One of the joys of my job is working with writers from all around the world. This week alone, I edited a piece on global Anglicans by Emmanuel Nwachukwu in Abuja, Nigeria; ministries in Cuba by Hernán Restrepo in Bogotá, Colombia; Christians in southern Lebanon by Ghinwa Akiki and Hunter Williamson in Beirut; and an upcoming piece about a Bible translation in Rajasthan, India, by Vikram Mukka in Delhi.
There are unique considerations that I need to factor in as I work out of Columbus, Ohio. Differing time zones force me to plan ahead to make sure that I can get edits back in time to meet our internal deadlines for copyediting and scheduling a piece. Journalism styles and rules also differ from country to country, so we provide training and explain to writers our news guidelines. Sometimes writers will drop in historical events or cultural norms that need no explanation in their home countries but are often unfamiliar with our readership. I often ask writers to provide a line providing some additional context.The story topic, sources, and on-the-ground color are richer when we have writers who live near where the news is taking place, who speak the local language, and who understand the regions’ cultural and evangelical landscape. If you are a reader from outside the US with stories you think CT should cover, feel free to send us an email at global@christianitytoday.com.
