Report, explanation or feature?

Non-fiction is writing about real things: animals, places, events, people, ideas. But not all non-fiction looks the same. The shape a writer chooses depends on their purpose and their readers.

Three shapes of informing

Features they share

Most informative texts have a title that tells you the topic, an introduction that previews what's coming, headings to help readers find their way, paragraphs that each cover one main idea, visuals such as photos, diagrams and graphs, and a conclusion that pulls the main points together. Good writers also define tricky words the first time they use them.

An example

Here is how a feature might begin: 'High in a taraire tree, a fat green and white bird swallows a berry the size of a small plum, whole. Kererū are the only birds left in Aotearoa big enough to do that. Without them, some of our biggest trees could struggle to spread their seeds.' Notice the scene, the surprising fact and the reason to care, all in three sentences.

Choosing your shape

Ask yourself: do I want to describe it, explain how it works, or tell its story? If your topic is a process, like how the tide works, choose an explanation. If it is a thing with many parts, like your local stream, choose a report. If you have a great story, a real person to quote, or a mystery, choose a feature. Many real articles mix shapes, such as a feature with a small explanation box inside.