The Basil Sellers Young Writers Awards video produced by Belinda Croft of Melbourne and co-narrated by Laura Veloso, highlights the new annual $1000 Young Writer Award along with a New Zealand and an Australian runner up $300 award each. This sharp video may be viewed on YouTube.
This award is not dissimilar to other professional guilds including the entertainment world, the theatre, actors, authors, Christian media and the like.
This New Zealand young writers mini-conferences engaged these young leaders as the next generation of Christian peer strategists in that their "Voice" might be heard through the on-line news provider Christian Today.
The gathering on Saturday 9 in Auckland followed by the March 10 mini-conference in Christchurch saw young writers come together from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
The New Zealand young writer program was initiated in August 2012 with twelve New Zealand young writers each providing a monthly Comment article "of their interest" and in January this year extended to 15 and by early March there were 18.
Mini-Conference program
Press Service International's Dr Mark Tronson, the retired Australian cricket team chaplain (17 years) and chairman of Well-Being Australia, who initiated the young writer program began the mini-conference programs with a presentation on "Knowing your Audience" from Acts 16 verses 6-10.
David Chang editor of Christian Today Australia followed on, presenting a power point along with a question and answer session regarding statistics, readership and practical applications.
The third part of the program was led by Julie Belding the NZ young writer fellowship co-ordinator and the President of New Zealand 'ARPA' (Australasian Religious Press Association) President.
Julie detailed the benefits of ARPA's annual conference with its many helpful workshops and plenary's. Moreover Julie spelt out the nature of networking with leaders in Christian print media around Australia and New Zealand.
Australasian young writers
There are 50 young writers across Australia and New Zealand, coming from a wide range of backgrounds and situations. The Australian young writer program began in 2009 and have met in numerous mini-conferences (national, state and regional) developing networking and fellowship.
The Basil Sellers Young Writers Awards are a significant support and encouragement to the young writer program across Australia and New Zealand and presented 5 September in Melbourne.
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 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