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!

Hollywood Conference Secrets Revealed!

Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, California

#NSNC16 – Los Angeles By Lisa Smith Molinari Vice President National Society of Newspaper nnelumnists At NSNC’s 40th Annual Conference, which will take place June 23-26 in Los Angeles, a panel of Hollywood insiders will give us their behind the scenes perspectives on how written words are transformed for the screen. The panel will be…

The Kentucky Derby of Journalism

illustration of win-place-show with a horseshoe

#NSNC16 Column Contest By Cathy Turney Contest Chair Win First Place – $300 Second Place – $200 Third Place – $100 Place Be one of 36 finalists Show Just show us your best columns or blogs Enter by March 15! All it takes is three newspaper columns or blog posts from 2015 and $25 for NSNC members; $50 for…

Hoppe’s Satire Tip: Like Your Target

Art Hoppe

Lifetime Achievers This is the fourth in a series of articles about winners of the NSNC’s annual Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award. By Dave Astor Archivist National Society of Newspaper Columnists How much impact do columnists really have? Political/social satirist Art Hoppe answered that question after receiving the National Society of Newspaper Columnists’ Ernie Pyle…

Funny Lady

Erma Bombeck

President’s Message By Jerry Zezima President National Society of Newspaper Columnists Erma Bombeck was the mother of all humorists. Also the mother of three children, Erma had a legion of fans in women who identified with her funny take on what she called “the second-oldest profession.” But she didn’t appeal only to women. A lot…

Snagging Eyeballs vs. Reaching Hearts

Art of Column Writing By Suzette Martinez Standring NSNC 2004-06 President Writing brings satisfaction, but are enough people reading our columns? A negative twist to Saturday Night Live’s Stuart Smalley plays in my head, “My ‘likes’ aren’t good enough. My blog posts aren’t smart enough and, doggone it, my Twitter feed is too low.” Recently,…

Auctionable Items

Summer Shopping Bag illustration

NSNC Scholarship 2016 Members planning to attend the June 23-26 conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists already are making plans on what to bring to the auction. Auction? Silent and live auctions have been a part of the annual get-together for some years. Proceeds benefit the NSNC Education Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. (The…