How to be the American Idol of Writing2002 Maui Writers Conference Uncovers A Wealth of Writing Talent
Attendees had the opportunity to interview with literary agents and editors, hear motivational and inspirational keynote speakers, and learn tricks of the writing trade from the masters of modern literature in over 90 workshops at the event. The conference is known for launching the careers of budding writers and is given credit for hundreds of publishing ‘success stories’ already. "Based on the comments from presenters that the quality of writing by attendees this year was the best ever, the success story list will unquestionably grow to add new books by attendees in the near future,” says event publicist Barbara Santos. Dr. Elizabeth Lindsey-Buyers introduced the winners of the 2002 Young Writers Scholarships at an awards ceremony during the conference. Thirty students and their teachers attended the Maui Writers Conference as part of the program this year. In her moving introduction, Dr. Lindsey-Buyers expressed her admiration for all the students but particularly the students from a Hawaiian immersion school on the Big Island. “My parents told me stories of how Hawaiian children were beaten for speaking their native language at school,” she told the filled ballroom. Tears in her eyes, she continued to express her pride in seeing the students of Nawahiokalani’opu’u School participating in the program this year. The students wrote their winning entries in Hawaiian and composed a chant that they performed on stage to close the ceremony. The top winners in the 2002 Young Writers Scholarship were: First Place, Tara Conte of Audubon High School in New Jersey for The Legend of Mr. Warble; Second Place, JJ French of Colfax High School in Colfax, California for Kenski; and Third Place to Lauren Armstrong of Seabury Hall in Olinda, Maui, Hawaii for African Reality. The Rupert Hughes Competition winners were: First Place, Richer By Far—P.J. Penman, Esq.; Second Place, Shimoni, A Dog’s Tale—Robin Field Gainey; and Third Place—Death of an Island Tart—Janice Croom. This competition is open to conference attendees each year and awards total $4000 in cash… plus an admission to the following year’s conference for the best entry. The Harriet Goldsberry Award Memorial Award in Creative Writing, sponsored by the University of Hawaii Creative Writing Program and the Maui Writers Foundation went to Robert Barclay. His novel MELAL was published in the spring by UH Press, in a first printing of 3,000 copies. These sold out in a record two months, after Barnes & Noble's selection of the book as part of its "Discover Great New Writers" series. The Harriet Goldsberry competition is administered by Steven Goldsberry, a professor of English at the University of Hawaii.
At one of the book signing events, local authors Tad Bartimus and KITV reporter Denby Fawcett launched their new book War Torn…a book written by seven female journalist friends who covered the Viet Nam war. Since Bartimus and Fawcett live in Hawaii and the other co-authors are scattered around the country, much of the collaboration was done via email. Another book signing included a dozen authors who published their books because of connections they made at the conference over the last decade. Author Kent Keith, of Honolulu, is one of the success stories. His book, Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments, is high on the non-fiction book lists and it was recently featured in Family Circle magazine. As a featured speaker at the event, he told the audience about meeting his Hawaii publisher, Inner Ocean Publishing, at the conference. They published his book in 2001 and it was subsequently re-released by G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Inner Ocean Publishing is itself a conference success story. The principals of the company saw the need for a local publisher based on Maui years ago at the conference. Now the small Makawao based company has published an impressive list of popular books from authors including Kent Keith and Dr. Paul Pearsall. The Maui Writers Conference event is produces by the Maui Writers Foundation and sponsored in part by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Outrigger Wailea Resort, Hawaiian Airlines, Maui Visitors Bureau, Writers Digest and the County of Maui. The website for info on NEXT year’s event is www.mauiwriters.com . The office phone is (808) 879-0061 or toll-free at 1-888-writer3. |
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The Annual Maui Writers Conference held at the Outrigger Wailea Resort might be the best place in the world to be discovered and become a best-selling author.. The conference—repeatedly called the ‘Best Writer’s Conference in the World’ by Writer's Digest magazine, attendees and high profile event presenters—drew nearly 1200 attendees from around the world at the 10th annual event.
For the second year, several of the presenters including Steve Martini (The Jury), Billie Letts (Where the Heart Is), Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for the…) and Paul Levine (9 Scorpions) put their handprints and pens into CONCRETE…to create square pavers for a ‘walk of fame’ to honor the famous writers who made presentations at the Maui Writers Conference over the years. The new imprints are in addition to those already captured in cement…including those of John Saul, Terry Brooks, Elizabeth George and a dozen other major authors!