Ivor Shapiro (right) with his partner Louise Paul at the launch party last week.

Despite the proliferation of journalism courses and programs at North American universities over the last 40 years or so, no textbook existed on the subject of feature writing. A new book, edited by Ryerson University associate professor Ivor Shapiro and published by Edmond Montgomery Publications, has now filled that void.

Launched last week at the Duke of York pub in Toronto, The Bigger Picture: Elements of Feature Writing has service-y contributions on the art and practicalities of feature writing from ten veteran reporters and teachers, including Philip Preville, David Hayes, Sue Ferguson and Susan McClelland. Feature stories from the likes of Malcolm Gladwell, Stephanie Nolen, Katrina Onstad and John Vaillant are also included.

While the book is primarily a textbook for university courses, the publishers also expect to sell copies to writers already out in the real world. And because there has been so little published on the topic, Shapiro says\ some American institutions have also shown interest in using the book as a teaching tool.
For more information and to purchase copies online, go here.