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Photo - Kandima Awendila, Mozambique
Press Service International runs a young writer ministry in conjunction with Christian Today to publish young people 18-30 in their own regular international column since 2009.
Press Service International runs a young writer ministry in conjunction with Christian Today to publish young people 18-30 in their own regular international column since 2009.
The issue arose when these young people began to turn 30 and sought to continue to write their column, but it was also found to be unfair for the annual awards, for an 18-year-old to have to compete with an experienced 30 plus writer.
Eventually an Awards Commission was held.
It determined a new category, that of the Over 31’s who would be tagged the “Emerging writers” and when they got near their 40’s, as senior writers.
Over 31’s – emerging writers
2018 is the first year that awards are being designated for the Over 31’s, the emerging writers and the task was then to ask our team of young writers who was 31 or over.
This is no easy task, asking someone their age, but we got across that hurdle as there was a willingness to come clean for this new category.
Then we realised there were three groups of Over 31’s emerging writers
Australians
New Zealand
Internationals
Moreover, a fresh set of panellists was required for the Over 31’s emerging writers and then a fresh statistician.
It was like setting up a completely new ministry program.
Photo - Esther Koh, Wellingon NZ
Who are the Over 31’s emerging writers?
January 2018 - Australians
Jo Fuller - Sunshine Coast
Bridget Brenton - Brisbane
Tim Price - Gold Coast (in Minnesota)
Stephen Urmston - Sydney
Tim Everton - Adelaide
Leigh Clough - Gold Coast
Peter Brookshaw - Melbourne
Liana Monaghan - Adelaide
Justin Monaghan - Adelaide
Mark Flippance - Adelaide
January 2018 – New Zealand
Emma McGeorge - Auckland
Esther Koh - Wellington
January 2018 – Internationals
Sharma Taylor - West Indies
Rosie Robinson - England
Kandima Awendila - Mozambique
Photo - Justin Monaghan, Adelaide
Panellists and statistician
To cover these many Over 31’s emerging writers we secured two panellists for each group
Australians
Tim McDonald - a former young writer (Mackay)
Peter Rope - a former young writer (Auckland)
New Zealanders / Internationals
Talia Pariss-Proby - a former young writer (Sydney)
David Luschwitz - a former young writer (Walgett)
Statistician
John Grocott came out of retirement who was the previous statistician before falling ill and returned to cover the Over 31’s emerging writers.
All the same issues
We have faced all the same issues as have over the years with the 18-30 age young writer program with the Points dramas.
We have applied the Awards Commission directions for the Over 31’s emerging writers. We had one Panellist travel overseas. We had another very busy with family and work. But we’ve managed.
John Grocott has visited me with the progression, listing which Panellist I needed to chase up, such as life as it was.
All in all, it has been a rewarding progression initiating this Over 31s emerging writers program and one development for 2019 is to slot all the Over 31’s into the final week, the 5th week of each Cycle. This one move will make things a whole lot easier to track.
Photo - Peter Brookshaw, 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: http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children