By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram No matter what crevice of Ernie Pyle’s life you look into, you find something interesting, honest and authentically American. His real name was Ernest, after all. April 18 marks the 18th annual celebration of the NSNC’s National Columnists Day, a project former NSNC President Bill Tammeus and I…
There’s a new candidate on the slate of officers proposed for election at the annual membership meeting on Sunday, May 6 in the closing session of the 2012 Conference in Macon, Ga. It’s none other than the outgoing president, Ben Pollock. When Tracy Beckerman withdrew as a nominee for the Web Editor position for personal…
Don Fry spoke to our National Society of Newspaper Columnists last June. You may remember his striking common sense and optimism about writing. He has just published a book entitled “Writing Your Way, Creating Your own Writing Process that Works for You” (Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 2012). The book is available from local bookstores and from Amazon…
By Ben S. Pollock NSNC President It must have been this time of year in 1999, I was on the phone with my mom about soon flying to Louisville, Ky., for that year’s NSNC conference. “You go there and ‘network’ your heart out. That’s what they call it now, right? Chat people up and…
A Book That Includes A Lot About Our Organization! Comic (and Column) Confessional, a memoir by NSNC board member Dave Astor, has found a publisher. The part-humorous book — which will be released this June by Xenos Press — is about Dave’s 25 years at Editor & Publisher magazine covering columnists, cartoonists, and newspaper syndication.…
An Arkansas journalist who has fought against injustice and strove to produce positive change over four decades is the 2012 winner of the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award. Mike Masterson, staff columnist and opinion editor for the Northwest edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, will be honored by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists at its annual…
Nancy Grace Love her or hate her, your readers know Nancy Grace. They know her as the outspoken legal analyst on CNN’s Headline News and ABC’s Good Morning America … or as a gritty competitor on last season’s “Dancing With the Stars” series. – You’ll get to meet her and judge for yourself when you…
Writers’ Academy Article previously published in Freelance Focus at PR Newswire, 3/21/2012 By Suzette Martinez Standring Maybe you write an informational or how-to column or blog based on a passionate interest. A popular column is an unbeatable platform for self-expression. Whether it’s about woodworking, social media, or pets, prepare your pitch to an…
How Lewis Grizzard Shaped American Newspaper Column Writing. Dedra Grizzard, wife of the late, great humorist, special guest.
– TOUR THE BIG HOUSE – ALLMAN BROTHERS MUSEUM – MACON GEORGIA – MAY 4 – When Capricorn Records was around, with the likes of The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band and Wet Willie, Macon was the epicenter of rock ‘n’ roll.
Brian J. O’Connor, The Detroit News, was named a finalist in commentary in the Scripps Howard National Journalism Awards, honors the best work in the communications industry and journalism education. O’Connor was Chair of the NSNC Annual Conference last year in Detroit and is currently a member of the Board of Directors. The Scripps Howard…
It’s cherry blossom time in Macon, Ga. We lay claim to being the cherry blossom capital of the universe and the city’s more than 300,000 flowering Yoshino cherry trees are in all their glory for the 30th annual International Cherry Blossom Festival. We call it the “Pinkest Party on Earth!” Macon is the prettiest place…
By Ed Grisamore The (Macon) Telegraph NSNC 2012 Conference Chair Column writers attending the 36th annual NSNC Conference in Macon, Ga., May 3-6 will find a lively mix of humor and politics, served up Southern style A special guest will be Dedra Grizzard, widow of the late, great humorist Lewis Grizzard. She is expected to…
The Robert Benchley Society has opened its 2012 Humor Writing Competition. Entries to the contest should be “Benchleyesque (in the sense of reflecting the Benchley style and humor).” Comedian Arte Johnson will serve as celebrity judge and present awards at the Ninth Robert Benchley Society International Annual Gathering, to be held this autumn in Los Angeles. The deadline…
By Don McNay, NSNC member Author, ‘Wealth Without Wall Street: A Main Street Guide to Making Money’ “where do broken hearts go” -Whitney Houston I was lucky. I’ve had tornadoes go directly over my house, on two different days last week, and not touch down. Many of my neighbors in Kentucky and surrounding states…
Wanda Argersinger Wanda Argersinger, NSNC member from Gulf Breeze, Florida, was selected as an Honorable Mention in the Humor – Global category of the 2012 Erma Bombeck writing competition. The contest is sponsored by Washington-Centerville Library in Ohio and the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. Wanda’s winning entry, “Goodbye Old Flame” was about changing computer technology…
By Suzette Martinez Standring Whether you write op-ed, humor, lifestyle or other columns, heartfelt expression is a goal. Relaxation unlocks creativity, and I use guided imagery exercises in my writing workshops to mine memories for sensory details and emotions. Self-hypnosis, meditation, guided imagery, and trance are all the same things, and the process is common…
