The Kauai Writers Conference attracts major authors of both literary and popular fiction,
memoir, poetry, non-fiction and screenplay.
This tenth year anniversary of the Kauai Writers Conference
will be an event not to be missed.
FOUR DAYS OF MASTER CLASSES
(November 11 through 14, 2024)
with top authors and industry experts on topics including plot, character development, memoir, poetry, historical fiction, nonfiction, bringing life to your novel, and adapting your work to film and TV
ding about 40 workshops, lectures and panels with each of the author faculty.
A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE
(November 15 through 17, 2024)
including about 40 workshops, lectures and panels with each of the author faculty.
INTIMATE SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS
with renowned authors on all aspects of the craft and the business of writing.
TALKS BY BELOVED AUTHORS
These discussions can take off in unexpected directions but always focus on guidance for aspiring writers.
INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS WITH LITERARY AGENTS
in which attendees can pitch their manuscripts and receive focused critiques.
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONS
with leading experts on both traditional and alternative publishing.
FOUR DAYS OF MASTER CLASSES
(November 11 through 14, 2024)
with top authors and industry experts on topics including plot, character development, memoir, poetry, historical fiction,
nonfiction, bringing life to your novel, and adapting your work to film and TV
A THREE-DAY CONFERENCE
(November 15 through 17, 2024)
including about 40 workshops, lectures and panels with each of the author faculty.
-
INTIMATE SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS
with renowned authors on all aspects of the craft and the business of writing.
-
TALKS BY BELOVED AUTHORS
These discussions can take off in unexpected directions but always focus on guidance for aspiring writers.
-
INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS WITH LITERARY AGENTS
in which attendees can pitch their manuscripts and receive focused critiques.
-
INDIVIDUAL CONSULTATIONS
with leading experts on both traditional and alternative publishing.
Writers find breakthrough inspiration and knowledge.
Lifelong friendships form.
Books are born. Deals get made.
And the Hawaiian spirit of aloha spirit infuses the entire event, opening hearts to intimate communication between faculty and attendees.
A contingent of top literary agents come each year to the Kauai event in search of new talent.
Attendees include both aspiring and already published writers. Celebrated authors come to relax, rekindle friendships with their peers, and share inspiration and insight. Bring this mix to the otherworldly beauty of Kauai and magic happens.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING:
“It was unquestionably one of the most impactful conferences I have attended – I LOVED the small intimate size of the week of master classes.”
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“Every session I attended was extremely valuable. I liked the balance between panel sessions and individuals speaking in depth. I especially loved the Spirit of the Meeting: In every session, every author speaker radiated respect, humility and comradeship to every writer present in the room.”
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“It was the best investment in my writing career.”
“This is my third time at the Kauai conference and it gets better every year. I think you are doing a remarkable job of organizing a truly informative conference and bringing us the best people in the business whether that be writing, screenwriting, editing, publishing, finding an agent and navigating the publishing and writing world. I think this is the premier writers conference in America.”
educator, author, lifetime learner
“I want to say how much I am enjoying my Kauai online workshops. The speakers have been excellent and the variety of topics keeps me engrossed every time. I know well how challenging it is to organize and keep abreast of a workshop series with many participants, and just want to reiterate how much I appreciate all the effort you put into these programs. I hope next year I’ll be able to attend the Kauai conference in person once again.
physicist, professor, and the former 20th President of Miami University of Ohio. Author of Saving Alma Mater: A Rescue Plan for America’s Public Universities.
“I’ve been to quite a few writers’ conferences. Not because I’m dense, but because the art of fictional writing is so difficult to learn. Small courses, Medium. Intimate. Huge. For the serious writer Kauai Writers Course offers the best opportunity to move to the next level. It helped me- big time.
To break out of the cocoon and become a published writer, the recommendation is to associate oneself with the writing community. The Kauai writers conference gives us that chance: fellow learning writers, expert published writers, agents, publishers etc. I especially liked the respect shown for the Hawaiian culture. I also liked the faculty mixing in with us at breakfast and lunch. They were very approachable and friendly.
Surprise of all surprises, or perhaps I am improving enough to have earned it, but I got a request for the full manuscript from one of the agents I met with. Utterly thrilled at this.”
— Pierce Scranton MD | retired professor of medicine, and former chief physician for the Seattle Seahawks. Founder of a mission in Vietnam to treat landmine victims. The author of Playing Hurt: Treating the Warriors of the NFL, and currently working on a novel.
“I don’t know why this was my first year, but it will become the first of many. I’ve been to a lot of writing conferences, all entertaining but not all impactful. Yours is life-changing. . . for many reasons. Thank you.”
— Lisa Crawford Watson | writing instructor for CSU Monterey Bay, author of thousands of feature articles in local and national newspapers and magazines
Many well-traveled people consider Kauai the world’s most beautiful island.
It’s difficult to capture its grandeur in photos, but throughout this website are a few that try.
Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian islands. Its geological history has given it many more beaches than the others, and surreal landscapes. The wettest spot on earth, Mt. Waialeale, generates waterfalls that cascade down to regions as diverse as the arid west side, the rainforests of the north shore, and the fantastically sculpted cliffs of the Na Pali coast. Just twenty miles from the near desert climate of Waimea, the misty uplands of Kokee are home to endemic plants and birds found nowhere else on earth.
Kumu Sabra Kauka and her halau have opened the Kauai Writers Festival each year with traditional pule, chant, and hula.
Four generations of the Punua family have conducted Kauai’s best-loved luau for over sixty years. They offer their performance and classic imu-prepared dishes on the first night of the conference.
The Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort is one of Hawaii’s best. It sits on a lovely beach on its own cove—an excellent spot for novice surfers—and provides gorgeous indoor-outdoor meeting spaces and luxurious accommodations. Surfboards, stand-up paddle boards, and outrigger canoes are available just steps away.
The resort provides delicious and varied meals. Breakfast and Lunch each day and brunch on Sunday are served in lovely indoor-outdoor settings where attendees and faculty all dine together.
