How to be a columnist

I think that a columnist had already a subject topic like; technology, parenthood, sports, celebrities, something like that. Usually in a local paper I read a column that talk about our fellows that live and work outside the country.And also beauty regimen topics like that. Maybe your topic will be your own interest or the topic that will assign to you from your boss. Goodluck!

I would write what I thought people would be interested in reading. Try different things and see how each subject goes over and then you will know what will be most popular. Experience will do you alot of good. As an example of your writing you might take your most promising work and use it.

Wild food column, so I would write about wild food. I would put a recipe in each time so people would be interested. I would put a picture in so the end result would look appetizing. I would maybe write a joke or two or something cute in it. I had the same problem with Mylot. I had an entire day when most of the discussion I wrote, I couldn't reply to. Very discouraging day. But all seems to be back to normal.

Wow, I would love such an opportunity! As a writer I would enjoy my own column! I guess the piece could be about anything depending on the publication. Some people write about politics, news etc. I would particularly like to do opinion life pieces each week for a magazine or paper. It would be great and if I was you I would for it! I used to write about my experiences as a parent for a parenting magazine years ago. I used to talk about my life as a wife and mother with a little humour thrown in; readers seemed to enjoy it at the time.

Hi there to you Anne I would write about some thing that I Am passionate about...something you can add to it every week...I my self would go for cooking...that is my passion as I was a cook and caterer for years! find your passion and go for it! good luck!

Hi Anne, I have never been a columnist for a newspaper though I write articles on my blog on my niche topic and have also contributed an article each to Technorati & Broowaha, which have been published. I guess one has to first decide one or a few niche topic/s on which the columnist will write regularly. It could be on health, diet, sociopolitical issues, humor, leisure whatever. If the articles can be written at the selected intervals and you are able to connect with some committed readers, it should be able to stand out. All this that I have said here is with one caveat though which I have said at the very beginning: I have no direct experience of having done it earlier but I do read some regular columns in magazine & supplement sections of noted newspapers. One has to make a beginning. So go ahead with available help that other myLotters may provide. Not sure if this did help in any way. :P Good luck.

Perhaps in my community it would be good to focus on unique local businesses that you do not see in bigger towns. It would give me a reason to go into each one and sample their business, or in the case of eating places, sample their foods.

Hi Anne! That's really wonderful! You're lucky you have an opportunity like that. What you should write should depend on what readers would like to read about. So first, you have to identify the readers of your local paper. Who mostly read the paper? Second, you have to identify the hot issues that these readers would like to read about. You can list down a few topics and from there, you can select which one you think will be most interesting for them. Of course, when you write, you have to research about the topic so readers will find credibility in your writing. It will also depend on what kind of article you will be writing. You said it was a regular column, are you free to talk about anything? Or this column is under a particular subject like technology, lifestyle or something? If that's the case, then you can narrow down your research for interesting topics. Good luck!

Go for it! It would be some work, but I should think it would be satisfying, and you never know it might give you a foot into some even better door. If I wrote a column it would be about good news as the rest of the paper is usually filled with horrible things. I would find human interest stories about people and their pets and how they did good things for each other. Can you put photos in your space, too? See, I am calling it yours already :-)

Hi Anne, It is not an easy task to be a columnist. To be a columnist one must have sufficient experience of journalism. He or she must have knowledge of various subjects, such as politics, sociology , history,sports, day to day affairs etc. That means he or she must be jack of all trades. If you have such qualities you can try to be a columnist.

I want this job! Why isn't my local paper offering it?? HAHA As far as what you write in a column, the two most important questions are what do you know about that you can find something to write on every week, and second, what kind of columnist do they want? If they are just looking for anything they can get their hands on then you are free and clear to write about anything. If they are looking for someone to share gourmet cooking tips and you can manage to screw up a bowl of cereal, then probably not your best option. And then as a columnist you really only need good grammar and mechanics skills and an entertaining voice. You're going to have about 2-300 words to grab your audience and make them want to come back next week to see what else you have to say. You don't have to be "funny" just entertaining...although "funny" tends to get people the most recognition. Just pick something you enjoy and know a lot about (a LOT because it's going to have to be a constant source of information...which is probably why so many humor columnists write about their families) and have fun with it. Good luck!

That sounds like something that would draw my interest as well, especially since I love to write and as I'm spending more time writing online, I'm finding that there really isn't any topic that I don't enjoy writing about. With that said, if I was to have a column of my own, I believe that I would write about the problems that parents face because it is something that a lot of people can relate to and it is also something that is easy to write about with just a little bit of research.

I think my column would be about job-interviewing! I've gone through a lot of job interviews, that I think I could already share a lot of experiences about it. The highs and the lows. And since the economy isn't all that good, and a lot of people are interviewing for jobs, then I think my column would be a hit!

oh go on anne apply, the worst that can happen is they say no, and its a wonderful opportunity. and also applying is a good experience, even if you don't get the job, you can look at who does and see what they did that you didn't and then maybe if you try something similar another time you will have gained something from the experience. though thats very easy to say, but harder to do. do they give any clues as to what they want? i would sell myself as a member of the local community, with an interest in whats going on within it, and as autumnoctober says write about something you find interesting, as usually we write better when what we are writing about whats interests us. so i suppose if i were doing it i would try to be myself, and write about my experience of life within the context of the local community. assuming thats what they want. as in the end they will have in their mind what they want and whoever best fits that picture will get the job.

You're not the only one having difficulties with myLot. As for the column, I have no idea.

Personally I would probably write things that I have personal experience in and what others might find interesting. Subjects such as parenting, traveling activies, family, movies, personal experience, fashion etc. things to try and grab the readers attention. Being a columnist does sound like an interesting job, esepcially when they are giving you the opportunity to write whatever it is you please. I do wish you the best of luck!!!

Some people write about their family life, others about their job, some write about the latest news or their interest. But they all have something in common. They do have their own writing style, are creative with words and they are able to make the readers looking forward to their next column. So you should not be boring or have a boring writing style. If you are creative you can write about everything what pops up in your mind. Do that and ask people (including strangers) if they like what you wrote.

Anne you have proved you have the time and the ideas to write a column, get to it and apply. You might have to limit your time on here a little but I'm sure your friends here will help with any problems you may have with it in the future. Ah here's the first problem, what to call it, for what you want to put in it. Busy lives, Cambridge Lass, My Way, sorry Anne not fantastic ideas are they but I'm sure close family and friends can come up with some that might be fit for you. If I were you Anne draw from the ideas you've had for discussions on this site the ones with most responses would get people thinking. GO GIRL.