The National Society of Newspaper Columnists (NSNC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the launch of the 2025 Annual Columnist Contest. The contest will officially kick off on January 15 and run through April 15, 2025. To enter the contest, click go to https://nsnc.submittable.com/submit
Sunshine Week, March 16-22 is an annual event in March that highlights the importance of public records and open government. NSNC supports and celebrates Sunshine Week Here's a list of upcoming events: https://sunshineweek.org/events-calendar/.
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization [501(c)3] devoted to the education and training of new and experienced columnists everywhere. Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/NSNCEdFnd
We are excited for What’s in-store for NSNC members this year. We just launched the 2025 NSNC Annual Columnist Contest, so you’ll want to be sure your membership is up-to-date. Also, if you have ideas, suggestions, etc., please share them with our President Meredith Cummings at meredithcummings@gmail.com or Executive Director Ginny McCabe at nsncdirector@gmail.com. Thank you for your support of NSNC!
HeraldTimesOnline.com Commentary Frightening scene provides practical and personal revelations By Mike Leonard mleonard@heraldt.com June 26, 2008 I see all kinds of things when I look into Mardi¹s hazel eyes: shades of blue or green, depending on the day. Silent communication signaling consternation, concern, laughter or love. I’ve seen panic in my wife’s eyes a few…
Dave Lieber, in a column on this site, suggested that we should all learn more about Ambrose Bierce. To that end, here’s my column in InterCounty Newspapers, Pennsylvania, from April 16, 2003. Of All Things By James Smart The National Society of Newspaper Columnists annually designates April 18 National Newspaper Columnists Day. That brings to…
Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star Telegram Columnist Secretary, NSNC Education Foundation I feared the worst. Of the 110 columnists whom I hosted in Grapevine, Texas three years ago for the 2005 NSNC conference, how many still have columnist jobs? I decided to find out. Sent an e-mail survey to all e-mail addresses…
Samantha Bennett Pittsburgh Post-Gazette NSNC President Got that tired, run-down feeling? Are you pressured to do more with less, slash your expenses, take on extra duties, learn technologies you’d rather not? Worst of all, are you worried that your column is getting into a rut? You can’t wangle any more vacation, and besides,…
By Bill Tammeus For a newspaper-related blog to be effective, it must give readers something useful they can’t get elsewhere and it must do that consistently. So it can’t be just another column full of words. Rather, it must offer links to related Web sites, helpful graphics, an opportunity to correspond with the blogger and…
By Samantha Bennett NSNC President I don’t mean to frighten you, but I’m also sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t know: This is a weird and scary time to be a columnist. Almost every week, it seems, another newspaper announces layoffs or buyouts. Polls show the public doesn’t trust us or…
Suzette Standring is now the Chief Correspondent for Firefighters Vs Cancer, http://www.firefightersvscancer.org, a website that promotes early cancer detection for firefighters, who have a significantly higher risk of occupational cancer. Suzette will share their stories, and the website also has a purchase link for OneTest early cancer screening kits available to the public. She also…
Sunshine Week occurs each year in mid-March, coinciding with James Madison’s birthday, March 16 (1751). Madison was a driving force behind the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and presented the first version of the Bill of Rights to Congress. He also was the fourth president of the United States. Coordinated by the nonpartisan Joseph L. Brechner Freedom…
Jerry Zezima Celebrates 40 Years of His Syndicated Humor Column! This marks the 40th anniversary of my syndicated humor column, which is distributed to 600 newspapers nationwide and abroad by Tribune News Service. I began writing my column in 1985 at my hometown paper, the Stamford (Conn.) Advocate, which still runs it. I write humor…
Enter your best work in the NSNC 2025 Annual Columnist Contest – Entries accepted through April 15. Enter here: https://nsnc.submittable.com/submit. Best of luck to all!
The Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop is bringing writers together for a special daylong virtual event, “The Virtual Erma: Stories of Our Lives Featuring Anne Lamott,” on Saturday, April 5. The day includes five live, interactive writing workshops, plus an exclusive, pre-recorded keynote from the legendary Anne Lamott. Early bird rate: $109 until March 15. For more information and to…
