PSI is housed by Well-Being Australia (WBA) and as its chairman, my wife Delma and I meet with these young writers, along with Christian Today's editor David Chang, where the young writers asked many pertinent questions.
Two issues that are increasingly becoming important is, first, the nature of the photograph that accompanies the young writer's articles. David Chang noted to the young writers that a very pleasant photograph of the young writer increases readership. The other issue was the nature of republishing their articles, especially in hard copy publications.
Each day the young writer's two published articles are circulated by PSI to Australian Christian media for republishing and on a Friday the week's articles are circulated to an international data base of Christian E and hard copy publication's editors.
As a result of this dedicated line of young writer PR to the world's Christian media, many of their articles get republished in hard copy Christian newspapers and magazines. The issue for the young writers are that they would like to know far the readership of their articles are, and this information is difficult to come by.
An article per month
Each of the young writers have one article a month published. Christian Today provides PSI two columns daily for the young writers which cover Comment, IT, Entertainment, Reviews, Theology, Philosophy, Mission, Church Life, Sport, Culture and much more besides.
Currently there are 10 young writers based in Sydney. These range from young professionals to university students and only one reading Theology. Another is based in Newcastle.
Melbourne houses 9 young writers, Queensland (Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast) hosts 10 young writers which includes an indigenous woman while Tasmania hosts three young writers and Perth two.
In addition there are several young writers overseas in Mission and the New Zealand contingent of young writers from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch number 19.
International breadth
These young writers provide a good depth of experience, talent and Christian maturity. It is remarkable to see the various colours of the young writers lives come through their written material whether that be from ambique, China, Canada, Korea, New Zealand, USA, South Africa, UK, Indigenous and the breadth of Australia.
This young writers ministry has provided me a remarkable experience of mentoring a new generation of Christian young leaders. It has inspired the young writers to reach forward and Christian Today is a remarkable housing for this.
Over the past twelve months we have visited the young writers on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Launceston and Hobart while Perth is next on the agenda. We have held mini-conferences in Auckland and Christchurch for the New Zealand based young writers.
September mini-conference
5-6 September in Melbourne are the dates for the 2013 PSI mini-conference where young writers are coming from across the nation and New Zealand.
One of the new developments is the Basil Sellers Young Writer Award where seven Panellists have been busily awarding Points to each of the published articles from January to August, over a set period of 30 weeks.
The PSI mini-conference time and date coincides with the weekend ARPA annual conference (Australasian Religious Press Association) 6-9 September in Melbourne. This ARPA conference might be likened to Christian media professional development as per other professions.
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