What do I say to these people? (Hello Horton, from a Who)

I launched my first blog in 1999. I’ve had three others before this one, and very few people have followed along. This blog, in fact, has very few subscribers, and the only comments that come in are spam.

Then I joined facebook, twitter, 304blogs.com and wvnewsline.com. And my “following” grew from a small group of friends and family expanded a larger group of important and respected, uh — strangers.

People who love their cell phones (and have a consistent signal), who commute and socialize and drink Starbucks and have committee meetings. People with powerful connections and strong opinions and great influence and keys to opportunity.

But, I hate my cell phone (when I DO have a signal), hate to leave the house in winter, have a very small social network in real life, am no where near a Starbucks, and think forming a committee is the death-sentence of any project. I’m not sure these folks want to hear my opinions.

I’m good one-on-one with most people. It’s the vast majority that trips me up.

I have read that the key to blogging and twittering and posting is to provide valuable information on a consistent basis.

What valuable information do I have for the professional and culturally accomplished that I now find in my network?

I have no idea. It seems almost like a test:

Say something important to the editors of your favorite national magazine and favorite national news outlet, to statewide newspaper reporters, to folks with the ear of the governor — in 140 characters or less. Okay? Go.

And yes, you are being graded on this.

I want to be seen as a polished, professional, responsible mature adult with a thriving and organized business. But I’m just a country girl who sits at her desk in lounge wear and non-slip socks who happens to publish a country newsprint magazine from her home office for the 15 counties surrounding what I call the “donut hole” of West Virginia.

You know, the region in the middle that seems to be part of a development and marketing void. No four lanes. No Starbucks. No traffic lights. No cell phone coverage. No high speed internet. The statistical pit of the nation, lowest in employment, education level, highest in diabetes, obesity, smoking, etc.

What information do I have for the jet-setters of the world? Hang up and drive?

Two-Lane Livin’ isn’t glossy. It has never been perfect. It’s laid out in an outdated program, only half-proofed, set up with newspaper layout rules (not magazine) to fit the most information in the space alotted, and is offered free, every month, to 15,000 households in 15 counties.

But it only takes a small light to alleviate the darkness. While the rest of the world rushes into the bright future, in many ways, our region still exists in the dim past.

There are no staff columnists or photographers at Two-Lane Livin’ — heck, there’s no staff. Our columnists aren’t paid professional writers, they’re down-home folks from right here that have practical, useful information that they are compelled to share. My neighbor comes down and helps me with filing, just so she can get a break from her five kids. For an entire week each month, there’s no one in the office because I’m out delivering the current issue.

But again, glossy photos and paid columnists, high newsrack prices, and script-filled web sites don’t mesh real well here. This is the “we have our own way of doing it world.”

For our readership, a glossy would be a halogen bulb in a world of oil lamps.

Here’s a story to explain:

I was in Clay, WV when I came across the premier issue of WVLiving Magazine. As always, when I discover yet another new magazine in the state, my heart jumps, fearing the competition.

The cover was beautiful, and I reached out and felt the weight and density of the cover stock as if it were fine linen. I picked up a copy, and as am prone to do with fresh books and magazines, smelled it as though it were a fine meal. I flipped through the pages, eyes jumping at the bright full color – on every page!  Lovely writing, fabulous layout, scrumptious photographs –A polished publication that I could only one day dream of producing. Well, well done.

As I drooled over it, a customer entered the business, and spied me ogling the copy in my hands.

“Is that any good?” She asked, joking.

“It’s a new magazine about West Virginia,” I replied. “And yes, it looks very good.”

“How much is it?” She asked, and I flipped back to the cover.

“$5.95.”

“Huh,” she said, and went on about her business.

I looked at her walking away, and listened as she placed his business order. I realized then, that that $5.95 was likely reserved for a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk. She did however, grab her free copy of Two-Lane Livin’ when she left.

I bought a copy of WVLiving, of course. I’m sure others did as well, it’s fabulous. I ran home with it and devoured it, then went to their web site and downloaded their rate sheet to learn more about this ‘competition’ — only to realize how small, how  Two-Lane Livin’ is. How totally bourgeois we are. How our little rag would not be recognized as competition at all.

So what could I possibly have to say of value to the state’s and my industry’s successful professionals? Those who, for some reason unknown to me, have chosen to give me the opportunity to say something to them?

Hello from Whoville. There’s a whole world in this speck of dust.