NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Deadline Extended to May 1

Consider a Gift to the NSNC Education Foundation

NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest - Deadline Extended to May 1

Contest submissions will be accepted through May 1! 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.

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

Young Columnist’s Parody Wins Society’s Mystic Tie

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire, June 10, 2017 — College humor columnist Archer Parquette penned a farcical story — on deadline — to win the 2017 Jeff Kramer Mystic Tie Award of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Mystic Tie is one of two NSNC contests where entries are gathered and judged within the conference, this year’s…

Sitting Duck Award NSNC17

  President Donald Trump’s volcanic Twitter account, @realDonaldTrump, has won this year’s “Sitting Duck Award” from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. “It was a landslide,” said NSNC President Lisa Smith Molinari, “at least in the NSNC Electoral College.” The society gives this award annually to the person or subject that is the easiest subject…

Announcing NSNC 2017 Column Writing Contest Winners

Congratulations! Category A: General Interest, print over 50,000 circulation First Place:  Helen Ubinas, Philadelphia Daily News Second Place: Mike Newall, Philadelphia Media Network Third Place: Jesse Rifkin, Boxoffice Magazine, USA Today, LA Times Category B: Humor, print, over 50,000 circulation First Place:  Irv Erdos, San Diego Union Tribune Second Place:  Leah Eskin, Chicago Tribune Third…

Dave Lieber to Receive 2017 Legacy Award

By Bill Tammeus   From the time Dave Lieber first showed up at a National Society of Newspaper Columnists conference – in 1993 in Portland – wishing he were a columnist, he has been an indispensable source of NSNC’s energy, innovative ideas, and inspiration. Which makes him an obvious selection to receive the society’s Legacy Award.…

Wanna Make More Dough? Podcasting’s on the Rise

By Lisa Smith Molinari NSNC President The theme for this month’s NSNC Annual Conference – “Live Free and Write – But Not for Free” – was no afterthought. We all know that column writing is a craft, not a job; a form of art, not a task; a manifestation of expression, not a business. However,…

Via Skype, Ebert Was Honored for His Sky-High Talents

This is the 19th in a series of articles about winners of the NSNC’s annual Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award. By Dave Astor NSNC Archivist Because of serious health issues, Roger Ebert didn’t travel to Detroit to receive our 2011 Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award. But the famed film critic did appear from Chicago via…