Brainstorm. Do some research about your subject to learn its history, present and future. A strong feature has a captivating angle -- a distinctive take on the story that makes it worth reading. Find your angle and brainstorm the information you'll need to complete the story. Your subject should come with several sources, or people you can talk to for information.
Interview your sources. Come to the interview prepared with questions. Ask open-ended questions that invite your source to give elaborate answers. Explain your story and ask your questions in a friendly way. Listen to your subject's answers and engage him in conversation. Record your interviews so you don't miss anything, and always get a source's phone number and email address in case you have follow-up questions.
Outline your feature. Use topic sentences, bullet points or any format you're comfortable with to visually organize the information you've collected. Start by writing a catchy introduction, or lead, and an informative nut graf, a paragraph that summarizes the gist of the story. Your nut graf should answer the questions "who," "what," "where," "when," "how" and "why" as they pertain to your feature. A feature should read like a novel rather than a news article; find the conflict, plot and resolution in your story, rather than grouping facts, to develop a strong narrative.
Write a first draft. Use your outline as a guide. Include information from your sources, your own research and quotes from your sources. Add detailed descriptions, compelling facts and sources' opinions, using their quotes when your words couldn't say it better. Always cite the source of a fact or quote.
Edit and revise your draft. Put your feature away after you've finished writing. Return to it with fresh eyes the next day. Read it out loud. Mark down spots where the words are clunky or the phrasing's not clear. Ask friends to read over your draft and make edits. Work these edits into a crisp, clean final draft.