An Almost-Former Columnist Decides to Keep Writing His Feature

By: E&P Staff A syndicated writer almost ended his weekly feature, but then realized he had "the call to stay in journalism."

"This was supposed to be my last column," Don McNay wrote in his current piece. "It's not."

McNay, who works in the structured-settlement business as his main profession, began his column four years ago for the Richmond (Ky.) Register.

"My business is helping people with their money," he wrote. "Journalism became a second job. I never quit the first one.... I've written two books and over 200 columns in four years. Many columns were written on airplanes and in hotel rooms. Several when my personal life was in upheaval. It was time to ease back."

But McNay said that the day after he resigned, "I heard from a famous person. I don't know how he found me or my column. He told me I inspired him to get treatment and he has been clean for 2 years. He picked that day to thank me.

"A few hours later, I got an e-mail from a high school student in California. Her senior project was to study a writer. She was studying me. She selected me from a list of 200 possibilities.

"I then heard from several people who told me they liked recent columns or just liked my work.

"The cumulating of random events drew me to a conclusion. I was getting the call. The call to stay in journalism."

McNay's entire column can be seen here.