A columnist is a writer who regularly contributes articles to a newspaper, magazine, or website, always appearing in the same spot or section. Unlike reporters who cover breaking news, a columnist shares opinions, observations, and insights on topics they know well. An advice columnist might answer readers' questions about friendship problems or pet care. A sports columnist might analyze why a team keeps losing or explain what makes a great quarterback. A humor columnist writes funny pieces about everyday life.

The key word is regularly. A columnist isn't someone who writes one article and disappears. They show up week after week, building a relationship with readers who come to recognize their style and voice. Readers often have favorite columnists whose perspectives they trust or whose writing makes them think differently.

A columnist's work appears in their own dedicated column, that reliable spot readers can find them issue after issue. Some famous columnists become so well-known that their names are as recognizable as the publications they write for. Writing a column takes both expertise in a subject and the ability to make that subject interesting to readers, issue after issue.