2021 is only five months away and already the Press Service International young writer program is thinking ahead to the new year.
Every new year is a time of excitement and expectation as to a fresh beginning and goals and so too the young writer program.
First
Bringing many new young writers into the program. The young writer program functions as follows:
Writing a column for Christian Today once every 5 weeks
These 5 weeks are called Cycles
There are 10 Cycles in the year
The Style Guide for the young writers has items such as these
Letterhead and title
600-900 words
Times New Roman
Sub-headings
BIO at the ends
Head and shoulder photo
There are other important aspects
No long paragraphs
White space is good for on-line articles
Make it readable and flowing
Select topics that interest you
Second
There are age groups
Young writers 18-30 years
Progress to Over 31s
Progress to senior writers
This year the Christian Today editor sought us to have younger faces, not older faces bought in. This meant loving the older Over 31s into senior writers and this has worked very well.
These new senior writers were included in the annual awards – there were 15 of them
3 Kiwis
3 Internationals
9 Australians
The idea is to commence in the program as a young writer 18-30 years and then progress to the Over 31s and then the senior writers.
Third
The support roles are critical to see the young writer program function smoothly. And they change personnel from time to time
The young writer program is set out in Week allotments. Each week has a
Coordinator - sends everyone ion their week reminders for due dates
Editor - works with the young writer on their article
Photo selector - selects the photos for the articles (unless a photo comes with the article)
Other roles
Facebook uploads
Christian media
Christian Today
Each group has a ‘Stand Alone’ person who forwards each week’s articles to Christian Today on the Thursday before the following week
New Zealand
International
Australian
Awards
There are many wonderful volunteers with the awards - first each young writer sends in their BEST article - there are seven different groups such as the Australian young writers, the sport writers, the Kiwis …..
Each group has a Connect person who collates these Best articles and then forwards them all to the 5 panellists of their group. 7 groups x 5 panellists in each = 35 people. Mammoth undertaking every year around July.
2021
What do we need in 2021 - you guessed it, more young writers – 18-30 years – a column once every 5 weeks in Christian Today. Contact me timeout@bushorchestra.com or text / ring 0419 917 713.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand. Dr Mark Tronson’s Press Service International in 2019 was awarded the Australasian Religious Press Association’s premier award, The Gutenberg. In September 2020 Summer Moore presented her commission portrait of Dr Mark Tronson holding the Gutenberg plaque. The above photo is the upper part from this portrait.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at: http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
