Our Denominational Papers by W. S. Chapman

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 22, 1910

Our Denominational Papers

By W. S. Chapman

Writing for the Press—No. 8

Our Denominational Papers

W. S. CHAPMAN

Writing for our denominational publications is the highest type of press reporting. You may never have thought of it in that light, but a little consideration of the matter will make this plain.

I have shown that everything going into a worldly paper is a “story,” and that every “story” is “news.” Our publications are no exception. Secular papers treat almost exclusively of worldly matters, and are based, in a great degree, upon the wisdom of this world.

The publications of Sabbath-keepers treat almost exclusively of stories and news concerning a kingdom to come, and are based upon spiritual truths connected with the wisdom of God. In many instances their composition is controlled by the Spirit of God. The contributors to these papers are, practically, reporters, reporting the news concerning the kingdom, hence reporting the highest form of reportorial matter.

We look to the contributors to our denominational papers for the news, the latest news, from our Father’s kingdom. These publications are our only source of information. How eagerly we greet the coming of the REVIEW! How often the tired worker, discouraged perhaps, pauses at its receipt, sits down and scans its contents, then, with a smile of renewed courage on his face, lifts the weary burden again!

How cruel to disappoint such a one,—a seeker for bread,—and give him a stone! Yet many contributors do this very thing, not intentionally, but because they have never been taught how to write properly for the press.

All about these writers are items of most interesting news connected with their work,—precious evidences of the guardian care of God, it may be, over them and over the prosperity and advancement of his work. These gleams of light, that would thrill the hearts of the readers with delight and joy, often remain unconsidered, even unnoticed, simply because the writer’s mind has never been trained to recognize and appreciate news items.

The use of an unnecessary word ranks as a crime in newspaperdom. Every inch of space is precious, and guarded with jealous care. Thousands of interesting communications and costly telegraph despatches are thrown into the waste-baskets, daily, in the offices of the great daily newspapers, every one of which the editors would be glad to use, but there is not a single available inch of space left for their publication.

How small the space that the editors of our denominational publications have at their command in which to print the news concerning the kingdom of God! How difficult the task to decide what shall be published, and what held in abeyance or declined because of limited space!

If it is wrong to waste space in secular print, how careful our own writers should be to so rigidly condense their writings that not a superfluous word should appear! There are always articles, some of them of exceptional merit, that often wait many months for publication, but which could have appeared on time, had some of the published communications been properly condensed, thus making room for them.

We fail, too, to appreciate the place and power of our conference papers. They can be made missionary papers in a high degree if the members of the conferences will seek to train their minds as reporters, and will furnish these publications with items of peculiar and special interest and value, particularly in spiritual things, which come into their daily lives. If Sabbath-keepers will strive to gain proficiency in handling spiritual news, so that, for instance, they can discriminate between purely local items and those of general interest to the entire body of believers, sending the first named to their conference paper, and the latter to the REVIEW and the Signs, they will be doing a good work.

Proficiency will come through the experience gained in handling secular work. It will be more difficult to write acceptably for a conference paper than for one of the larger journals, because the smaller sheets can spare only lines of space where the larger publications can grant inches.

For the conference papers a communicated item should never exceed one hundred words, under any circumstances. It would still be better to confine it to fifty. This can be easily accomplished. Condense your article as far as you can. Condense your possible forty sentences into twenty, then ten, or even five.

Afterward cull out every three-syllable word, or reduce to two syllables, and mail the item left to the editor. It will be sure to appear, if received in time; and you will, if you have a conscience educated to reporting, enjoy your work, when you see it in print, much more than if you allow the communication to go in as first written.

Business notices, reports, etc., which are necessarily vital parts of a conference paper, take up much room. Even these, however, can be condensed to half their usual length, and be more readable and more interesting because of such condensation. A conference paper is no place for the publication of sermonettes, or long-drawn-out appeals, or Bible readings.

Every paragraph in such a paper, even the business matter, should be a news item, bright, sparkling, and interesting, telling something, and telling it not only to Sabbath-keepers, but to all who may read it.

There will be no trouble in making this so if contributors and editors will follow the fundamental principles of press writing, jointly preparing the matter on correct lines, the editor dropping his sermonettes into the waste-basket, and returning to contributors for correction and condensation all communications exceeding a reasonable space limit, retaining for publication only those items that, combined, will make his paper desirable for public distribution.

We can not all preach, or give Bible readings, or canvass, or enter the field as nurses; but even the humblest among us can write an item, occasionally, for our papers, and write well, after a short experience with the local home newspaper. Begin on the first item coming to hand. Keep at it until you succeed.