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Alternative Markets: Writing for Radio, Music Ezines, Missions and New Media
On June 14, 2008 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., five (5) Canadian Christian media workers gathered during the Write! Canada 2008 Conference at the Guelph Bible Conference Centre in Guelph, Ontario. They will gather in the Lounge and conduct a panel discussion for Workshop E5 called "Discover Alternative Markets: Writing for Radio, Music Ezines, Missions and New Media". These seasoned Canadian Christian radio, music ezine, missions and new media portal developers will share opportunities available for writers and editors.

The following is an alphabetical list of panel presenters.

1. Annette Cooper
2. Bob Du Broy
3. Darren Hewer
4. David Spencer (Moderator)
5. Lindsay Whitfield

You may view the other workshops here.

What is Write! Canada 2008

Write! Canada 2008 is Canada's Largest Christian Writers' Conference. Write! Canada 2008 will be held at [The Guelph Bible Conference Centre] will host writers, editors, speakers, agents and publishers from across North America at Write! Canada, the seventh conference sponsored by The Word Guild and the 24th edition of the conference formerly known as God Uses Ink.

What is The Word Guild ? The Word Guild helps writers who are Christian achieve excellence, whether they write for business, community or church readerships, whether they write inspirational or secular material.

The Word Guild Vision
Our goal is to impact the Canadian culture through the words of Canadian writers and editors with a Christian worldview. We will do this by connecting, developing and promoting Canadian writers and editors who are Christian.

Where is the Guelph Bible Conference Centre ?

Guelph Bible Conference Centre
485 Waterloo Avenue,
Guelph, ON N1H 3K4
http://guelphbiblecc.com/
Phone: 519-824-2571

Google Map
http://tinyurl.com/3qaudz

Panel Members for Workshop E5

The following Canadian Christians are members of the panel for Workshop E5 "Discover Alternative Markets: Writing for Radio and New Media" that will take place during the Write! Canada 2008 Conference in Guelph, Ontario on June 14, 2008. Steve Burchell a music industry representative sent his regrets. He was hoping to join us for the panel discussion.

David Spencer

Panel Moderator David Spencer is the founder and Project Leader of ChristianMedia.ca a community of Canadian Christians working, volunteering and ministering in media in Canada. David has an ability to catch a ministry vision from God, encourage participation, train, empower and administer people. He is able to learn and use new technology effectively to help Christian radio broadcasters, musicians, artists, film makers , writers and volunteers reach their goals. David has served as a member of the steering committee for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's Christian Media Roundtable] and web launch advisor for The Word Guild. He has also made presentations for Missionfest Toronto and the York University Career Centre.

Annette Cooper

Drama and missions ministry representative Annette Cooper has written, produced and directed dinner theatre, training manuals in secular as well as Christian settings, and self published ibooks for children, gardening, and travel journals using her own poetry and photography. Annette is on the Canadian Board of Artists In Christian Testimony International (A.C.T. Intl). Annette Cooper was born in Nigeria, and grew up in Liberia, West Africa on a radio station. She has served alongside her husband Warwick Cooper, in over 35 countries around the world and in the pastorate since 2003. Annette served on staff, as Global Outreach Associate at The Peoples Church, Toronto, Ontario. She organized and hosted missions’ trips as well co-coordinated the Global Outreach Conferences. She has coordinated and spoken at many conferences around the world on missions and the Christian life. Her heartbeat is ‘mission’ and she sees her workstation as the world. She has a passion to meet people where they are.

Bob Du Broy

Radio ministry representative Bob Du Broy is a director of Ottawa’s Christian radio station, CHRI FM, which he helped found in 1997. In addition, having spent 10 years as the station’s general manager, he now serves as vice-president of strategic planning for CHRI FM. He is currently seeking to establish a second Christian radio station in Ottawa called Word FM, which would focus on teaching and hymns programming to meet the needs of mature Christians. Bob’s experience includes management at the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) (1987 - 1996) and hosting the Christian music show, "Song for You", at Carleton University's radio station CKCU-FM, from 1987 to 1997. Bob helped change the CRTC's Religious Broadcasting Policy in 1993 to make Christian stations legal after a 60-year ban in Canada. He helped create a Christian Artist Juno Award and served three times as a judge for the Juno Awards. Bob is available to assist prospective Canadian Christian broadcasters with start-up issues and regulatory matters. He has a particular call on his life to enable Catholics and Evangelicals to work together in Christian media.

Darren Hewer

New media ministry representative Darren Hewer is an online editor with TruthMedia, the Internet division of Power to Change Ministries (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ Canada). Darren recently earned his Master of Theological Studies degree from Tyndale University College & Seminary in Toronto and has been involved in Web development since 1996. He runs several of his own Web sites, which receive over 10,000 unique visitors per day combined. In his work with TruthMedia, he has written articles about Christian living and modern challenges to the Christian faith, such as The Da Vinci Code and The Secret, as well as dozens of Christian devotionals, and a free e-book called The Historical Reliability of the New Testament. He is currently the lead of TruthMedia's blog community initiative.

Lindsay Whitfield

Music industry representative Lindsay Whitfield is a freelance writer and editor of Canada’s number one new media music site, SoulShine.ca. She has interviewed such bands as Mute Math, Leeland, and Switchfoot and her writing has been published internationally in a variety of publications. She holds degrees in the arts from the University of Windsor in Canada and Southampton Institute in the United Kingdom. Lindsay is an active supporter of grassroots efforts that deliver positive entertainment in Canada that points to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. SoulShine.ca's mandate is to highlight what's going on in the music industry by covering positive media that builds people up. The website is unique in that it doesn't categorize mainstream acts from Christian acts - they're all musicians with a message and we discuss those that would benefit the reader the most. Soul Shine Magazine, our forthcoming print publication, is about covering positive media, which includes discussing entertainment, justice, careers, and biblical application - topics Christians in their 20s and 30s in Canada face each day.

Planning for the Workshop: Telephone Conference Call

At 8:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday June 3, 2008, six (6) Canadian Christian media workers participated in a telephone conference call to plan for Workshop E5 called "Discover Alternative Markets: Writing for Radio, Music Ezines, Missions and New Media" held during the Write! Canada 2008 Conference on June 14, 2008 in Guelph, Ontario.

The following is an alphabetical list of the telephone conference call participants:

1. Annette Cooper
2. Bob Du Broy
3. Darren Hewer
4. David Spencer
5. Beth Warden
6. Lindsay Whitfield

Meet Some of the Panel Members During the Afternoon Gathering and Dinner

You are invited to meet some of the Panel Members during the June 14, 2008 afternoon Gathering and Dinner. More details...

What is the mission or vision statement of your media ministry organization?

Annette Cooper

for A.C.T. Intl (Artists In Christian Testimony International)

• Our mission: To release, empower, send and equip a multitude of artistic personnel for Christ’s Kingdom throughout the world. It will result in spreading the Gospel throughout the world and edify those within the Church.
• Our Vision: To provide a non-profit interdenominational organizational structure that assists and sends out artistic missionaries and ministers who are pursuing the unique ministry calling as it fits into the greater Kingdom work of the Historic New Testament Christian Church worldwide.
• Some other general ‘one liner’ thoughts about A.C,T. Intl:
  • i. A.C.T. Intl equips and sends artistic ministers and missionaries.
    
  • ii. A.C.T. Intl provides validation, the organization and the administration for artistic ministries whether they are volunteer, part time or full time.
    
  • iii. A.C.T. Intl gives artistic ministries and an Ecclesial ministry home, when other denominational and established ministry organizations do not affirm the validity of their specific artistic abilities.
    
  • iv. A.C.T. Intl provides a non-profit ‘ministry’ organization for artistic ministries. We do the non-profit administration most artists hate.
    
  • v. A.C.T. Intl understands artists. We understand creatives. We are ARTISTIC-church-leaders who understand the place of artists in God’s Kingdom plan.

Bob Du Broy

for Word FM and CHRI FM

• Word FM is still in gestation, but my draft mission statement would be: “To evangelize and draw the Church together through dialogue.”

Darren Hewer

for TruthMedia

• Our team of staff and volunteers is passionate about using technology to share the Gospel of Christ by creating online communities of evangelism and discipleship. Through a network of websites that reach out to many segments of society, TruthMedia ministers directly to hundreds of thousands of people every month.

Lindsay Whitfield

for SoulShine.ca

• SoulShine.ca's mandate is to highlight what's going on in the music industry by covering positive media that builds people up. The website is unique in that it doesn't categorize mainstream acts from Christian acts - they're all musicians with a message and we discuss those that would benefit the reader the most. Soul Shine Magazine, our forthcoming print publication, is about covering positive media, which includes discussing entertainment, justice, careers, and biblical application - topics Christians in their 20s and 30s in Canada face each day.

How can you connect Canadian writers with volunteer and paid writing opportunities?

How can your media ministry organization connect Canadian writers who are Christian with volunteer and paid writing opportunities?

Annette Cooper

for A.C.T. Intl (Artists In Christian Testimony International)

• A.C.T. Intl provides a legal, non-profit ministry (career) structure that frees “artists” of all disciplines (music, theatre, dance, fine arts, literacy arts, visual arts, film and video and technological arts) to focus on their ministry.
  • Administrative support and services such as bookkeeping, payroll services, donor receipting and tracking services, mail list and Donor list maintenance, Government reporting
  • Formal Spiritual and Ministerial Authority endorsing your ministry efforts. An accountability structure for care and mentoring.
• A.C.T. Intl has a sending function.

Bob Du Broy

for Word FM and CHRI FM

• I belong to a Christian radio organization. Knowing something about how these organizations work, I can point writers to the job titles of prospective clients, but I cannot connect them directly. I other words, I can point a person in the right direction, but they will have to do the research and show much initiative. The prospects are: independent radio spot producers (like http://www.sharkbytes-studios.com), Christian radio ad sales managers and account executives, and Christian radio news directors. These roles would be paid. Writing scripts for balance (non-Christian, CRTC-compliant) programming for program directors would more likely be a volunteer role.
• One thing Christian radio does not need is radio drama writers, even though most books on writing for radio seem to fuel this dream.

Darren Hewer

for TruthMedia

• TruthMedia offers several different venues for Christian authors to be published online, including contributing articles to our sites, writing devotionals, sharing their testimony, and building online interactive Bible studies.
• Please visit TruthMedia's Editorial Submissions page to learn how to submit your work for review for possible inclusion on our network of websites. We are interested in evangelistic, Christian, and non-Christian ("felt needs" and/or secular) content. We also accept well written testimonies and short Christian devotionals. Contributors will receive byline credit and have their work read by hundreds (if not thousands) of visitors who come to our sites every month.

Charles Morrison

for CrossCanadaSearch.com, JesusManitoba.com, ConcertBuzz.com and more.

• I have a standing offer to writers to repurpose previous material, or write new Internet posts on niche topics that you are passionate about. What I bring to the partnership is webhosting, domain name, consulting experience, and internet advertising experience.
• What Canadian writers bring is a passion and vision about a particular narrow topic, and the willingness to work with me on the development of a editorial topic schedule, the refinement of the

niche topic, a willingness to be guided in our site's ongoing success.

• Advertising revenue will be split on an agreed to ratio, with monthly payout. I hope to encourage and develop writers on the web.

Lindsay Whitfield

for SoulShine.ca "Soul Shine can connect Canadian Christian writers with volunteer and paid writing opportunities through writing articles and reviews for our online brand, SoulShine.ca and Soul Shine Magazine, our upcoming print publication. SoulShine.ca is based on the voluntary writing contributions for byline credit. However, once Soul Shine Magazine is functional in print, we will be paying our writers for their contributions."

Describe three (3) specific needs you have for Canadian writers who are Christian

Describe three (3) specific needs your media ministry organization has for Canadian writers who are Christian. Include a timeline of when you could have a writer begin working on a specific project.

Annette Cooper

for A.C.T. Intl (Artists In Christian Testimony International)

• A.C.T. Intl provides non-profit status and administrative structure for artistic ministers. Time line: process - approximately three months
• A.C.T. Intl encourages writers that their work is valuable. God values who they are. Time line – eternity.

Bob Du Broy

for Word FM and CHRI FM

• The specific needs are:

1. copywriting for spot production
2. news re-writes for radio, and
3. balance programming scripts.

The client would be Word FM in Ottawa, in 1-2 years, if it is licensed by the CRTC.

Darren Hewer

for TruthMedia

• Our needs for new content are ongoing, and the need for fresh writing will continue to increase as our sites migrate to a more interactive and frequently updated blog format. Three specific needs for content are:

1. "Hook" or marketing articles: No explicit Christian content but appeal to "felt needs" or interests, such as family, business, sports, health, etc.
2. Evangelistic articles: Presenting the gospel to those who do not know Christ in a way that is winsome while at the same time not diluting the message, or addressing a particular issue/question of interest on religious/faith topics.
3. Testimonies: How and why did you become a follower of Christ?

Lindsay Whitfield

for SoulShine.ca "SoulShine.ca's needs includes:

1. Christian writers in their 20s or 30s who are able to target the young adult demographic by writing quality, relevant daily news, features, album and gig reviews for SoulShine.ca.
2. Christian writers who have experience writing about media and theology for young adults to contribute to Soul Shine Magazine. The print magazine will feature a column that will allow a different Canadian Christian writer each issue to discuss an important topic and/or promote their latest work through the column's discussion or devotional.
3. SoulShine.ca would like to find some a few online host personalities for our onDemand audio/video section who are able to communicate to the young adult demographic in a relevant way on camera in our custom video player and via Soul Shine Radio where we host album listening parties for Soul Shine listeners. The hosts would also have some experience with video editing software, and would be comfortable writing some of their own scripting as needed.

Describe an overseas missions ministry opportunity that could involve Canadian writers

Please describe an overseas missions ministry opportunity that could involve Canadian writers who are Christian.

Annette Cooper

for A.C.T. Intl (Artists In Christian Testimony International)

• Script writing for indigenous church leaders and laypeople in the use of drama and music, focusing on the arts as traditional preservers and extenders of culture and what God is doing in that local community. Note: Cross-cultural communities are here in Canada. Short term stints. For example: in Israel The Writer’s Gathering, Gary L. Bayer is looking for screen play writers and fiction writers.
• Sensitive reporting around the world. Using visual and audio technology as well.

Bob Du Broy

for Word FM and CHRI FM

• The biggest opportunity I see is good translation, from local languages to English to convey the state of foreign churches and missions to North American supporters, and from English to local languages to evangelize and encourage the local population through Christian radio. The medium could be local or short wave radio.

Darren Hewer

for TruthMedia

• Since our ministries are all online, we reach people all around the world. Many of our sites are also available in multiple languages.

Lindsay Whitfield

for SoulShine.ca

• While traditional overseas missions is not Soul Shine's field of expertise, SoulShine.ca does reach a global audience daily by connecting with readers online around the world. A few suggestions for Canadian Christian writers to pursue in traditional overseas missions could be having them compile a book of short stories about the country they would be visiting and weaving elements of local culture with Bible passages so as to provide a local context to the Scripture. Additionally, perhaps Canadian Christian writers could run a basic writing workshop with local translators overseas for those wishing to learn how to articulate their thoughts and for those interested on advice on breaking into the English writing market.

What skill training and experience should Canadian writers pursue ?

From your media perspective what skill training and experience should Canadian writers pursue in order to prepare themselves for future opportunities as media and technology converges?

Annette Cooper

for A.C.T. Intl (Artists In Christian Testimony International)

• Many people who apply to A.C.T. Intl are specialists in their fields already. They are also presently active in ministry within their local setting. In the arts, there is always room for continual development and challenge in overlapping more than one artistic form.
• Writing skill, cross-cultural awareness, coaching skills, listening skills. II Tim 2:2 “Disciple people”.

Bob Du Broy

for Word FM and CHRI FM

• I think we should be careful about convergence. The same idea can be expressed through different media, so there is considerable synergy in idea collection, but the packaging must be vastly different. This is where a savvy writer will find career opportunities. Thus, the opportunities are in the differences, not the sameness. Be a bridge builder, a translator. Know the style guides of several media and the vocabularies of several denominations. Learn to illustrate with photography, short films, page layouts, and graphics, because good radio stations will publish hard copy newsletters and multimedia web pages. Learn to tell the same story in many ways and you will be highly employable. I know an excellent Kingston radio producer who lost his job because a candidate came along who could do both radio production and website design!

Darren Hewer

for TruthMedia

• Learn to write succinctly. The majority of articles we receive are too long; the more the visitor has to scroll or hit PgDn the less likely they are to actually read an article.
• Learn to write for non-Christians (for evangelistic content). Keep in mind if you're writing to communicate God's truth to non-Christians that they probably have no idea what 'sanctification' or 'redemption' mean.

Lindsay Whitfield

for SoulShine.ca

• Writing experience in several different mediums is necessary and being able to operate the software that surrounds new media has become essential whether you're writing freelance or full time. Gaining a varied experience in such settings as a daily in a newsroom, writing for an online publication remotely, and writing for television and radio in a studio setting would be a good start. Interns are always welcome, and those with passion (and talent of course) get noticed. Work at developing your voice in these mediums as an intern, so when you're ready to start branding your work, you'll have a solid level of experience in each medium which will help when the climate changes in a certain sector and it becomes even more competitive.
• Being skilled in copy editing and fact checking is necessary, so it's wise to invest in a copy editing course and keep your grammatical skills sharp each year, even if it means editing your nephews high school essays. If you plan on working in periodicals, it's standard now for writers to know layout programs like Quark Xpress and InDesign. Writers must also be knowledgeable in Adobe Photoshop and HTML; a great place to train in this software is at Lynda.com which offers online training.