Selected articles from the NSNC newsletter; only members get the entire contents of the monthly newsletter
A prospective member asked, “What do I get for my $50 if I join NSNC?” NSNC President Ben Pollock tackled the question and his spontaneous, off-the-cuff answer was so sensible that we decided to share it for the benefit of others who might wonder. President Pollock said: This is an old, hard-to-explain deal, and we consider…
The Room in the Elephant By Ben S. Pollock President National Society of Newspaper Columnists The board of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists has been cleaning up after the party in Detroit. While washing glasses and emptying the trash, we share the usual mix of gleeful recollection of anecdotes and recriminations about disasters that…
By Suzette Martinez Standring NSNC Past President “Give a little to get a lot.” I never forgot this memorable advice from Mary McCarty of the Dayton Daily News, who has won awards for unique insights often revealed in the telling details about, and the quotations from, the people featured in her columns. I work at…
President Ben Pollock has some candid comments about NSNC’s present state and planning for the future. In her bi-monthly column, Suzette Standring passes along some advice that can make a big difference in an interview. Guest columnist Lenore Skomal tells how knocking on doors can open the way to success for a book author. Special…
President’s Message By Ben S. Pollock President, National Society of Newspaper Columnists Instead of polishing this column, I should have been sewing nametags into my clothes and shaking out my sleeping bag for WordCamp. If I showed up with that stuff, even the geeks there would laugh. We’re all geeks at WordCamp, www.wordcamp.org. The…
you, the columnist By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist www.YankeeCowboy.com Nice publicity hit on the top-15-columns-of-all-time survey at the NSNC conference. Book researcher polls our membership. Results make news. Thanks to Newsweek-The Daily Beast senior political columnist John Avlon for asking us to help him do research for his new book, Deadline…
Don’t miss the August edition of the e-Columnist, which includes; — President Ben Pollock goes to WordCamp — Dave Lieber wants to know, “What’s your best column?” — New feature — Columnists Tip Sheet. All members are encouraged to participate in the sharing of information and ideas. — New books, awards and other news about…
Paneling for the Benchley Den By Ben S. Pollock NSNC President Once again, an NSNC columnist conference astounded its audience with information and fun. The June 23-26 session in Detroit catered to would-be and published book writers, gave fresh tips to free-lancers (and in “custom content” not just columns), took on humor and twisted…
Be sure to open an email with July e-Columnist in the subject line. It’s the annual conference issue of the newsletter, and it’s full of articles and photos from the “Rebound in Motown” conference in Detroit. — Suzette Martinez Standring writes a general wrapup, which contains a list of ideas that will help you be…
Roger Ebert, recipient of the 2011 Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists DETROIT, Saturday, June 25, 2011 — Following is the acceptance speech of Roger Ebert for the Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award. Ebert’s physical condition prevented him from accepting in person, but he “spoke” live via Skype from…
By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist www.YankeeCowboy.com I’m celebrating 20 years of NSNC membership. I got what I put into it. Great friends, more learning about column writing than anywhere else combined, an actual columnist job (hired while attending my first conference, no less), a lengthy career of growth and improvement, and, yes, worth…
A Columnist’s Scrapbook By Ben S. Pollock NSNC President The NSNC Conference, three days out of 365, is a highlight of my year. Apparently, I mustn’t have a life. Actually, I do have a grand life, and NSNC has been a huge part of it. So there. The conventions are a blast. I have a…
Two of our regular newsletter contributors, Ben Pollock and Dave Lieber, have been members of the NSNC for 20 years. They offer observations about the past, present and future of our organization. What Are You Writing? Some examples from three of the 2011 column writing contest finalists. Conference Chair Brian O’Connor updates the schedule for…
By Suzette Martinez Standring NSNC Past President Writing to heal. It’s what columnists do, but perhaps many of us don’t think of it that way. We entertain. We opine. We guide. But heal? Lifestyle or family columnists reach out to readers who often identify with the columnist’s emotions or a memory shared. To relate and…
By Ben S. Pollock NSNC President Had a bizarre dream the other night, that World War III had started. I saw Dianne Feinstein, she having moved up from senator to secretary of state or vice president, holding a news conference. She announced the U.S. ambassador to Turkey had died in a suspicious plane crash. A…
This year’s Will Rogers Humanitarian Award winner won’t have to go far to accept the award. She’s one of Detroit’s own. President Ben Pollock’s monthly contribution makes you want to say, “hmmm.” Suzette Standring has an interesting essay on “Writing to Heal.” Lots of news about your fellow members of the NSNC … and much…
You, the Columnist By Dave Lieber Fort Worth Star-Telegram Columnist www.YankeeCowboy.com Years ago, in this space, I wrote a piece wondering what the 21st century columnist would be like. Of course, I got it wrong. I didn’t understand how social media, not yet invented, would change what we do. I didn’t realize that the 21st…
