the guidance lines before you send the story. 1. HEADLINE Guidance: Say what the reader will get, in plain words, with only the first word and names capitalized. Lead with the benefit or the season, not the company name. Example: Get your home ready for winter before the first cold snap Yours: 2. SUBHEAD (OPTIONAL) Guidance: One line that adds a detail the headline could not hold. Skip it if the headline already does the job. Example: Simple checks around the house now can head off bigger repairs later. Yours: 3. BYLINE OR CREDIT LINE Guidance: Put the byline or credit line the publisher uses, usually the writer or the provider. If the expert is named, name them only in the text. Example: By [Writer's name] Yours: 4. LEDE Guidance: One or two short sentences that open with the reader's problem or the season. No company name, no sales pitch. Example: Most winter home problems start in the fall, when nobody is thinking about them. Yours: 5. NUT GRAF Guidance: The paragraph that says why the story matters now and what the reader will learn. Name your expert here and say why they are worth hearing. Example: The good news is that most of the work is simple. Here is where to look, according to [Name], [title] at [Company]. Yours: 6. BODY: TIPS, STEPS OR EXPLANATION Guidance: Give the reader the advice itself. Use short paragraphs, and use subheads or bold lead-ins if there are several steps. Keep every claim something you can stand behind. Example: Check the doors and windows. Run your hand around each frame on a breezy day. If you feel moving air, there is a gap. Yours: 7. EXPERT QUOTE Guidance: One quote from your expert that gives an opinion or a habit, not a slogan. Put the full name and title in the sentence around it. Example: "A short walk around the house with a notepad is the best way to catch small problems," says [Name]. Yours: 8. CLOSE AND WHERE TO LEARN MORE Guidance: End with one line that points the reader to more help. Apart from introducing your expert, this is the only place to name your company. Example: For more home-care tips, visit [Company]'s website. Yours: 9. PHOTO AND CAPTION Guidance: Send at least one clear, original photo that shows the subject of the story, with a caption that says plainly what is in it. Make sure you have the right to use it. Example: Caption: A homeowner checks the weatherstripping around a front door. Photo credit: [photographer or source]. Yours: 10. WORD COUNT TARGET Guidance: Aim for roughly 450 to 700 words. Publishers set their own limits, but a story in that range sits near the middle of what runs: about 580 words in our sample, as set out in how to write a feature story. Yours: BEFORE YOU SEND IT [ ] Would a reader find it useful if your company were not named? [ ] Is there a reason to run it now, such as a season or a date? [ ] Does the lede open with the reader and not with you? [ ] Does the nut graf say why it matters and who is speaking? [ ] Is the advice specific enough to act on? [ ] Is there one quote, with the speaker's full name and title? [ ] Is your company named twice at most: with your expert and in the close? [ ] Are superlatives, health or money promises and prices gone? [ ] Can you back up every claim? [ ] Is the length roughly 450 to 700 words, with a photo and caption ready? More: https://trynewsusa.com/how-to-write-a-feature-story