The 2017 Press Service International in conjunction with Christian Today the anual 'Young Writer Conference' is one month away, Saturday 12 August at the Alexander Park Conference Centre, Alexander Headland, Sunshine Coast.
This year the conference begins with a swashbuckling display in Musketeer period dress (Fencing) as two of the young writers are part of the Sunshine Coast Fencing Club and recently promoted on Channel 7 news.
https://www.facebook.com/SallEnGarde/videos/933996726696114/
The planning for the 2017 annual young writers conference was initiated in October last year when the planning group met on site and determined an outline program which has since been set-up for a delightful experience for these young people.
Key note speakers
The two key note speakers are
Mr Mark Furler - subject - 'News Angles'
Mr John Lemmon - subject - Blogging in a Christian context
Mark Furler is the long time former editor of the Sunshine Coast Daily and now with AAP.
John Lemmon is an experienced Blogger and was one of the four professional presenters at One Day in Melbourne on 3 June.

Russell Modlin
Program
MC Russell Modlin and co-executive planner Rebecca Moore are delighted to set out the program for this 2017 annual young writer conference. They say it's the best yet!
9.00am Arrival and greeting
9.30am Welcome – Russell Modlin and 1 min video by Cartia Moore
Devotion - Dr Mark Tronson
Sword Exhibition in period dress
9.50am first of several interviews of young writers
10.00am Plenary 1 - Mark Furler on News Angles
morning tea 11.00am
11.20am second of several interviews of young writers
11.30am Plenary 2 - John Lemmon - Blogging
Lunch 12.30pm
1.30pm Afternoon sessions
Video presentation – Cartia Moore
additional interviews of young writers
Focus Groups
– Group coordinators and editors
2.30pm additional interviews of young writers
Focus Groups
additional interviews of young writers
3.30pm Afternoon tea
4.00pm Awards
6.00pm conclude
These annual young writer conferences includes the annual Basil Sellers awards where the young writer articles are marked by four teams of Panellists to determine the winners in each young writer grouping.
Australians
New Zealanders
Internationals
Sport writers
Rebecca Moore
Philosophy
The philosophy of the young writer program is to ensure these young people have a 'voice' into the international marketplace of ideas.
These young people are published once every five weeks with 10 Cycles a year, with 5 weeks in each Cycle. The young writers are separated into Week allotments each with its own editor and coordinator, whose role is to send the reminders for articles and collate them for the week editor.
Previous conferences
2011 - Tweed Heads
2012 - State conferences
2013 - Melbourne
2014 - Tweed Heads
2015 - Sydney
2016 - Sydney
2017 - Sunshine Coast – Saturday 12 August
Planning group who met in October 2016
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