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!

2014 Will Rogers Humanitarian Award Taking Nominations

Will Rogers typing

Nominations are being accepted for the Will Rogers Humanitarian Award, presented annually by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists to recognize a writer whose work has positively affected readers’ lives and produced tangible humanitarian benefits. Click on these links for a history of the award and an annotated list of winners with biographies may be…

Gawk No Further

Locgo for Gawker.com

Opinion By Suzette Martinez Standring 2004-06 President National Society of Newspaper Columnists Let’s talk about needless savagery that poses as column writing. On a seesaw of best and worst, columnist Kathleen Parker of The Washington Post is a fulcrum. Hamilton Nolan of the Gawker lists her as one of “The Least Important Writers of 2013.”…

Columns of 1st-Place Winners, 2013

Top of an NSNC winning column for 2013 by Tom Rademacher of the Grand Rapids Press.

With the 2014 column contest of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists now open — see 2014 Contest Rules for details — writers interested in submitting three pieces they published or posted in 2013 might find it helpful to see what the previous winners did. Following are PDFs or links to the winning columns of…

2014 Column Contest Rules

Trophies image

These are the rules for the 2014 column contest, covering columns published in the 2013 calendar year. First place in each category will receive $300, second place $200 and third place $100, in addition to certificates suitable for framing. Honorable mentions receive certificates. Deadline for entries is Saturday, March 15, 2014, midnight Pacific. Update: Deadline…

Payment for 2014 Column Contest

Contest Entries Pile Up

Entering the 2014 NSNC Column Contest requires two steps: Completing the entry form and payment. Each has convenient options. The 2014 Contest Entry Form is available in two versions — PDF or Word (2014 Contest Entry Form PDF / 2014 Contest Entry Form MS Word) — which you can print, fill out and postal-mail to…

Your Pick: Top Columns of 2013?

Six of John Avlon's Top Columnists for 2012 - The Daily Beast

John Avlon again is asking his fellow NSNC members for their choices of best columns posted or published in 2013. John will compile the list — besides the National Society of Newspaper Columnists, he is combing social media as well as polling others, in addition to his own picks — and run it at year…