This summer for the first time two international publisher training ministries will partner with U.S. publishing associations to offer in the U.S. the same professional training they have presented in scores of countries overseas.

Media Associates International (MAI) and Magazine Training International (MTI) will partner with the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) to present “Publishing in a Digital World,” a certificate training program especially for international publishers at CBA’s annual International Christian Retail Show June 28-July 1, 2015.

MTI will also partner with the Evangelical Press Association (EPA) to present “Award-Winning Design: A Professional Magazine Design Seminar” in a training program April 7-8 prior to EPA’s annual convention.

“We have been looking for opportunities for some time to collaborate with other like-minded organizations in order to expand publisher training worldwide,” says MTI President Sharon Mumper. “So, we were ready to respond when EPA and CBA approached us about partnering with them to present extra training options in conjunction with their conventions.”

Most publishers are taking a closer look at digital publishing and considering how to fit this new medium into their publishing program. For this reason, CBA asked MTI and MAI to organize a training program on digital publishing for international publishers at their annual retail show in Orlando.

The nine-hour program includes workshops on how to produce apps, interactive e-books and e-magazines, monetize digital content, make content smartphone friendly, convert files from print to digital, and current trends in digital publishing.

Speakers include Ron Forseth, vice president of business development at Outreach Inc., general manager of its media group, and director of advertising for Outreach Magazine; David Renard, partner of mediaIDEAS, founder of Netcirculation, and co-creator of Stare; and Dan Balow, director of publishing development and literary agent with The Steve Laube Agency; among others.

Some 350 international publishers who annually attend ICRS are invited to take advantage of the opportunity to hone their skills and learn more about digital publishing during the show. Although the training event is especially for international publishers attending ICRS, other Christians in publishing are also welcome to attend the free program and will receive free admittance to the exhibit floor.

In addition, MTI and MAI will have designated space in the International Marketsquare exhibit area where they can meet with publishers and offer consulting advice.

Although the training program at ICRS will be offered each day during the show, the seminar to be presented in coordination with EPA in April will take place prior to their annual convention April 8-10.

Participants in MTI’s design seminar will learn how to increase their magazines’ appeal to readers and communicate more effectively through branding and layout design. Trainers are Gary Gnidovic, founder and creative director of Gx3 Creative, and Anne Elhajoui, creative director of Knight Marketing and principal of AEIOU Design. Both are experienced MTI trainers who have taught extensively overseas. A few of the topics to be covered are typography, branding, design, and creating captivating covers.

The design seminar is one of two to be offered during EPA’s pre-conference training event. The other seminar, taught by Anne Marie Winz, titled “Unlocking the Secrets of Writing Powerful Stories” will cover how to identify elements of stories that work, gather material, and arrange story elements for maximum impact.

The cost for each seminar is $99. It is not necessary to register for the convention in order to participate in the pre-convention training.

The design seminar represents the first partnership between EPA and MTI. EPA Executive Director Lamar Keener comments, “EPA is delighted to partner with MTI to present this pre-conference session on design. We invite anyone affiliated with MTI to participate in either of the pre-conference intensives and to stay for the EPA convention to enjoy great fellowship, valuable training, and inspiring messages.”

“I’m glad that EPA invited us to collaborate with them in offering this professional design seminar,” says MTI President Sharon Mumper. “We’ve offered design training internationally, but this is the first time we’ve sponsored a design seminar in the United States.”

MTI is a non-profit organization that encourages, trains, and provides resources to Christian magazines in the Developing World as they seek to build the church and reach their societies for Christ. MTI offers conferences and courses on site internationally, and has an extensive online training program including e-books, Webinars, Web-based video training, and online trainer-led courses. Other training materials include manuals, DVD courses, and a resource rich website with hundreds of pages.

by Jennifer Howard, communications director