Feature writers are very different beasts to news writers.

News writers want drama. They need something to happen and thrive on conflict. They report on what they see and hear and make their work immediate and urgent.

I sometimes write news. But I don’t pursue it.

I mostly write features.

Feature writers want opinions, narrative. We strive to survey the world, not report on tiny pieces of it. We want emotion, contemplation and conversation.

Most PR companies think in terms of news. You want a story that tells the world what your client does, or did, or wants to do.

I don’t write those stories.

I want to include your client in a conversation about a certain topic. I want them to share their experiences and insights, not deliver key messages.

Most of all, I want them to understand that what is up for grabs is a concept some in marketing call “share of voice.”

You can measure share of voice in two ways I am aware of.

One is to look at all the coverage on a certain subject and see how much of it is about you.

The other is to look at a story and see if you offer the most or most insightful comments in it.

I would suggest that share of voice is what you consider I can offer your clients.