June 4, 2025 • 14 mins
Sometimes in his writing career, Craig Reed lucked into finding great magazine stories. Other times, finding great stories depended on effort and a strategy to look in the right places. At StoryConnect 2025 Craig shared those story-searching strategies and what to do with a story when you find it.
Special: Live at StoryConnect 2025
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro:
A production of Pioneer Utility Resources. (00:06):
undefined
StoryConnect, helping communicators discover ideas to shape their stories and connect with their customers.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Finding local features – where are the great stories hiding in your community? (00:16):
undefined
That's what we'll be talking about on this episode of The StoryConnect Podcast.
Hi, I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe, one of the storytellers at Pioneer Utility Resources,
and I am joined by Craig Reid, a freelance writer for not one, not two,
but four electric co-ops in Oregon (00:39):
Douglas Electric, Lane Electric,
Mid-State Electric, and Blatchley Lane Electric Co-op.
Craig, thank you so much for being here.
Craig Reed: You're welcome. (00:51):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: I'm excited. I don't know if you are, but I'm really excited about this today. (00:52):
undefined
If you notice anything different, like wild applause in the background,
it's because we're recording live at StoryConnect 2025, in sunny Saint Augustine,
Florida, with 100 utility pioneers from across the nation.
(01:14):
And this episode of The StoryConnect Podcast is sponsored by our co-op friends at Meridian Cooperative,
who use powerful innovations to empower utilities.
We love that they support utility storytellers.
Now, Craig, you have covered several Oregon communities for more than four decades,
and you're just getting started.
(01:34):
First, you were a newspaper editor, and now you're a writer for not one,
but four utilities. We need to know your secret, right?
I assume you have one.
Craig Reed: My secret is everybody has a story. (01:45):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (01:47):
undefined
Craig Reed: Everybody out there has a story. (01:49):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Shortest podcast episode ever. No, everyone has a story, but how do you (01:51):
undefined
find those story ideas that connect with the readers?
Because everyone has a story, but not everyone wants to tell it. I mean, I've been wanting to get you on the podcast for ages, and
this is our first time. So how do you find the stories that everyone has inside of them?
Craig Reed: Well, for Douglas Electric, I've lived in that territory for 50 years, (02:15):
undefined
and I worked for a newspaper, that same newspaper, for 42 years.
So I know the area, and the co-op management turns me loose, and lets me come up with my
own ideas. Every once in a while, probably twice a year, they'll suggest something.
(02:39):
The other three co-ops that I don't live in, I work through their member services people.
And when I do do interviews, I usually ask the source, when I'm done with the interview,
I go, "Do you have any friends, neighbor?.
Do you know anybody with an interesting story?" And I write that down.
(02:59):
And I also go to two annual meetings for Midstate and for Douglas.
And I have a table that they set up for me with a banner that says Rural ite.
And I stand at that table for 1 or 2 hours.
People come by. There's magazines on the table in front of me that,
you know, they all have the Ruralite covers.
(03:20):
And they go, "Oh, I love your magazine." And I go, "What?
Do you know anybody that wants to be featured in the magazine?" And I'll write it down in my own notebook,
or the co-op will give me little slips of paper, and I'll hand those to people that says,
"W hat's your story idea? What's your contact?
What's a phone number?"
Megan McKoy-Noe: W e worked together on that almost a decade ago now, I think, Craig, (03:41):
undefined
because you were doing that. You were showing up at the annual meetings, and you're like, how do I make sure folks know I'm
legit? I think you look legit as you are, sir, but you were asking.
And we sent you a Ruralite shirt with the logo on it so folks would know that you were a writer for Rural ite.
(04:02):
And then we work together on pop up banners that said, "Share your story," I believe.
And some slips of paper. And it's a super easy thing for y'all to provide and have at y'all's meetings,
or even I would say you could even have it with the member service reps and at the office,
if they hear about a story, and it just says share your story.
Craig Reed: And the other source that I use are the board of directors. (04:22):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (04:27):
undefined
Craig Reed: The member service people that I deal with. (04:27):
undefined
I go, I haven't been to a board meeting, but I've offered to go.
But the member service people say, "Oh, I'll do that." So supposedly they're at the board meetings,
going to their five, seven, nine board members saying, "We're looking for story ideas for the cover for Ruralite .
(04:50):
Who's in your territory and your district that would be an interesting story?" We don't get many ideas from those board of
directors, but we get a few. And sometimes when we write about this district 3 or 4 times in a row,
this district over here goes, "How come they're getting all the recognition?" Well –
Megan McKoy-Noe: L ittle competition with the directors there. (05:08):
undefined
I like it.
Craig Reed: "That director is giving us ideas. You aren't." So you can work through the board of directors too. (05:12):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Okay. I like sparking controversy with the board. (05:17):
undefined
That is so much fun to do. Yes. S o I love the idea of using the staff and talking,
not just the folks in the communications department. And I think,
I don't know about y'all, but, Craig, sometimes I can feel like I've reached out to all my contacts,
but using the staff and asking them, who are you talking to?
(05:42):
What stories are you hearing? And then the networking that you build on after that.
Do you just have a Rolodex? Or I guess folks don't use Rolodexes anymore.
Craig Reed: Well, I have a Ruralite ideas in my computer. (05:51):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (05:56):
undefined
Craig Reed: And it's got Blachley. It's got Douglas. (05:57):
undefined
It's got Lane, and it's got Midstate.
And when an idea comes in, I put it under whatever the co-op is.
The other idea that I haven't mentioned are the linemen.
They are out boots on the ground, and supposedly the member service people talk to them and say,
(06:18):
"Hey, when you're out putting a pole in and the neighbor comes out or the property owner comes out and says,
"Hey, you want to see my wood shop?
You want to see where I'm, you know, making something interesting?" Or,
"I'm a retiree that's doing history or whatever." Hopefully the linemen will come back to the office and
(06:39):
tell somebody, "Hey, you ought to go talk to this guy." That has happened a couple of times.
So the linemen are out there in the community and they can help you too.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah, that's a great point, Craig. (06:49):
undefined
Your lineworkers are one of your first lines of contact with your members in your community,
so make sure they know that you need those stories as well.
So those are how you, ways that you find those stories.
But not every story is really engaging, right?
So what story have you had the most feedback on?
Craig Reed: Well, I've been writing stories for 50 years. (07:14):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: You're just getting started, I know. (07:17):
undefined
Craig Reed: That tells you how long I've been doing this. But most recently, and I'm going to give Midstate Electric that's based in La Pine, (07:18):
undefined
Oregon, credit. T hey contributed several thousand dollars to the honor
flight trip. And if you don't know what Honor Flight is, it's a nonprofit that sends veterans to the memorials in
(07:42):
Washington, DC. And so Midstate made a big donation, and I think they have for a few years.
And they were telling me when the trip is over and those veterans come back,
we'd like you to write a Ruralite story.
And I said to management, "Oh, it'd be so great to go with them and see their reaction at the Vietnam Wall and at the Korean War
(08:08):
Veterans Memorial." And they said, "Why don't you apply to be a guardian?" I'm not a veteran.
I was almost a Vietnam veteran, but I barely missed it.
Thank you. But they said apply to be a guardian, which I did.
They accepted me. Midstate Electric paid my fee.
I went. There were 25 veterans, and there were 25 guardians.
(08:32):
Each veteran has a guardian. And there was about ten staff, so it was about 60 of us.
And this was two years ago. On the trip, I found out there was a veteran from Oregon Trail.
There was a veteran from Central Oregon.
There were veterans from Midstate Electric, and Mike Teegarden asked me to do a basic book story.
Megan McKoy-Noe: That means it's shared not just with one utility, but with everyone that is using the Ruralite magazine. (08:53):
undefined
Craig Reed: So when I got back, I had about ten days to write four stories, all centered. (09:01):
undefined
One for basic book, one talking to the veterans that were Midstate people,
talking to the one Korean veteran who was the Oregon Trail, and then talking to a couple who were Central Oregon.
And it was emotional for me to see those 25
(09:28):
veterans at their memorials. And then on the airplane coming back,
I had an empty seat next to me, and I interviewed about 15 guys between Washington DC.
and Seattle. They just came and sat with me.
My laptop didn't run out of charge, and I was able to interview all of them and turn it into
(09:51):
Ruralite stories. I think there was quite a bit of feedback on, positive feedback,
on those stories that went to those Ruralite for those co-ops.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, Craig, I love that so much, and I love that you applied to be a guardian. (10:03):
undefined
I think all of us, as folks in the community, are guardians of our community stories and keeping our ears
open, forming that network, making sure all of your staff.
I mean, you could probably make it a competition at your utility if you wanted to try to find ways to encourage your staff to send
(10:26):
these stories in because they hear them, they might just know how valuable those stories are.
So I love that you were able to do that and find more stories along the way.
It seems like it always works out like that.
Craig Reed: What I like is, I write positive feature stories. (10:39):
undefined
That's what people tell me at the annual meetings that they like about the magazine other than power rates.
That they like everything else about the magazine because it's all positive.
I don't write about power rates.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Look at you. So you've been in the industry long enough. (10:56):
undefined
You pick your stories and have fun with them.
And that's what's building these relationships with the folks in the community.
And they might not like power rates, but they're seeing folks that they know on the cover,
and they want to read those stories.
And so that, even though the power rates are in there, too, it's all part of the package and part of how we're sharing
(11:20):
our stories now. Last question before I let you go, Craig, because we've got lots of fun stuff that we're doing at
StoryConnect. You've been mining communities for stories most of your career as a journalist and a freelance writer,
but some folks are just getting started.
They're coming into the community.
They don't have those roots like you have.
(11:42):
What advice do you have for somebody who is starting out looking as a story scout in their community?
What's the best thing they can do to get started?
No pressure.
Craig Reed: Don't be offended if somebody says, "I don't want to be interviewed." (12:01):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: You turned me down the first couple of times. (12:06):
undefined
Yeah.
Craig Reed: You can't twist an arm, and if they don't want to be interviewed, (12:09):
undefined
they're not going to be a good interview.
So move on to another story. I've been turned down a few times.
O ne person that had a gun collection didn't want to publicize it.
S omebody that had a really nice antique car collection didn't want to publicize it.
(12:30):
You can guess why.
Megan McKoy-Noe: You can guess why, yeah. (12:32):
undefined
Craig Reed: And then, you know, back in the early (12:33):
undefined
70s, when I was going through journalism classes.
It was Q&A, Q&A, Q&A. I like to have conversations in my interviews rather than a
Q&A, and I'll even insert a little bit of myself, who I am so early in a
(13:00):
conversation so that the person I'm talking to knows that I'm just an everyday person,
too. If you're talking farming or ranching, I'll go, "Oh, I'm from a ranch.
My parents were ranchers." And add a little bit about that.
You know, if they say something that you can connect with and say a little bit about who you are,
(13:21):
it's not part of the conversation.
It's not something you're going to use in the story, but it gives them a little bit about who you are.
You're just not somebody that's sitting there getting all about them.
It's a back and forth. It's a conversation.
Megan McKoy-Noe: You're building trust. You're building connections (13:39):
undefined
Craig Reed: That's a good way to put it. (13:41):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah, and that's how you build your story together. (13:43):
undefined
You want them comfortable so that you can find out more about them and help connect them to your broader community.
Well, thank you so much for sharing your story with utility pioneers.
He is Craig Reed and I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe at Pioneer Utility Resources.
(14:03):
And until we talk again, keep telling your story.
Outro: StoryConnect is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources, a communications cooperative that is built to share your story. (14:13):
undefined
undefined
StoryConnect, helping communicators discover ideas to shape their stories and connect with their customers.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Finding local features – where are the great stories hiding in your community? (00:16):
undefined
That's what we'll be talking about on this episode of The StoryConnect Podcast.
Hi, I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe, one of the storytellers at Pioneer Utility Resources,
and I am joined by Craig Reid, a freelance writer for not one, not two,
but four electric co-ops in Oregon (00:39):
Douglas Electric, Lane Electric,
Mid-State Electric, and Blatchley Lane Electric Co-op.
Craig, thank you so much for being here.
Craig Reed: You're welcome. (00:51):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: I'm excited. I don't know if you are, but I'm really excited about this today. (00:52):
undefined
If you notice anything different, like wild applause in the background,
it's because we're recording live at StoryConnect 2025, in sunny Saint Augustine,
Florida, with 100 utility pioneers from across the nation.
(01:14):
And this episode of The StoryConnect Podcast is sponsored by our co-op friends at Meridian Cooperative,
who use powerful innovations to empower utilities.
We love that they support utility storytellers.
Now, Craig, you have covered several Oregon communities for more than four decades,
and you're just getting started.
(01:34):
First, you were a newspaper editor, and now you're a writer for not one,
but four utilities. We need to know your secret, right?
I assume you have one.
Craig Reed: My secret is everybody has a story. (01:45):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (01:47):
undefined
Craig Reed: Everybody out there has a story. (01:49):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Shortest podcast episode ever. No, everyone has a story, but how do you (01:51):
undefined
find those story ideas that connect with the readers?
Because everyone has a story, but not everyone wants to tell it. I mean, I've been wanting to get you on the podcast for ages, and
this is our first time. So how do you find the stories that everyone has inside of them?
Craig Reed: Well, for Douglas Electric, I've lived in that territory for 50 years, (02:15):
undefined
and I worked for a newspaper, that same newspaper, for 42 years.
So I know the area, and the co-op management turns me loose, and lets me come up with my
own ideas. Every once in a while, probably twice a year, they'll suggest something.
(02:39):
The other three co-ops that I don't live in, I work through their member services people.
And when I do do interviews, I usually ask the source, when I'm done with the interview,
I go, "Do you have any friends, neighbor?.
Do you know anybody with an interesting story?" And I write that down.
(02:59):
And I also go to two annual meetings for Midstate and for Douglas.
And I have a table that they set up for me with a banner that says Rural ite.
And I stand at that table for 1 or 2 hours.
People come by. There's magazines on the table in front of me that,
you know, they all have the Ruralite covers.
(03:20):
And they go, "Oh, I love your magazine." And I go, "What?
Do you know anybody that wants to be featured in the magazine?" And I'll write it down in my own notebook,
or the co-op will give me little slips of paper, and I'll hand those to people that says,
"W hat's your story idea? What's your contact?
What's a phone number?"
Megan McKoy-Noe: W e worked together on that almost a decade ago now, I think, Craig, (03:41):
undefined
because you were doing that. You were showing up at the annual meetings, and you're like, how do I make sure folks know I'm
legit? I think you look legit as you are, sir, but you were asking.
And we sent you a Ruralite shirt with the logo on it so folks would know that you were a writer for Rural ite.
(04:02):
And then we work together on pop up banners that said, "Share your story," I believe.
And some slips of paper. And it's a super easy thing for y'all to provide and have at y'all's meetings,
or even I would say you could even have it with the member service reps and at the office,
if they hear about a story, and it just says share your story.
Craig Reed: And the other source that I use are the board of directors. (04:22):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (04:27):
undefined
Craig Reed: The member service people that I deal with. (04:27):
undefined
I go, I haven't been to a board meeting, but I've offered to go.
But the member service people say, "Oh, I'll do that." So supposedly they're at the board meetings,
going to their five, seven, nine board members saying, "We're looking for story ideas for the cover for Ruralite .
(04:50):
Who's in your territory and your district that would be an interesting story?" We don't get many ideas from those board of
directors, but we get a few. And sometimes when we write about this district 3 or 4 times in a row,
this district over here goes, "How come they're getting all the recognition?" Well –
Megan McKoy-Noe: L ittle competition with the directors there. (05:08):
undefined
I like it.
Craig Reed: "That director is giving us ideas. You aren't." So you can work through the board of directors too. (05:12):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Okay. I like sparking controversy with the board. (05:17):
undefined
That is so much fun to do. Yes. S o I love the idea of using the staff and talking,
not just the folks in the communications department. And I think,
I don't know about y'all, but, Craig, sometimes I can feel like I've reached out to all my contacts,
but using the staff and asking them, who are you talking to?
(05:42):
What stories are you hearing? And then the networking that you build on after that.
Do you just have a Rolodex? Or I guess folks don't use Rolodexes anymore.
Craig Reed: Well, I have a Ruralite ideas in my computer. (05:51):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Oh. (05:56):
undefined
Craig Reed: And it's got Blachley. It's got Douglas. (05:57):
undefined
It's got Lane, and it's got Midstate.
And when an idea comes in, I put it under whatever the co-op is.
The other idea that I haven't mentioned are the linemen.
They are out boots on the ground, and supposedly the member service people talk to them and say,
(06:18):
"Hey, when you're out putting a pole in and the neighbor comes out or the property owner comes out and says,
"Hey, you want to see my wood shop?
You want to see where I'm, you know, making something interesting?" Or,
"I'm a retiree that's doing history or whatever." Hopefully the linemen will come back to the office and
(06:39):
tell somebody, "Hey, you ought to go talk to this guy." That has happened a couple of times.
So the linemen are out there in the community and they can help you too.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah, that's a great point, Craig. (06:49):
undefined
Your lineworkers are one of your first lines of contact with your members in your community,
so make sure they know that you need those stories as well.
So those are how you, ways that you find those stories.
But not every story is really engaging, right?
So what story have you had the most feedback on?
Craig Reed: Well, I've been writing stories for 50 years. (07:14):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: You're just getting started, I know. (07:17):
undefined
Craig Reed: That tells you how long I've been doing this. But most recently, and I'm going to give Midstate Electric that's based in La Pine, (07:18):
undefined
Oregon, credit. T hey contributed several thousand dollars to the honor
flight trip. And if you don't know what Honor Flight is, it's a nonprofit that sends veterans to the memorials in
(07:42):
Washington, DC. And so Midstate made a big donation, and I think they have for a few years.
And they were telling me when the trip is over and those veterans come back,
we'd like you to write a Ruralite story.
And I said to management, "Oh, it'd be so great to go with them and see their reaction at the Vietnam Wall and at the Korean War
(08:08):
Veterans Memorial." And they said, "Why don't you apply to be a guardian?" I'm not a veteran.
I was almost a Vietnam veteran, but I barely missed it.
Thank you. But they said apply to be a guardian, which I did.
They accepted me. Midstate Electric paid my fee.
I went. There were 25 veterans, and there were 25 guardians.
(08:32):
Each veteran has a guardian. And there was about ten staff, so it was about 60 of us.
And this was two years ago. On the trip, I found out there was a veteran from Oregon Trail.
There was a veteran from Central Oregon.
There were veterans from Midstate Electric, and Mike Teegarden asked me to do a basic book story.
Megan McKoy-Noe: That means it's shared not just with one utility, but with everyone that is using the Ruralite magazine. (08:53):
undefined
Craig Reed: So when I got back, I had about ten days to write four stories, all centered. (09:01):
undefined
One for basic book, one talking to the veterans that were Midstate people,
talking to the one Korean veteran who was the Oregon Trail, and then talking to a couple who were Central Oregon.
And it was emotional for me to see those 25
(09:28):
veterans at their memorials. And then on the airplane coming back,
I had an empty seat next to me, and I interviewed about 15 guys between Washington DC.
and Seattle. They just came and sat with me.
My laptop didn't run out of charge, and I was able to interview all of them and turn it into
(09:51):
Ruralite stories. I think there was quite a bit of feedback on, positive feedback,
on those stories that went to those Ruralite for those co-ops.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Well, Craig, I love that so much, and I love that you applied to be a guardian. (10:03):
undefined
I think all of us, as folks in the community, are guardians of our community stories and keeping our ears
open, forming that network, making sure all of your staff.
I mean, you could probably make it a competition at your utility if you wanted to try to find ways to encourage your staff to send
(10:26):
these stories in because they hear them, they might just know how valuable those stories are.
So I love that you were able to do that and find more stories along the way.
It seems like it always works out like that.
Craig Reed: What I like is, I write positive feature stories. (10:39):
undefined
That's what people tell me at the annual meetings that they like about the magazine other than power rates.
That they like everything else about the magazine because it's all positive.
I don't write about power rates.
Megan McKoy-Noe: Look at you. So you've been in the industry long enough. (10:56):
undefined
You pick your stories and have fun with them.
And that's what's building these relationships with the folks in the community.
And they might not like power rates, but they're seeing folks that they know on the cover,
and they want to read those stories.
And so that, even though the power rates are in there, too, it's all part of the package and part of how we're sharing
(11:20):
our stories now. Last question before I let you go, Craig, because we've got lots of fun stuff that we're doing at
StoryConnect. You've been mining communities for stories most of your career as a journalist and a freelance writer,
but some folks are just getting started.
They're coming into the community.
They don't have those roots like you have.
(11:42):
What advice do you have for somebody who is starting out looking as a story scout in their community?
What's the best thing they can do to get started?
No pressure.
Craig Reed: Don't be offended if somebody says, "I don't want to be interviewed." (12:01):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: You turned me down the first couple of times. (12:06):
undefined
Yeah.
Craig Reed: You can't twist an arm, and if they don't want to be interviewed, (12:09):
undefined
they're not going to be a good interview.
So move on to another story. I've been turned down a few times.
O ne person that had a gun collection didn't want to publicize it.
S omebody that had a really nice antique car collection didn't want to publicize it.
(12:30):
You can guess why.
Megan McKoy-Noe: You can guess why, yeah. (12:32):
undefined
Craig Reed: And then, you know, back in the early (12:33):
undefined
70s, when I was going through journalism classes.
It was Q&A, Q&A, Q&A. I like to have conversations in my interviews rather than a
Q&A, and I'll even insert a little bit of myself, who I am so early in a
(13:00):
conversation so that the person I'm talking to knows that I'm just an everyday person,
too. If you're talking farming or ranching, I'll go, "Oh, I'm from a ranch.
My parents were ranchers." And add a little bit about that.
You know, if they say something that you can connect with and say a little bit about who you are,
(13:21):
it's not part of the conversation.
It's not something you're going to use in the story, but it gives them a little bit about who you are.
You're just not somebody that's sitting there getting all about them.
It's a back and forth. It's a conversation.
Megan McKoy-Noe: You're building trust. You're building connections (13:39):
undefined
Craig Reed: That's a good way to put it. (13:41):
undefined
Megan McKoy-Noe: Yeah, and that's how you build your story together. (13:43):
undefined
You want them comfortable so that you can find out more about them and help connect them to your broader community.
Well, thank you so much for sharing your story with utility pioneers.
He is Craig Reed and I'm your host, Megan McKoy-Noe at Pioneer Utility Resources.
(14:03):
And until we talk again, keep telling your story.
Outro: StoryConnect is produced by Pioneer Utility Resources, a communications cooperative that is built to share your story. (14:13):
undefined
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