Qualities of a Great Writers Conference

The Writer's Block, bi-weekly column by Antoinette and Jared Kuritz

The ninth annual La Jolla Writers Conference is coming up, November 6 – 8, 2009, at Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego.  Limited to 200 attendees, the conference sold out last year.

Launching one-month after 9/11 in 2001, more than two-thirds of those registered that first year decided instead to stay home.  But with a leap of faith and a strong sense of obligation to those still willing to attend, the conference went forward.  Adopting the title of first keynote Catherine Ryan Hyde’s most famous book, organizers, faculty and keynotes all pay it forward.  Each year a group of people successful in different aspects of the publishing industry come together and pay it forward to aspiring authors; in an effort to keep the conference affordable, no one, including the organizers and keynotes, gets paid.

That said, the LJWC faculty is stellar.  Chosen for their knowledge in their field, their ability to share that knowledge, and their generosity in doing so, they provide attendees with real insight into the art, craft, and business of writing.  As a result, many attendees have gone on to successful publication, some even having been mentored by members of the staff.

Two years ago, Jared Kuritz, founder Antoinette’s business partner and son, became the director of the conference which many call one of the best-run conferences in the country.  Writer’s Digest has named it one of the 84 conferences in the country worth your money, and it has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Westways among other publications.  Antoinette’s vision of a conference that created a strong sense of community, that facilitated direct contact between faculty and attendees, and that covered the art, craft, and business of writing is still the foundation for this conference.

1. Direct Access to the Faculty and Staff: Make sure there are opportunities for your work to be directly in front of movers and shakers in the industry.

2. Quality of Faculty and Staff: Are they successful in their own right?  Are they knowledgeable?  And are they willing to be generous with that knowledge?

3. Variety of Classes: Does the conference offer a wide variety of classes covering the art, craft, and business of writing?

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4. Hidden Costs: Do you have to pay separate fees for each keynote, each meal, or is it all included.  Is it affordable?

5. Location: Is the location of the conference conducive to a relaxed sense of community?  Is it in a place where you will be able to get away from your daily concerns and stress and focus on writing?

6. History: What has the conference brought to the table in the past in terms of faculty and experiences?

As an example, agents at the LJWC do not sit on a panel.  They each teach both lecture and workshop classes so that attendees get up close to them with their work.

NY Times bestselling keynotes each teach at least one lecture and one workshop class. As a result, both fiction and non-fiction published LJWC authors have had blurbs from keynotes such as Joe Wambaugh, Tess Gerritsen, Phil Margolin, David Morrell, John Lescroart, and T. Jefferson Parker.

Who is the LJWC for?  Anyone wanting to learn more about the art, craft, and business of writing while becoming part of an ongoing writing community.

For more on the La Jolla Writers Conference, call Antoinette or Jared at 858-467-1978 or check out www.lajollawritersconference.com.  With only a few weeks to go til the 2009 conference, register soon!

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