The National Society of Newspaper Columnists was founded in 1977 and exists to promote professionalism and camaraderie among North American newspaper columnists. Membership is open to general interest, humor, op-ed, online, or other newspaper columnists. Academics and student columnists also are eligible to join. The annual conference is NSNC's primary event. The group also publishes a monthly newsletter, maintains this website and advocates for columnists and free-press issues. New members are welcome - please join us!
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President's Message
By Samantha Bennett
NSNC President
Just when we thought we were over our newspapers and turning our faces into the brisk wind of New Media to blog, learn HTML, Tweet or do whatever else is necessary to stay relevant and employed, the Newspaper Research Journal comes out with this: Print editions of newspapers reach more readers than Web sites.
The 2009 Will Rogers Writing Contest drew entries from many parts of the country -- north, south, east and west -- but after all the entries were reviewed, the judges concluded that none of them measured up to the standards of the contest. Therefore, no prizes were awarded.
Next year an extra effort will be put forth to make sure writers have a clear understanding of what is required to win -- how to write the kind of an essay that Will Rogers would have allowed to run under his byline. Too many of this year's entries simply missed the mark.
Others contained questionable references that the beloved commentator and columnist of the 1920s and 30s would never have put into print.
Chances of winning this contest can be vastly improved by really getting to know Will Rogers, seriously studying his writing style, and by practice, trying harder to emulate it.
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Surprising Bloomington Charms Los Angeles Columnist
Thinking about the 2010 Bloomington Conference -- now scheduled for July 8-10 instead of for June? Check out the terrific travel article by syndicated columnist, Erica Zeitlan from LA, on the Sand Diego News Network. Visiting Bloomington for a family gathering, Erica anticipated only cows and cornfields in the heartland of America, but was amazed by all the town had to offer.
What she found was a charming college town full of surprises. “It’s a socially liberal, politically progressive, ethnically diverse, quintessential college town…” she gushed.
Hey, isn’t this exactly what our Conference Chairman, Mike Leonard, has been telling us? Now here is someone else without an agenda who is saying the same thing.
It’s the home of Indiana University, a dream location for music lovers due to its acclaimed music school, according to Zeitlan. “The sheer size of the stage at IU’s Musical Arts Center is staggering.” She forgot to mention that it is also has a famous journalism school and that our hero, Ernie Pyle, went there, which greatly excites a bunch of keyboard pounding columnists like us.
Bloomington is also the home of the Kinsey Institute, famous for its research in human sexuality – not to mention the erotic art exhibitions. Now that alone could be reason for some of our more liberal-minded members to attend. For the sports enthusiasts, add the fact that Indiana University is a member of the Big Ten Conference and hosts the amateur bicycle contest featured in the movie “Breaking Away”, still worth a ticket after 30 years.
“There’s something here for all ages, mindsets, and walks of life,” says Zeitlan.
Visit the Tibetan Cultural Center, fine arts stores, dozens of eateries in downtown Bloomington, and even family attractions, such as the Wonder Lab Museum, she suggests.
Is NSNC clever for picking Indian University at Blooming for our next conference, or what? Changing the schedule to July will permit us to take full advantage of conference space available at that time only. Be sure to read the entire article by Erica Zeitlan for more information and surprising reasons to visit Indiana.
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Zezima a speaker at Bombeck Writers' Workshop
Jerry Zezima of the Stamford (Conn.) Advocate is scheduled to be a speaker next April at the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop in Dayton, Ohio.
His workshop is titled "How to Write Humor: A Subject I Know Absolutely Nothing About But Have Somehow Managed to Make More Than Minimum Wage Doing."
As newspapers and columnists continue to evolve, we hold our breath to see what happens next. Every week, we hear of another newspaper closing its doors or another columnist losing his/her job.
The reasons are varied, but they boil down to the fact that there is no money to pay the columnist. Due to the fact that I am self-syndicated, I've never had to deal with losing my sole source of income, because I've never had a sole source of income. However, even freelancers feel a pinch when a newspaper goes under.
Rather than being a potential victim, we should be asking ourselves, "How can we help?"
Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, author of "The Soloist", has had a busy year with the release of the best-selling book, promoting the movie adaptation, and countless interviews. The NSNC Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award recipient found time to be a featured speaker at our annual conference in Ventura, Calif.
Read the columnswritten about the Ventura Conference.
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THANKS TO OUR 2009 VENTURA CONFERENCE SPONSORS
Western States Petroleum Association
Limoneira Company
Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau
Southwest Airlines
Crown Plaza Hotels & Resorts
VC Reporter
Will Rogers Memorial & Birthplace
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
P.O. Box 411532
San Francisco, CA 94141
Phone: toll free (866) 440-NSNC (6762) / Fax: toll free (866) 635-5759
Jerry Zezima of the Stamford (Conn.) Advocate is scheduled to be a speaker next April at the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop in Dayton, Ohio. 
Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, author of "The Soloist", has had a busy year with the release of the best-selling book, promoting the movie adaptation, and countless interviews. The NSNC Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award recipient found time to be a featured speaker at our annual conference in Ventura, Calif.
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