The art of column writing : insider secrets from Art Buchwald, Dave Barry, Arianna Huffington, Pete Hamill and other great columnists / Suzette Martinez Standring

Table of contents -- Preface by Don McNay -- Prologue -- Introduction: The quest for a column -- Section one: the how-to of column writing -- Point of view -- Voice -- Beginning -- Telling the story -- Putting endings first -- Column length -- Writing tips from two columnists -- The big, bad, blank screen -- On copyright -- Working with editors -- Self-editing: your machete or mine? -- Elements of a Pulitzer prize-winning column -- The making of a columnist -- Section two: specialty columns -- The humor columnist -- The lifestyle columnist -- The metro columnist -- The opinion columnist -- The religion columnist -- Niche columnist -- Pictures -- Section three: a columnist's inner world -- Who are these people? Ethics -- Can a columnist [h]ave friends? -- Section four: what lies beyond the column -- Oh the places you'll go with a column -- Syndication -- Blogging -- Radio: on the air with columnists -- Journalism and standup comedy: there is a difference -- Onward.