Christianity Today editor leads BIC writers workshop, discussion

On July 9, just prior to the opening ceremonies of General Conference 2010 at Messiah College (Grantham, Pa.), the BIC Communications team hosted 28 BIC writers from across North America in a day-long Writers Workshop led by Christianity Today's senior managing editor Mark Galli. The seminar invited communicators of all experience levels to develop their skills, examine issues in writing, learn about CT's editing/publication process, and interact with peers and with BIC Communications staff.

And on the whole, those goals were met, as reflected in this sampling of participant feedback:

One of the things I liked most was getting to know other In Part writers and hearing their struggles and triumphs in writing. When I'm in a room with a bunch of other writers, I always come away encouraged and motivated.

I knew Mark Galli would share his wealth of experience as a writer and editor, which he did. The workshop prompted us to get out from behind our computers and [meet others]. You could feel the energy in the room.

Even though I've been blessed by a continuous stream of freelance writing assignments, I, like many writers, often wonder if I'm good enough. When Mark Galli said that after so many years in journalism, he is still stretching himself, questioning himself, and self-critiquing, I realized that my craft is a lifelong endeavor. Now, I embrace my insecurity, using it as a catalyst to improve my writing.

I needed a time for fresh perspective and conversation with others regarding how to manage writing/communication opportunities. In addition, I required a reminder of some of the basics of writing. The informality of the workshop enabled the writers in the room, including Mark Galli, "to leap off the page" into "real life." I enjoyed getting to [meet other writers] and number of the new relationships carried over to further conversation at General Conference.

I've placed the helpful packet of materials and my notes on a "to-review" pile, which I'll return to in mid-August.

I really enjoyed learning about the process at a major magazine. I couldn't believe all the hands Christianity Today goes through before it is published! Also, as an editor, I'm often not very ruthless. While I think I have good reasons for my editorial philosophy, I also realize that I probably should be at least a little more aggressive in editing articles that are submitted to me for publication.

In conjunction with General Conference 2010, Galli also led discussion at a well-attended, open-invitation luncheon hosted by the BIC Office of Communications on July 10. During this time, the editor shared about three meta-trends he has identified in the Church through his work with CT. This sparked a roundtable discussion of how these trends are playing out in BIC life and thought, of other issues vital to today's Church, and of story ideas/writers CT might want to pursue.

Additionally, Messiah College staff and administrators held a reception for Galli on July 8 to discuss how their two institutions might serve as a resource to each other.

The BIC Communications team hopes to offer similar learning opportunities for its writers at future General Conference gatherings.

« Back to the July/August 2010 issue of Momentum