Writing Feature Articles, Fourth Edition [Paperback]

Brendan Hennessy A graduate of Edinburgh University. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0240516915 | ISBN-13: 978-0240516912 | Edition: 4

Hennessy's classic text tells you everything you need to know about writing successful features. You will learn how to formulate and develop ideas and how to shape them to fit different markets.

Now in its fourth edition, Writing Feature Articles has been fully revised and updated to take into account the changing requirements of journalism and media courses. You will also discover how to exploit new technology for both researching and writing online.

Learn step-by-step how to plan, research and write articles for a wide variety of 'popular', 'quality' and specialist publications. Discover more and make the advice stick by completing the tasks and reading the keen analysis of extracts from the best of today's writing.

Packed with inspirational advice in a friendly, highly readable style, this guide is a must-have for practising and aspiring journalists and writers.

* Write effective articles for a variety of media using this bestselling guide
* Gain practical and in-depth guidance to successful writing and publishing
* Update your skills with new sections on writing for online publications and computer-aided research

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you want to set yourself up as an freelance writer of feature articles then here is a book that will give you plenty of solid, professional advice." - Writing Magazine

The best edition so far, I've bought the previous two editions of this book and they were good, this one is by far the best. Excellent!
Customer review, Amazon.co.uk, November 11, 2005


Reviews of previous editions:
"The best book ever on article writing."
James Gracie, Writer's Monthly

"My 'Bible'! This was my primary reference source when I was self-teaching myself to become a writer. I have subsequently had over 12,000 words and 260 pictures published in 20 UK leisure and lifestyle magazines seen by approximately 2.5 million readers."
Customer review, Amazon.co.uk

"I would recommend this to intermediate level writers - those who are not complete beginners, but not seasoned professionals either. They will benefit most."
Customer review, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

The feature writers' bible - a complete revision of a classic book

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 4 edition (August 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240516915
• ISBN-13: 978-0240516912
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #633,563 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have resource for writers, March 23, 2006

By 

Emma Snow "Emma" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing Feature Articles, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

This is the best book I have found for practical guidance on developing feature articles and marketing them to a wide variety of publications; the author presents information in a way that is easy to follow and a pleasure to read. Excellent resource!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Dated, patronising, clumsy, April 12, 2010

By 

SwordOfDamacles (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing Feature Articles, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

Some 160 pages into Hennessy's mag op, I am seized ever-more violently by the urge to lob it into a nearby wall.

Despite the supposed revision in 2006 the book is now heavily dated. The brief, rather patronising consideration he gives to the internet (uppercased as 'The Internet') says it all: fusty, outmoded, potentially still hankering after moveable-type. As you'd imagine, his patter about 'meta-search engines' and 'internet directories' is useless.

Where it hasn't dated, Hennessy retains a rare gift for stating the terminally obvious. The whole book seems to be a litany of the sort of axioms that one only need be a sentient human being - not a seasoned feature writer - to grasp (like 'ask creative questions'; 'be precise when pitching by telephone'). It's all then hacked together in Hennessy's inimitably humourless, dry-as-dust style. He uses irritatingly folksy made-up case studies which are again mainly facets of common-sense, to the extent that the overall feel is one of heavy padding: paragraphs could be condensed into lines, chapters into pages. Fatally, he has tried to be 'thorough', perhaps more pointedly, 'methodical' in surveying the subject, but that approach has merely translated into being boring and long-winded.

Every sentence is a tedious battle to the end.