Ever wonder what it would be like to pick the brain of one of your favorite storytellers? While raising Shakespeare from his grave is out of the question, contemporary authors reveal just as much about the human story and push forward the craft and industry of the written word in these days of 100 character tweets and fragmented status updates. Renowned writers will spill the beans and share their keys to a successful writing process during Point Loma Nazarene University’s (PLNU) Writer’s Symposium by the Sea from Feb. 16 to 18. A series of one-on-one interviews will be followed by workshops, while question-and-answer portions will “let the audience eavesdrop on conversations and get the stories behind the stories” from current acclaimed authors, according to symposium coordinator Edie Chapman. Writers like lyricist Chris Hillman, New York Times best-selling co-author Lyn Vincent and authors Rob Bell and Mary Karr round out the roster of guests to be interviewed by Dean Nelson, the university’s journalism program director. Nelson goes through great lengths of research, reading practically everything the authors have written before sitting down with them for a one-of-a-kind conversation with leading minds of the industry, he said. “It’s kind of like [the television show] ‘Inside the Actor’s Studio,’ but about the craft of writing,” Nelson said. After extensive preparation for the interviews, Nelson sits and has a conversation with the writer about writing and the writers’ lives. For more than 16 years, Nelson has hosted the symposium and spoken with writers such as Ray Bradbury and legendary sports writer George Plimpton. During the three-day symposium, writers break off into workshops, where they show students and participants specified strategies for different types of writing, ranging from collaborative writing to writing lyrics. While branching out into lyrics and music may seem like a stretch, it’s still part of that “greater thing we call writing,” Nelson said. With that, Nelson’s efforts will give future writers and audiences a chance to see a different side of the eloquently-written word, an art form that has revealed so many universal truths throughout so many eras of great literature, he said. “I want to affirm and celebrate great writing. And by doing that, I’m hoping that it will then encourage great writing,” Nelson said The symposium takes place at the university, 3900 Lomaland Drive. Tickets are $10. For a full list of workshops, interviews and dates visit www.pointloma .edu/writers. SYMPOSIUM INTERVIEWS AND WORKSHOPS • Collaborative writing workshop with Lynn Vincent, co-author of Sarah Palin’s”Going Rogue: An American Life,” Wednesday, Feb. 16, 1:30 to 3 p.m. • Author and memoirist Mary Karr, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Cooper Music Center • Chris Hillman of The Byrds musical fame, Thursday, Feb. 17, 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Cooper Music Center with an acoustic concert to follow • Rob Bell, Friday, Feb. 18, 2 to 4 p.m. in the Cooper Music Center