This helpful guidebook for prospective journalists provides the skills needed to be a successful magazine or newspaper feature writer. The Essential Feature is a writing guide, a file of examples, and a style manual all in one book. The author concentrates on those aspects of nonfiction writing that editors find wanting in beginning journalists: research, accuracy, and the skills needed to tell a story, not just report news. This book tells novice writers what editors want them to know.

The Essential Feature explains how to apply research and literary techniques to journalistic writing; provides eight examples of successful prize-winning published articles; combines approaches to writing with practical advice on working as a staff or freelance writer; and supplies publishing tips to give the beginning writer a better understanding of the market.