style of a special
article demands as careful consideration as does its subject, purpose,
and structure.

Since it may be assumed that any one who aspires to write for newspapers
and magazines has a general knowledge of the principles of composition
and of the elements and qualities of style, only such points of style as
are important in special feature writing will be discussed in this
chapter.

The elements of style are: (1) words, (2) figures of speech, (3)
sentences, and (4) paragraphs. The kinds of words, figures, sentences,
and paragraphs used, and the way in which they are combined, determine
the style.

WORDS. In the choice of words for popular articles, three points are
important: (1) only such words may be used as are familiar to the
average person, (2) concrete terms make a much more definite impression
than general ones, and (3) words that carry with them associated ideas
and feelings are more effective than words that lack such intellectual
and emotional connotation.

The rapid reader cannot stop to refer to the dictionary for words that
he does not know. Although the special feature writer is limited to
terms familiar to the average reader, he need not confine himself to
commonplace, colloquial diction; most readers know the meaning of many
more words than they themselves use in everyday conversation. In
treating technical topics, it is often necessary to employ some
unfamiliar terms, but these may readily be explained the first time they
appear. Whenever the writer is in doubt as to whether or not his readers
will understand a certain term, the safest course is to explain it or to
substitute one that is sure to be understood.

Since most persons grasp concrete ideas more quickly than abstract ones,
specific words should be given the preference in popular articles. To
create concrete images must be the writer's constant aim. Instead of a
general term like "walk," for example, he should select a specific,
picture-making word such as hurry, dash, run, race, amble, stroll,
stride, shuffle, shamble, limp, strut, stalk. For the word "horse" he
may substitute a definite term like sorrel, bay, percheron, nag,
charger, steed, broncho, or pony. In narrative and descriptive writing
particularly, it is necessary to use words that make pictures and that
reproduce sounds and other sense impressions. In the effort to make his
diction specific, however, the writer must guard against bizarre effects
and an excessi