In This Issue:

Message from Executive Director Ginny McCabe

A Word from Our President Lori Duff

Columnist's Counselor: My W.W. Norton Book Deal: Why It Wasn’t Random, Though It Felt That Way

The Buddy System: Write with an NSNC Friend by Suzette Martinez Standring

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Highlights

Member News

NSNC Member Spotlight: William Cooper

Message from Executive Director

Ginny McCabe

Greetings,

As we celebrate the joys of the holiday season, the National Society of Newspaper Columnists would like to wish the best to you and your loved ones.

The season’s spirit of renewal and reflection is the perfect time to thank you for support of NSNC and for the valuable contributions each of you make to the organization. With the New Year, we will offer several virtual webinars for our members. We will also kick off our annual contest, so you’ll want to watch for details and enter some of your best work. As we look forward to 2023, may your days be filled with peace and joy for the New Year.

Best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a New Year that is filled with all the things that make you the happiest.

Sincerely,

Ginny McCabe

Executive Director, National Society of Newspaper Columnists

[email protected]

A Word from NSNC President

Lori Duff



Salutations!

I’ve been all over the U.S. this month – the Southwest, the Midwest, and the Southeast. This country is a big place – the weather in the places I’ve been over a span of three weeks has ranged from 30 degrees to 90. That’s winter coat to tank top range.

I think we forget about that sometimes. We think of the U.S. as the U.S. and not as 50 disparate states that are sometimes so unrelated as to be completely different cultures. Sure, someone from the rural south and someone from San Francisco are both Americans, but their American experience is very different.

That’s where we come in. Whatever form your writing journey takes, whether you are a blogger

or a traditional columnist or a novelist or finding your way in this world of letters, you are a

storyteller. If you write about real people or fictional beings, you are still telling tales. Research

shows that people who read stories are more empathetic and, well, wiser than people who don’t.

In these fractured you’re-with-us-or-you’re-against-us times, storytellers remind us that we’re all

human. Misguided, perhaps, but human, and deserving of empathy.

The NSNC is a group of storytellers who can help you get your story told. We offer camaraderie, mentorship, advice, educational opportunities, and access to platforms you might not otherwise have been aware of. It doesn’t matter if you tell your story in a local paper, through your own blog, or a podcast. Just keep on telling your story, and we’ll stay at your back. I’m looking forward to reading your stories!

Lori B. Duff

NSNC President

[email protected]

Columnist's Counselor: My W.W. Norton Book Deal: Why It Wasn’t Random, Though It Felt That Way

by Daniela Gitlin, M.D.

You too can write an article that leads to a book deal.

I was invited—out of the blue— to write a psychiatric textbook by W. W. Norton, a publisher of academic books. I’ve been writing and practicing psychiatry for decades in obscurity and felt like a long-time actor might who gets “discovered overnight”—

disbelieving. Thrilled. Validated.

In thinking it through, how it happened makes me believe that you, too, can write an article that leads to a book deal.

The article that caught Norton’s eye was the product of thirty years of practice. It’s about the “doorknob moment.” That’s when a client has an emotional breakthrough—which usually leaves them sobbing—just as the session ends. Does the clinician allow more time to talk? Or should she end the session on time? I wrote this 2,000-word piece for

the Psychiatric Times.

A publisher from W. W. Norton read it, contacted me, asked me to write a proposal and then offered me a paid contract on this subject for a 40,000 to 50,000-word book. The completed manuscript is due October 2023.

Why would this respected publisher of academic books take a financial risk on me, an unknown author without academic affiliations? Here’s my analysis.

Publishers are a business: they are publishing books to make money. Three things predict a book might sell well: the audience for the book, its value, and a motivated market that will spend money on it.

1.   My audience: psychiatrists and other medical clinicians; mental health clinicians from other disciplines (psychologists, nurses and social workers); trainees in all of these.

2.   The value: the article content was original, well written without jargon, and made a compelling argument that solved a perennial problem of therapy work.

3.   A motivated market: the value would motivate a broad range of clinician/therapist readers to buy the book.

Perhaps my credibility as an author, writer and blogger had influence:

·        I’ve written an award-winning book, Practice, Practice, Practice: This Psychiatrist’s Life, which suggests I have the skills to write another.

·        I’ve published a number of articles in The Psychotherapy Networker, an international, professional journal which provides readers with useful clinical content.

·        Thus, my writing already has a market—paying subscribers of The Psychotherapy Networker— motivated to buy clinically helpful content.

These things don’t guarantee that I’ll produce a book that sells well, of course. But they increase the odds—enough anyway, for Norton to have reached out.

What advice would I offer? Alas, there are no shortcuts to writing well. A committed, regular practice; deep interest in the craft for its own sake; and persistence matter.

·        Commit. Delegate a specific time to write and protect it fiercely. Don’t let life take that time for other things.

·        Take an interest. Play with the medium—language—because you enjoy it and find it fascinating. Anything you write counts. Progress notes, memos, emails, texts, blog posts—it’s all writing. Any opportunity to manipulate the language to see what it can do is a craft challenge.

·        Persist. Continuing to write over time is a mindfulness practice. Sometimes it’s easy, other times a bear. Sometimes your mind is sharp, other times dull. Doesn’t matter. Just keep writing to keep the muscle toned.

If you work at something long enough, you’ll build a body of work and get better by default. Good writing rises to the top. Keep at it and one of your articles could lead to a book deal. Beware of what you wish for, you might get it!

Dr. Daniela Gitlin pens The Columnists’ Counselor for the NSNC newsletter, and regularly takes part in the NSNC Writing Space sessions on Wednesdays and Sundays. Visit her blog, https://www.danielagitlin.com or email her: [email protected]

The Buddy System: Write with an NSNC Friend

By Suzette Martinez Standring, NSNC Director Emeritus and Treasurer

It’s been two years. Can you believe it? The Wednesday and Sunday NSNC Writing Space has made us accountable, more creative, and best of all, we have made friends. What’s your pet project? Joe McGonagle is writing a mystery. Donna Debs is working on a compilation of best columns. Elaine Person uses Zoom time to polish up her award-winning poetry. For a next level experience, try taking a weekend jaunt away to write with a kindred spirit. We’re not limited to only conferences and Zooms.

           In the past, I’ve gotten together to write with NSNC columnists and New Englanders Lisa Smith Molinari, Dot Fleming, and Janine Talbot. In 2021, Daniela Gitlin — our friendship sparked during NSNC writing Zooms — came to Massachusetts for a summer writing weekend. This past October I joined her in Plattsburgh, NY.

           When I drove to her home near Lake Champlain, Daniela had just signed a contract with W. W. Norton to write a textbook on a specific aspect of psychiatry. She was exhilarated and scared as hell. I’m writing about Rosario, my maternal grandmother in the Philippines, who had nine children by a priest who never left the priesthood. That one fact forms my book’s skeleton, and I’m hanging fictionalized meat on those bones as the spirit and my imagination move me.

           But when I arrived at Daniela’s house, my novel had been stalled. I had gone down the rabbit hole of historical research. What modes of Filipino transportation were employed in the 1880s? Was there a natural disaster around that time? There are 7,000 islands in the Philippines, how many near Panay were accessible? All this to kill off two characters.

           Paranoia had sent me, as the British would say, “to just faffing about” for four months.

           Before I tell you how I broke my mental log jam, here’s the schedule Daniela and I followed for four days:

           9:00 a.m. coffee

           Write like one possessed for 4-5 hours throughout the day in separate spaces.

           Meet up when hunger drove us from our lairs. (Text: “Daniela, I’m peckish, are you?”)

           Enjoy a walk or outing later in the day.

           Go to bed fairly early.

           It proved to be a perfect schedule for me, as I need long, uninterrupted writing periods to get my mind-dog to do its tricks.

           Best trick of all: I overcame my writing block. Although I lead my reader to feeling something ominous might be afoot, when it came to writing death scenes, instant paralysis would set in.

           Daniela suggested, “Why do you have to go through all the details of their deaths? Just open the scene at the wake.”

           “Wait a minute! What? Am I allowed to do that?”

           “Suzette, the reader is already primed and can make the leap.”

           Sweet liberation, and from what Daniela said, she benefitted just as much from our writing time together.

           The pandemic has limited on-site conferences, but nothing stops writing friends from inspiring each other online or in-person. Find a neighboring colleague and give it a try. The Writing Space Zoom links remain the same. Join us! See our meeting times and details -- on Wednesdays and Sundays -- below.

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop 2022

Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop 2022 was an amazing weekend of inspiration and

laughter. Several NSNC members had the opportunity to attend, and we even hosted

an NSNC meet-up the first night of the conference. The 2022 workshop featured New

York Times bestselling authors, Saturday Night Live legends, Emmy Award winners,

screenwriters and a host of celebrated comedians and authors. Leighann Lord also

served as the emcee. The 2022 conference was packed with outstanding programming,

networking, and so much more. (Pictured: NSNC Members at the Thursday night meet-up.)

NSNC Member Spotlight: William Cooper

William Cooper’s new book: Stress Test: How Donald Trump Threatens American Democracy receives endorsements from the Media

 “A compelling and sensible overview of America’s emerging democratic crisis.” Kirkus Reviews

 “This book is a compelling rallying cry for democratic institutions under threat in America." Publishers Weekly

Q&A with NSNC Executive Director, Ginny McCabe

Q: Tell us about yourself.

William Cooper: I am an attorney and columnist. I write about legal and political issues.

Q: Why did you feel you were the person who should write this book?

A: I am very passionate about political science and try to follow politics and government closely.

Q: Can you provide insight on your book, Stress Test: How Donald Trump Threatens American Democracy. Why did you want to write it?

A: It's a collection of my columns published in newspapers around the country beginning in mid-2019 through this year. I thought it would be a worthwhile project to combine my columns along with essays into a book. My publisher agreed.

Q: As a columnist and an attorney, what was your approach to writing the book?

A: I try to be reasoned and rational and base my analysis on the law and the facts. Just another untethered opinion doesn't add value.

Q: What did you hope to accomplish or convey by writing the book?

A: I hope to get people thinking about the state of American democracy when they read my columns and the book.

Q: Were there any challenges or surprises you faced when writing?

A: Trying to stitch together a bunch of columns into a coherent whole using introductory essays was challenging. The essays had to be crafted in just the right way.

Q: What tips would you offer to other columnists who might want to write a book?

A: You've already got the content. The key is to put it together in an inviting way and shop to publishers. Lots of best-selling books are collections of columns.

Q: How can NSNC members connect with you?

A: I'm happy to connect with NSNC members any time. My email is [email protected].

About William Cooper

William Cooper is an attorney and columnist. His commentary has appeared in hundreds of publications globally including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, Baltimore Sun, USA Today, Dallas Morning News, Huffington Post, PBS, Toronto Star, Hamilton Spectator, Shenzhen Daily, Channel News Asia, and Jerusalem Post.

In Other News...

Upcoming Deadlines:

• IWMF’s Kim Wall Memorial Fund offers $5,000 grants to women and nonbinary journalists covering subcultures, broadly defined, and what Kim liked to call “the undercurrents of rebellion.” Deadline Dec. 15.
• Grist has expanded its fellowship program to include six positions for the one-year training program. Deadline Dec. 19.
• PEN America’s next deadline for its U.S. Writers’ Aid Initiative is Jan. 1.

Writing Opportunity:

• Oregon Humanities is looking for personal essays, journalism, and book excerpts from Oregon writers on the theme of "Joy and Pain." Pay is $500-1,000. Submit by Dec. 21. Details at https://oregonhumanities.org/rll/magazine/call-for-submissions/.

Call for Newsletters, Podcasts, Book Announcements, and Good News

Call for Newsletters, Podcasts, Book Announcements, and Good News

We're rounding up a list of ways we can feature you, your writing, your podcasts, your newsletters. Please send information about:

• Your newsletter (its link, how to subscribe, whether it is paid or free, etc.);
• Your podcast (how to access it, what it's called, its cover art, etc.);
• Your upcoming book release (title, how to buy it, book cover and author headshot);
• Anything else you want to let us know about that doesn't fit into the above categories.

Our hope is to feature these items in newsletters and social media as space allows. Send your item(s) to Debbie West, newsletter editor, at [email protected]. Preference will be given to current NSNC members.

Join Us in the NSNC Writing Space on Zoom