Welcome! Whether you write for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, trade journals or you create a podcast or write digital content, or you manage your own blog … whether you’re on staff, a freelancer, syndicated, self-syndicated or independent, if you write opinion or provide commentary, we invite you to join the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Join us at https://www.columnists.com/join-or-renew-membership/.
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
by Suzette Martinez Standring photo by Cynthia Ballard Borris In Manchester, New Hampshire, Boston Globe columnist Derrick Z. Jackson opened with lyrics from the play “Hamilton,” which he customized to columnists. It was an apt segue into a talk by the Pulitzer finalist and multiple-award-winning writer about how he has kept readers engaged. He shared three…
By Dave Lieber Dallas Morning News columnist Are you an awful columnist? Writer Hamilton Nolan says you are. He’s sure of it. In a piece on Fusion called “It is humanly impossible to be a good newspaper columnist,”, he writes that being a regular columnist “is one of the cushiest and most coveted jobs in…
By Lisa Smith Molinari NSNC President Registration is now open. Register HERE. You may have recently unpacked from our wildly successful #NSNC17 conference in Manchester, New Hampshire, but mark your calendars again, because you’ll be traveling to the Midwest next spring! In a unanimous vote on the final day of our June conference, NSNC’s general…
This is the 20th in a series of articles about winners of the NSNC’s annual Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award. By Dave Astor NSNC Archivist Five years after receiving the Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award at our 2012 conference in Macon, Georgia, how does Gail Collins feel about that honor? “Well, the plaque is standing…
The Art of Column Writing By Bonnie Jean Feldkamp Communications Director For every special interest or hobby, there are niche publications that cover it. As writers, we have the ability to take our interests from activity to the page. Our hobbies, our lifestyles, and our day trades are all mined for material. This is where…
On Saturday, June 10, 2017 Maureen Dowd of the New York Times received the 2017 Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. The event was part of the NSNC’s annual conference held at the Manchester Radisson in New Hampshire. Lisa Smith Molinari is the 2017 president and Mike…
Save the Date NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest Virtual Awards Ceremony – July 23, 2026 at 7 p.m. EST Mark your calendar for the 2026 NSNC Virtual Awards Ceremony, which will be held on Thursday, July 23 at 7 p.m. EST. Winners will be announced at an online celebration on July 23 at 7 p.m. EST.…
NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest Deadline Extended – Enter by May 1 National Society of Newspaper Columnists Annual Column Contest Deadline Extended – Contest Closes: May 1, 2026 11:59 p.m. (EST) For Registration & General Guidelines visit: nsnc.submittable.com/submit Email Joanne Browkaw, contest chair, with any questions at joannebrokaw@gmail.com. “The NSNC Annual Columnist Contest gives columnists a chance to…
National Society of Newspaper Columnists Annual Column Contest Last Call to Enter! Closes: April 17, 2026 11:59 p.m. (EST) For Registration & General Guidelines visit: nsnc.submittable.com/submit Email Joanne Browkaw, contest chair, with any questions at joannebrokaw@gmail.com. “The NSNC Annual Columnist Contest gives columnists a chance to win awards for their submissions and be acknowledged by their peers.”…
Christine Heinrichs recently published a significant story that is raising awareness of elephant seals. Here is a link to the story: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/avian-flu-strikes-californias-northern-elephant-seals-area-quarantined/ Heinrichs has published other important works about elephant seals. Her articles and books are featured at www.christineheinrichs.com.
