NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Now Open

Sunshine Week March 15-21, 2026

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

Join NSNC and Reap the Benefits!

NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Now Open

Contest submissions now open! We are accepting entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists  for our 2026 Annual Columnist Contest (for work published in 2025). We will accept entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists published in 2025.  Everyone is welcome to submit. You don’t have to be an NSNC member.

Sunshine Week March 15-21, 2026

We’re counting down to #SunshineWeek 2026, March 15-21. Together, we champion #OpenRecords and #OpenGovernment nationwide March 15-21. #FOIA #transparency. Free resources: sunshineweek.org

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

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

Join NSNC and Reap the Benefits!

We are excited for What’s in-store for NSNC members this year. We are gearing up to launch the NSNC Annual Columnist Contest on January 15, 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!

Uncommonly Forged Partnership Honors Chronicler of ‘the Common Man’

Ernie Pyle is at center. Photo courtesy Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation

By Lisa Smith Molinari NSNC President There was once a folksy columnist and distinguished wartime chronicler who left such an indelible mark on journalism that NSNC gives its most prestigious award in his name, and celebrates National Columnists Day in his honor. That journalist was Ernie Pyle, and today NSNC is proud to announce a…

Using Scenes in Your Leads

You, the columnist By Dave Lieber Dallas Morning News columnist   On my 2018 to-do list for column writing: “Need scenes for leads. Need dialogue.” How do the masters do it? I run to my bookshelf and start pulling classic lead scenes for inspiration. What do you think of these? * Ellen Goodman: The man…

Looking for Humanitarian Writers

By Robert Haught Hurricanes, floods, forest fires, and other tragic events have struck several parts of the country this past year. If your community suffered a natural disaster, did local news media get involved in coming to the aid of victims, during and after the event? Was there an individual columnist or other writer who…

Vice President Mike Morin Resigns

By Suzette Martinez Standring, NSNC Executive Director After a successful, active time on the NSNC board, Mike Morin has resigned as vice president for personal reasons. “Barb, my partner of over a decade, has had Type I diabetes for 40 years. The resulting health issues for her now include heart disease and other significant collateral…

Welcome Chris Carosa, NSNC Vice President

By Suzette Standring NSNC Executive Director The NSNC welcomes Chris Carosa as our new vice president.  The weekly columnist with The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel of New York stepped into the vice presidency after Mike Morin resigned mid-term.   Carosa said, “I’m very honored to be invited to serve. I’ve always sought out groups that I…

Full speed ahead! NSNC Sails Into the New Year

By Lisa Smith Molinari NSNC President One year ago, NSNC was in a very different place than it is today. Like most journalism organizations experiencing Digital Age shifts, NSNC was seeing a decline in dues-paying members, a reduction in income, and increasing difficulty raising funds. Some got desperate, and either agreed to be swallowed up…