It’s bad enough that my column has been running sporadically in the paper with no explanation from my editor why. I have at least three articles written and submitted for publication that she supposedly “loved.” It’s worse that when I turn to find one of my stories on their usual two week rotation, and in my place, there’s a wire service article on IKEA, which is a four hour drive from Roanoke to the nearest store. But really tears it is that Nora Jones of Roanoke County is questioning me suggesting a store in Figsboro when Northwest Hardware in Roanoke supposedly “has as much as you want or need.”Now I’m really pissed.
If you know Nora, or happen to be Nora, I want to tell you that your comment may have been well-meaning, but honestly, it stinks. I don’t live in Roanoke, and not all my stories are about Roanoke. The newspaper is distributed in 26 counties in Virginia and 22 of those are not that that close to Roanoke or a location of Northwest Hardware. For those people who live in my neck of the woods, Franklin County, Figsboro is much closer.
But that was not the point of the article anyway. The need for pickling lime was a literary device to tell readers about how bigger stores are removing items that may not be popular nationwide but hold some regional significance and how smaller local stores are taking up the slack and putting their own unique spin on the shopping experience. It was not “Hey y’all! This is the only place to buy this stuff.”
I don’t think I’m speaking a foreign language to my readers, nor do I think that fine local content that’s readily available and praised by the writer’s editor should be placed to the side like some kind of wasted effort in favor of generic wire service stories.
Ladies and gentleman of Steve-land, may I ask this of you? If you think my Retail Therapy columns should be published more than they are (and I hope you do), please do me a favor and write to Stephanie Ogilvie at Stephanie.Ogilvie@Roanoke.com and tell her that she needs to get on the ball and give the world more Steve Swain columns. Just don’t mention that I asked you to, okay.
You can't write a rebuttal to her comment for the paper? Would they allow that?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be worth the time. If you want to help, write to Stephanie and tell her how much you enjoy my columns and that you wish they ran more often.
ReplyDeleteSteve, don't take Nora Jones's comment so personally...it's clear she didn't understand what you were trying to convey, just be content to know you're far smarter than she is.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that the newspaper editor isn't supporting your column in the manner she indicated she would. Just know that you are an excellent writer and that other opportunities will arise in the future. In the meantime, no one will ever prevent you from publishing on your blog...you are reaching a lot of people through this medium, and unlike Ms. Jones, your readers here understand and appreciate what you have to say.
I know you're right, Mitch. I was being really hard on Nora, and I do reach a lot of people here.
ReplyDeleteStill, the column is something that I enjoy doing and when I don't see it appear in the paper when it should, I get upset.