#NSNC16 – Los Angeles The 2016 conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists will be June 23-26 in Los Angeles. Here is the secure link to register for the conference: tinyurl.com/nsnc16la . It’ll be based at the Hotel Angeleno. Here is the link for making reservations in its NSNC room block: tinyurl.com/NatlSocietyNewspaperColumnists. We have a limited…
Member Ship By Amanda Beam NSNC Membership Chair We are you. Hold on a minute. That sounded a little too I’ve-been-eating-special-brownies-in-Denver Zen. Let me explain. Our members create the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Every volunteer on the board, all contributors, each due-paying supporter is this organization. Our existence would cease without your backing. You…
Eileen Mitchell has added another award to her collection. The writer-author-blogger from Palatine, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, is the first-place winner in the 2015 Will Rogers Writing Contest. Her essay, “Roped in by Technology,” was judged the top entry in a national competition to find the best examples of the style of writing practiced by…
The Art of Column Writing By Suzette Martinez Standring 2004-06 NSNC President Many columnists write for free on The Huffington Post, with the aim of parlaying the exposure into money elsewhere. But does it happen? Many writers have long been angry with HP for not paying its writers, but today is that feeling just as…
President’s Message By Jerry Zezima President National Society of Newspaper Columnists It’s October, the month that ends with Halloween, so I’ll begin this message with both a trick and a treat by saying that I have great news about the 2016 NSNC conference, which will be held June 23-26 in Los Angeles: We are not,…
Columnists and bloggers living or visiting in the District of Columbia area might be interested in knowing the biographical play Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End will be running this fall at Washington’s Arena Stage. The drama is part of the season’s Women’s Voices Theater Festival and runs Oct. 9 through Nov. 8, 2015. The Arena…
The October edition of The Columnist, the monthly newsletter for members of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, is out today, Thursday the first. It features more articles than usual: California Screamin’ — NSNC President Jerry Zezima previews key details of the June 2016 annual conference — in Los Angeles! Does Free Writing for HuffPost…
President’s Message By Jerry Zezima President National Society of Newspaper Columnists There is a lot to like about Will Rogers, who was a lot more than the man who never met a man he didn’t like. Born in Indian Territory (now Oologah, Oklahoma) in 1879, Rogers — part Cherokee, part cowboy, all American — was…
you, the columnist By Dave Lieber Dallas Morning News columnist As a columnist — a creative entrepreneur who communicates to the public on a regular basis — how is your personal website doing? I mean the one you operate, not the one where your column runs as part of your media company’s website. Everyone should…
Lisa Smith Molinari, whose “Meat & Potatoes of Life” column appears weekly in civilian and military newspapers across the country, is the new vice president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. “Lisa brings more to the table than meat and potatoes,” NSNC President Jerry Zezima said of Molinari, who had been an at-large board…
Rick Horowitz — a longtime member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and occasional workshop presenter at its annual conferences — will be featured in a webinar presented by the Poynter Institute’s News University. “The hour-long program, “Connecting as a Columnist: Your Voices, Your Choices,” will be aired live at 2 p.m. Eastern, Thursday,…
President’s Message By Jerry Zezima President National Society of Newspaper Columnists I barged into Spielberg’s office at DreamWorks, blew past his secretary, who was sharpening a pencil, and plopped myself down in the plush chair in front of his desk. “You owe me a big one, Steven,” I blurted. “How so, Zez?” responded Spielberg, who…
Art of Column Writing By Suzette Martinez Standring 2004-06 President National Society of Newspaper Columnists I was jealous of employed columnists. In comparison, the lot of a freelancer felt difficult, scrapping for the next job, doing “other things” while writing a column. In 2000, employed newspaper columnists were the majority in the NSNC. Now, most…
When Will Rogers died 80 years ago this month, the world lost a phenomenal figure. The “Cowboy Philosopher” from Oklahoma was an expert trick roper, star of stage, screen and radio, book author, newspaper columnist, aviation enthusiast, goodwill ambassador and humanitarian. Authorities generally agree it would be difficult, if not impossible, to replace him. But…
President’s Message By Jerry Zezima President National Society of Newspaper Columnists I had a beer with Miss Manners. Never did I think I would write that sentence. But now, with great pride and, finally, a clear head, I can say that I did, indeed, clink glasses with Judith Martin, the aforementioned empress of etiquette, even…
NSNC 2015 — Indianapolis The June 25-28 conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists inspired the writers who attended. Following are columns and stories about the 39th annual NSNC conference as well as riffs and rants it spawned. The list is not complete so it will be updated as other columns are published. Please…
By Mary Schmich Copyright © 2015 Mary Schmich When I arrived at the Chicago Tribune in 1985 to work in the features department, the features editor sat me down and asked me how I envisioned my newspaper future. “I’d like to write a column,” I chirped. She snorted. “Yeah,” she said, “you and everybody else.” And…
