LIHUE — Some of America’s most engaging storytellers gathered on the Garden Isle this month for the 10th annual Kauai Writers Conference.
This year, the Kauai Writers Conference (KWC) awarded full scholarships to 40 students from Kauai High School, Island High School, Waimea High School and Hawaii Technology Academy.
The students and about 400 other attendees from around the world joined authors such as Marta Kauffman, co-creator and writer of the sitcom “Friends,” and United States Poet Laureate Billy Collins at the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort in Lihue for the five-day event.
The industry experts held master classes and discussed topics such as poetry, character development and historical fiction. Authors also advised the aspiring writers how to bring life to their novels and adapt their work into film and TV productions.
Jaben Schalk, an English teacher at Hawaii Technology Academy (HTA), expressed excitement about the conference, and said having top-tier writers come to Kauai made the event unique and special.
“As an English teacher, I found the conference profoundly impactful because it exposed my students to some of America’s best writers and writing,” said Schalk. ”Most of the students I brought to the conference already had novels, short stories or larger poetry projects in the works, and they came away with the belief that they could be published and that their art mattered.”
Also in attendance was Lyn Butler, author of “Someone Else’s Life: A Thriller,” a novel set on Kauai. Butler played a pivotal role in making the scholarships possible for the students at HTA.
“Lyn Butler is my friend and one of the people who worked to get my students scholarships to attend,” said Schalk. “She has spoken in my class over the last four years, and I admire her writing ability, passion and stick-to-it-iveness. I also enjoyed reading a novel set in my back yard.”
Schalk added, “Remember inspiration is in community, family and the beauty of the island. Write because you love it and because you are creative; your art should flow from who you are. Practice your craft. Write a journal, be expressive, and develop your voice. Write poetry when you see something in creation that must be mused upon. Find contests online and put your work out there to be critiqued. Write a novel as if you were telling an intimate story to your best friend.”
Ten years ago, the Kauai Writers Conference began as a small local event. Now it attracts writers from all over the world and has become one of the best literary conference in the country, according to fans.
“This year was the best one yet,” said David Katz,event director. “The students spent time and shared meals with some of the most famous writers in the country and I hope it inspires them and makes them think, ‘Hey, I can do that.’ We are lucky to be able to live and host this event here on the Garden Island and we encourage everyone to register for next year’s event.”
Registration for next year’s conference is set to open in January. To subscribe to KWC’s online workshops, visit kauaiwritersconference.com.
