That all sounds a very simple process but in reality there is a host to engage in to see it all happen - this articles provides a glimpse of this.
There are five parties involved
1 Christian Today the publisher
2 The young emerging writers
3 The coordination process
4 Distribution
5 The Panellists who mark the articles
Not as simple as one leaf on a beach
Christian Today
Christian Today is head-quartered in London with a number of subsidiary Christian Today's around the world, one of which is in Australia.
Late each evening Christian Today Australia's Natalie Chu uploads the following day's articles onto the Christian Today site.
There are two separate lists of 'Most Popular' articles on Christian Today – the main page list and the Comment page list.
Since 2010 Christian Today and Press Service International have developed a young writer ministry whereby these young writers have provided 'Comment article' column space – the philosophy is as to give the next generation on Christian leaders their own 'Voice'.
Like these beach leaves, a team effort
The Young Emerging Writers
These young people comes from a broad cross section – education, socio-economic, short term mission experience, Christian service and employment.
They are Australians, New Zealanders, along with a sprinkling from England, Canada, USA, West Indies, Africa, Korea, South Africa, China, Asia and the Middle East.
They came to PSI through recommendations, searches, one to one contacts, personal knowledge and the like. They come from cities, regional and rural communities. They each write a 'comment article' once a month which is published in Christian Today providing them this Voice.
Young writers as keen as these Soldier Crabs
Coordinating process
The young writer program is divided into Cycles of 5 weeks each. This 5 week period allows the space and time for every young writer to be published. There is a maximum of 15 young writers each week, that is three articles each day.
Each "15 set of articles" are collated on a Tuesday and over Wednesday and Thursday they are carefully read and if required, edited, before being sent as a group on the Friday to Christian Today for publication the following week. It is a smooth running process.
To ensure the young writers get their article in by the Tuesday, they get sent reminders 8 days out, 5 days out and the day before. This is coordinated by four separate people, Week 2 by Russell Modlin (Sunshine Coast), Week 3 Laura Veloso (Melbourne), Week 3 Natalie Chu (Sydney) and I do the two International weeks – Weeks 1 and 5.
Coordination are like these set piece leaves
Distribution
Each morning the three articles of that day are hyperlinked from Christian Today to the PSI site in three separate places. The PSI page serves as the PR circulation process and each young writer has their own web presence CV site which needs to have their article hyperlinked.
Emails are set up with timers with multiple BCC's which are sent to the young writers, the Panellists, Christian media across Australia and New Zealand and on Friday's additional Emails are sent in the same "timer" manner to the PSI International data bases. Likewise each Friday to the Well-Being Australia support network.
Each young writer whose articles have been published that day are sent a copy of their hyperlink of their article requesting they in turn circulate their link to their own network. It's a fun routine with the Lord in which I pray for each young writer listed that day.
Panellists
There are three separate groups of seven Panellists who mark each of their respective articles for the annual Basil Sellers Young Writers Awards. One set of Panellists mark New Zealand young writer articles, another group the Australians and a third Panellist group the Sport articles.
At the end of each Cycle (5 weeks) the Panellists send in their Points where John Grocott the statistician collates the Points until mid August.
The Panellists are as colourful as these leaves
Relaxation
This is pretty full on, and it happens every day, and chasing young writers whose articles are late adds to the drama. But I do enjoy the Wednesday memo to New Zealand young writers and the Friday memo to Australian and New Zealand young writers.
In addition is the planning for the New Zealand young writer conference (Wellington 5 April) and the Australian young writer conference which includes the Awards (Gold Coast 13 September). I enjoy planning these along with the fund raising.
I read a great deal, watch DVDs, enjoy writing (including a 2-3 page daily Email to my family members since 1997), I enjoy railway magazines as the Footplate Padre and I write a daily column myself for Christian Today.
Delma my wife of 37 years is my confidant and help mate with sound wisdom and godly common sense. Our family is central to our lives and family discussion. The grand children are growing up so quickly ...
There is a great team around me and deeply appreciate those who advise and assist - along with several key mentors throughout my 37 years in Christian ministry. And these young writers entertain me immensely and being a passionate person the responses to all this is treasured in my heart.
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.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
