Liam Denny the Australian young writers Week 5 Editor
The Press Service International young writer program in conjunction with Christian Today Australia and Christian Today New Zealand has witnessed a wonderful development – the Australian young writers now have a fifth week.
This requires a little explanation. Since 2013 the ten Cycles of the year each consisted on five weeks. In those five weeks were a mix of Australian, New Zealand, International and Sport young writers.
In 2014 a separate International young writer week was developed leaving the other four weeks with a mix of Australian, New Zealand and Sport young writers.
A year later, 2015 another of those weeks was designated, this time the Kiwi young writers were designated their own separate week.
For the following two and a half years this situation continued – the five weeks consisted of
Australian young writers 3 weeks,
New Zealand 1 week and
Internationals 1 week
with one sport writer each of the 5 weeks.
Meanwhile, each of those weeks has both - a week coordinator and - a week editor. The aim is to have many people doing a small amount so as to ensure the young writer program functions smoothly.
The Week Coordinators' tasks are to send the reminders of article 'due dates' to the young writers of each week, and once collated, the articles for each week are sent to their respective week editors.
The system works well.
Ashley Menelaws the Australian Week 5 coordinator
2017 Christian Today New Zealand
In 2017 Christian Today New Zealand was established with a separate site with a Cycle program of 4 weeks per Cycle. This was simply a logistical issue as there were not enough Kiwi young writers to create a 5th week.
The program commenced in February 2017 and the official launch occurred in March after a 6 week 'learning period' for all those involved. Irenie How the Kiwi young writer editor was bought to Australia before Christian Today New Zealand was initiated for tuition on uploading articles onto the Christian Today platform.
The first six months of Christian Today New Zealand functioned smoothly with very pleasing readership results - but the issue of Christian Today Australia with 5 week cycles, and Christian Today New Zealand with 4 weeks by per cycle illustrated confusion and some drama.
The decision was made to enlarge Christian Today New Zealand to five weeks per Cycle so as to coincide with Christian Today Australia.
Tim Price the Australians Week 3 new editor taking over from Rosanne Menacho
The upshot
One of the upshots of this latest development of both Christian Today Australia and Christian Today New Zealand both having 5 week Cycles and commencing on Monday 5 June - is that the original 5th week of Kiwi young writers was discontinued within Christian Today Australia.
The result of this stratagem was for the Christian Today Australia program extend the Australian young writers fill that 5th week. This results in the following:
Week 1 - Internationals - 12 young writers
Week 2 - Australians - 12 young writers
Week 3 - Australians - 11 young writers
Week 4 - Australians - 11 young writers
Week 5 - Australians - 12 young writers
To achieve this a small number of young writers were taken from Weeks 1, 2, 3 and 4 to make up Week 5 and since then a new young writer has been added to Week's 2 and 5.
This smooth transition has seen an additional Week 5 coordinator (Ashley Menelaws) and an additional Week 5 editor (Liam Denny).
The Week Editors and Week Coordinators met for a lunch meeting during the One Day in Melbourne last Saturday on 3 June.
This young writer program is always looking for additional young writers 18-30 age. Please contact Dr Mark Tronson timeout@bushorchestra.com 0419 917 713
Young writer editors meeting for lunch at One Day 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 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.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at