What’s the Buzz? $299 Conference Rate Extended to May 15th!

By now, you’ve seen the social media hubbub about #NSNC17 – the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ 2017 Annual Conference being held June 8-11 at the Downtown Radisson Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire. The $299 reduced conference registration rate for NSNC members ended at midnight on April 30th. However,due to the high volume of inquiries over the last couple of weeks, we are extending the deadline to Monday, May 15th!

After the smashing success of our #IAmAColumnist social media campaign on April 18, National Columnists Day, more writers than ever are interested in what NSNC has to offer. NSNC’s membership numbers, contest entries, and conference registrations are on the rise, so the 2017 Conference Committee decided to extend the deadline to May 15 to accommodate newcomers.

As always, NSNC’s Annual Conference promises award-winning speakers, practical sessions, and, of course, our world-famous hospitality suite mixers – where camaraderie flows alongside cold beverages and hot conversation.

But what makes this year’s conference so intriguing? The 2017 Conference Committee has added several exciting new events to the jam-packed lineup for #NSNC17. In addition to speakers such as The New York Times’ Maureen Dowd, Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Amy Newmark, and The Boston Globe’s Brian McGrory, we’ve added new opportunities for professional development and fun.

For the first time ever, NSNC has arranged for literary agents and publishers to hear attendees’ book idea pitches at the conference. On Saturday, June 10, five literary agents and a book publisher will offer FREE one-on-one meetings with attendees. If you want to publish a book, this is your opportunity to explore literary representation and publishing!

Contact our Executive Director Suzette Standring at director@columnists.com to reserve your 10-minute pitch session.

We’ve also completely overhauled our traditional conference book fairs to offer more selling and marketing opportunities for our attendees. This year, NSNC has partnered with  New Hampshire Writers’ Project to hold our first open-to-the-public book fair. The event will be advertised on the radio, the Internet, and in print to maximize public turnout. Tables are offered for FREE to NSNC conference attendees. Email Suzette at director@columnists.com to reserve a spot.

But that’s not all. In the past, our optional Thursday-night outings consisted of a casual dinner at a local restaurant for those conference attendees who came into town early. But this year, we’re giving everyone a reason to come to Manchester early, because we’ve arranged for a special night out at the Northeast Delta Dental Stadium to watch a Fisher Cats minor league baseball game. We’ll take the short walk from our hotel to the stadium, where a section of prime seats has been reserved for #NSNC17 attendees at only $12 per ticket. Reserve those HERE.

Concessions will serve traditional baseball fare, we’ll see a fireworks show, and we may even stop at the Thirsty Moose Taphouse on our way back to the hotel. A classic summer evening!

And, by the way, other new offerings this year include free tickets for attendees to Manchester’s  Currier Museum of Art and local wine tasting from New England Uncorked in the hospitality suite.