# How do columnists get syndicated...?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 28, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582 "2003-04-28T02:54:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582/1 "2003-04-28T02:54:40Z")

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I was wondering how does a columnist become syndicated? Now, maybe I am misusing the term, so here’s an example. How does “Dear Abby” and “Hints from Heloise” get covered in so many papers? Are there synidcation companies which will pitch your ideas before many papers at one time? Kinda like “one-stop shopping”, is there “one-stop selling”?

…Or, until your established, you gotta pound on every door? Any SDopers know how this works? - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582/2 "2003-04-28T02:59:36Z")

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First of all, you become a columnist for a local newspaper, and then you wait.

Over time, you will become more and more notable. Soon, the syndicates will ask if they can, as they see fit, distribute some of your columns to other newspapers.

If you’re popular, you will get a contract with a syndicate, and end up being published all the time in many newspapers. Fame, cash, and Pulitzers await.

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582/3 "2003-04-28T12:42:57Z")

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Yes, but I don’t understand, exactly…  
Who **ARE** the syndicates? Can I approach them with an idea to peddle, or are they so high and mighty, that they cannot be solicited???

Please tell me how this works…

Thanks,

- Jinx

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**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582/4 "2003-04-28T15:03:54Z")

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It depends who you are. If you’re a nobody, there’s essentially no chance that they will want to syndicate you. If you already write a column for a newspaper, there’s some chance that they will look at your previous columns and decide that they would like to syndicate you. If you’re famous in some other field and would like to do a column, there’s some chance they may be interested in your columns.

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582/5 "2003-04-28T15:19:10Z")

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" . . . are they so high and mighty, that they cannot be solicited???"

—Yeah, pretty much, I’m afraid.

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**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\
**Post date:** [April 28, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-columnists-get-syndicated/171582/6 "2003-04-28T16:51:01Z")

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Examples of 2 of the big syndicators:

King features: [http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/index.htm](http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/index.htm) which does a lot of comic strips, as well as columnists including the aforementioned Heloise.

Universal Press Syndicate: [http://www.amuniversal.com/ups/features/creators.htm](http://www.amuniversal.com/ups/features/creators.htm) which includes Dear Abby.

There are other, smaller groups, as well. Like the Washington Post group ([http://www.postwritersgroup.com/about.htm](http://www.postwritersgroup.com/about.htm)) that offers syndication rights on behalf of staff of the Washington Post.