The challenges many Bulgarian women face are familiar to Gabi Madjarova (left): balancing work with piles of laundry and dirty dishes, paying bills and juggling time for family. The 30-something mother of four is already known for her family life column in MP’s Leah Magazine. When her first book launches in early 2015, it will…

How would someone from Russia explain the chill of snow to someone who lives on the Equator? It’s almost impossible for either person to fully relate to the other. Before Magazine Training International began, when Sharon Mumper traveled the world she saw an increasing gap between the evangelical resources available to Christians around the world and…

The dream, for most editors, is to work with a team of other editors and writers to develop the content of a magazine. However, particularly for start-up magazines, the founding editor is typically working alone to create all or most of the initial content. It can be a difficult position. In this six-minute clip taken…

Every industry has its own language. Using expressions that are familiar to your audience is an important part of effective communication. However, sometimes such language also excludes. Content that is meant to connect creates distance when the jargon isn’t readily understood. How much jargon to include? The primary consideration for any communication is to consider…

The subtle differences between the two statements below can bring people closer to your writing, or push them away in an instant. “You need to forgive your enemy.” “We need to forgive our enemies.” The first example is a classic case of pontificating: talking down to the reader, insisting that the reader do something, remaining…

Do our readers appreciate it when we use complex and obscure language to communicate theological truths? Do we use elaborate phrases because we want to them think “Wow! This writer uses words even I don’t know. He must be really smart.”? We Christian writers are communicating the most important message in the world. Shouldn’t we…

Information also available at www.crisispublishing.com. Join Christian journalists, editors, publishers, and bloggers from around the world as we gather to discuss how best to meet the challenges of a world increasingly impacted by crises of all kinds, from terrorism to war to natural disasters. In the midst of crisis, half-truths and wild rumors abound, sowing…

Editing your own writing can be a challenge, but it helps to have a process to put your article through. Get a fresh perspective. Print out your article and have your red pen ready to make some changes. Look for awkward phrasing and unnecessary words. If your deadline isn’t looming, it can help to take…

I relish the challenge of cutting an article down to size. Not that there is anything wrong with 1,000 words, but usually I need to fit an article into a particular spot in a magazine. While writers have a word count with their assignment, they often go over their allotment. Even for online content, where…

Is it easier for you to sit down and start writing or to think through what you want to say ahead of time? Although it adds an extra step before you put pen to paper, there are six really good reasons that prove why taking the extra time to outline your article is worth it…