Read the Rules, Select Your Category, and Enter HERE
We are accepting entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists published in 2023 for our Annual Contest. Enter here.
We are accepting entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists published in 2023.
Everyone is welcome to submit. You don’t have to be an NSNC member. However, memberships terminated for disciplinary violations are not eligible to participate.
8 Categories:
A. General Interest, Print
B. General Interest, Online and Multimedia Digital Content
C. Humor, Print
D. Humor, Online and Multimedia Digital Content
E. Sports, Print AND/OR Online/Multimedia Digital Content
F. Lifestyles, Print AND/OR Online/Multimedia Digital Content
G. Crisis, Print AND/OR Online/Multimedia Digital Content
H. Social Justice, Print AND/OR Online/Multimedia Digital Content
See our past winners here.
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER COLUMNISTS (NSNC)
ANNUAL COLUMN WRITING CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
How to Enter: Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on January 15, 2024 until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 15, 2024 (the “Promotion Period”), you may enter the 2024 NSNC Column Writing Contest (the “Promotion”) by submitting a Submission (as defined below) through the NSNC Submittable portal. Incorrect and incomplete entries are void. Each entry must also include entrant’s (“Entrant”) full name, address, phone number (including area code), and e-mail address. All Submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 15, 2024 to be eligible.
Submission Requirements: Submissions for the Promotion must consist of a full contest entry consisting of two, published column or “column-like” works representing the selected category (collectively, the “Submissions” and each, a “Submission”). Entrants should visit columnists.com (the “Website”) for additional details about the Promotion prior to creating and submitting a Submission. Each Submission should meet the following requirements: two (2) original pieces of content published between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. Content must be submitted through the NSNC Submittable portal in one of the following formats: PDF, JPEG, .mp3, .mp4. Student entrants must have been enrolled as a student during the time period for which a published work is submitted (e.g., if the work was published on May 1, 2023, the author must have been enrolled as a student at that time).
If you are selected as the prospective Winner, you may be required to execute and return releases and additional documentation supplied by Sponsor, as well as provide original and working design files, in accordance with Sponsor’s instructions or such prospective Winner will be disqualified. Incomplete and/or late Submissions will also be disqualified. Completed Submissions that are created and received within the guidelines contained in these Official Rules shall be referred to herein as “Eligible Entries”. Submissions that are not your original work and/or illegible/corrupted or incomplete entry forms will not be accepted. Sponsor reserves the right to reject any Submissions that it deems, in its sole discretion, to violate these Official Rules or any of the policies of Sponsor’s customary standards and practices.
In the event of a dispute as to any online entry, the authorized account holder of the email address used to enter will be deemed to be the Entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Potential Winners may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holders.
In addition to complying with the above, the Submission must not include: (a) content that violates any third-party rights, including, but not limited to, copyright, trademark, privacy, or publicity rights; (b) any defamatory, obscene, or illegal content; or (c) any other language or content that Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, is not reasonably related to the goals of Sponsor or the Promotion.
Representations and Warranties: By making a Submission, you represent and warrant that: (a) the Submission is an original work created solely by you; (b) you own all rights to the Submission and have obtained all necessary third-party clearances; (c) the Submission complies with all requirements of these Official Rules; and (d) you understand that other Entrants may submit original Submissions that are substantially similar to yours in content and that you shall not have any claim against Sponsor arising out of any such similarity.
Eligibility: The following individuals, and members of their households and immediate families (spouses, parents, siblings, children and each of their respective spouses), are not eligible to participate in the Promotion: (A) Judges (as defined below) (except that Judges are eligible to participate in the Promotion solely in the categories for which they are not judging); and (B) individuals that have been removed from the NSNC membership by action of the Board or by majority vote, or who are currently the subject of pending NSNC disciplinary or removal proceedings or other disputes adverse to NSNC.
Privacy: By participating in the Promotion, you hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and usage of your personal information to operate and promote the Promotion and for its internal business purposes. Except where prohibited, participation in the Promotion constitutes your consent to Sponsor’s use of your name, likeness, biographical details, and geographical information for promotional purposes related to the Promotion in any media without further payment or consideration.
Intellectual Property. Sponsor may make available to Entrant content, images, video, text, logos, or other material developed or provided by Sponsor, its employees, or agents (“Sponsor Materials”). All Sponsor Materials, including all copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, and any other proprietary rights inherent therein and appurtenant thereto, shall remain the sole and exclusive property of Sponsor. Entrant shall have no right to use, reproduce, disclose, distribute, alter, make derivative works, publish, and/or sublicense Sponsor Materials for any purpose other than in connection with the Promotion. Entrant agrees to cooperate with Sponsor to effectuate the ownership provisions of this section by taking all actions reasonably required to assert or protect Sponsor’s ownership of the Sponsor Materials. Entrant retains no rights, title, or interests in the Sponsor Materials.
Limitations of Liability: NSNC (“Sponsor”) and other participating sponsors (collectively with Sponsor, the “Promotion Entities”) their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, parent, advertising and promotion agencies, and their respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees and agents, and any and all Internet servers and access provider(s) are not responsible for: any incorrect or inaccurate entry information; human error; technical malfunctions; failures, omissions, interruption, deletion, or defect of any telephone network, computer online systems, computer equipment, server providers, or software, including any injury or damage to your or any other computer relating to or resulting from participation in this Promotion; inability to access the Website or send e-mail; theft, tampering, destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries; transactions that are processed late or incorrectly or are incomplete or lost due to computer or electronic malfunction or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site; printing or human or other errors; and any entries which are late, lost, incomplete, misdirected, stolen, or any combination thereof. Online submission is not considered proof of delivery or receipt. By entering, you agree to release, discharge, indemnify and hold harmless the Promotion Entities and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, their respective representatives and agents, advertising and promotion agencies, promotion partners and prize suppliers, and all of their respective affiliated companies, employees, officers, directors and shareholders, from and against all claims and damages or liability arising in connection with your participation and/or entry in the Promotion and/or your receipt or use of any prize awarded in this Promotion or due to any injuries, damages or losses to any person (including death) or property of any kind resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of any prize or participation in any Promotion-related activity or participation in this Promotion. Except where prohibited by law, the Winner’s entry and acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for the Promotion Entities to use said Winner’s names, photographs, likenesses, statements, biographical information, voices, and city and state addresses on a worldwide basis, and in all forms of media, in perpetuity, without further compensation. If by reason of a printing or other error, more prizes are claimed than the number set forth in these rules, all persons making purportedly valid claims will be included in a random drawing to award the advertised number of prizes available in the prize category in question. No more than the advertised number of prizes will be awarded.
How winners will be Determined: Judging occurs in two separate tiers. Sponsor will select, at its sole discretion, a panel of First Round Judges for each category and a single Final Round Judge for each category (collectively, “Judges”). After the Promotion Period, First Round Judges will be assigned, at random, Submissions in their respective category. First Round Judges will evaluate all Submissions assigned to them and select a group of finalist Submissions (each, a “Finalist”) based on the following judging criteria (the “Judging Criteria”): (a) 34% based on overall effectiveness of content; (b) 33% based on writing capabilities; and (c) 33% based on category-specific and Judge-specific factors. Finalists will not be notified unless they are selected as a first, second, third place or honorable mention winner.
Each Finalist confirmed by Sponsor to be eligible and to have an eligible Submission associated with it will proceed to a final round. The Final Round Judge will evaluate all Finalists in their respective category based on the same judging criteria used in the First Round (although the Final Round Judge may reach different conclusions than the First Round Judges about how the judging criteria applies to each Finalist). The Final Round Judge will select a First Place Winner for their respective category. The Final Round Judge may also select a Second Place Winner, Third Place Winner, and up to two (2) Honorable Mention designations from their assigned Finalist entries in a specific category, although a Final Round Judge, in conjunction with the NSNC Board, may decide not to select any Finalists in their category for Second Place, Third Place, or Honorable Mention. Collectively, selected First Place, Second Place, and Third Place Winners and Honorable Mentions are “Winners.” Sponsor reserves the right to remove a Finalist at its sole discretion and without advance notice.
Ties will be broken based on an equitable method determined by Sponsor at its sole discretion. All results are unofficial until verified by Sponsor. Sponsor’s decisions with respect to the Finalists, voting, Winners, and other matters pertaining to the Promotion shall be final.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these Official Rules, if at any time during the Promotion Period, the judging rounds or at any time thereafter, the Sponsor determines that no eligible entrants exist from which to determine a Winner, then Sponsor may in its sole and exclusive discretion determine that no eligible contestants exist, and then may either suspend or terminate the Promotion or modify it (or any parts thereof) in any equitable manner that Sponsor deems appropriate in its sole and exclusive discretion, including, without limitation, by not awarding any one or more of the prizes set forth in these Official Rules.
Conditions of Entry: Entry materials that have been tampered with or altered are void. If in the Sponsor’s opinion there is any suspected or actual evidence of electronic or non-electronic tampering with any portion of the Promotion, or if computer virus, bugs, unauthorized intervention, fraud, or technical difficulties or failures compromise or corrupt or affect the administration, integrity, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Promotion, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process and void any entries submitted fraudulently, to modify, suspend, or terminate the Promotion, or to conduct a random drawing to award the prizes using all eligible, non-suspect entries received as of the termination date. Should the Promotion be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, notice will be posted on the Website. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of each Winner based on an email address, the winning entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at time of entry. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY YOU TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY’S FEES) FROM YOU TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
Ownership of Submissions: You retain ownership of your Submission, including, without limitation, all copyright, trademark, and other proprietary rights in and to the Submission. By submitting your Submission, you grant Sponsor the royalty-free rights to: (i) copy, distribute, and make derivative works of your Submission in connection with operating and promoting the Promotion; and (ii) if your Submission wins, copy, distribute, reproduce, adapt, modify, publicly display, publicly perform, create derivative works, and publish your Submission, on its own or together with other winning Submissions, in its sole discretion, in any manner or form throughout the world, in perpetuity.
Prizes: Prizes: First, Second, and Third Place Winners and Honorable Mentions will receive certificates at the mailing address indicated at the time of entry.
Disputes/Governing Law: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these rules, or the rights and obligations of any entrant or the Promotion Entities in connection with the Promotion, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Delaware without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions which would cause the application or the laws of any jurisdiction other than Delaware. Any action or litigation concerning this Agreement shall take place exclusively in the federal or state courts sitting in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, and you expressly consent to the jurisdiction of and venue in such courts and waive all defenses of lack of jurisdiction and inconvenient forum with respect to such courts. Any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with this Promotion, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. ANY CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND/OR AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THIS PROMOTION. YOU HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHTS OR CLAIMS TO ATTORNEY’S FEES, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ENTRANT, IDENTIFIABLE PERSONS, OR THIRD PARTY PARTICIPANTS, WHETHER FORESEEABLE OR NOT AND WHETHER BASED ON NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE.
Winner List: The winners of the NSNC Annual Columnist Contest will be announced at the NSNC 2024 Annual Conference – Held Virtually – at an awards ceremony on Saturday, July 20. After the winners announcement is made on Saturday, July 20, you may obtain a list of the winners by going to the NSNC Website: www.columnists.com.
Sponsor: NATIONAL SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER COLUMNISTS, 205 GUN HILL STREET, MILTON, MA 02186
