It has been said that writers write. There’s no greater feeling to a person of letters than soaring across the blank page, unknowing of how their narrative will form next. Like most professional callings, there is always room for improvement, growth and learning. Luckily for La Jolla, the La Jolla Writer’s Conference is returning once again to the Hyatt Regency from Oct. 26 to 28. Here, writers of all levels learn valuable firsthand insights to all facets of publishing. Whether an aspiring author, seasoned veteran or someone who simply wishes to write better, the block-style learning system (similar to middle school) allows attendees to participate in whatever class they wish. The conference came into existence in 2001, less than a month after Sept. 11. This uncertain time period was formative of the conference, creating a pay-it-forward ethos that has remained to this day. “This was a time when no one wanted to fly,” said Jared Kuritz, the director of La Jolla Writer’s Conference for the last 12 years. “Going into the first conference, we said ‘So long as one person comes to this thing, we’re going to put it on.’ It is with this attitude that the conference developed further, and has been present to this day.” The “pay-it-forward” ethos mentioned earlier is only fitting, for the La Jolla Writer’s Conference hosted the author of “Pay It Forward,” Catherine Ryan Hyde, in 2012. With such established literary icons enlightening conference attendees, it comes as no surprise that countless raconteurs are looking to get in on the action. “Now, we’re hit up with anywhere from 100 to 200 people that wish to teach at the conference per year,” said Kuritz. “Typically, we like to cap the number of attendees at 200 as well, so that all of the classes have about 20 to 25 people per class. We offer more than 70 classes that cater to all levels of experience and intrigue.”
From classes like “Build your personal brand” or “Plotting your novel from start to finish,” these classes examine the formulas behind any great work’s success. “For nearly two decades, community, intimate classes, personalized attention, ambiance, and a dedicated and outstanding faculty have annually converged to provide an intensive experience where writing becomes habit, habit breeds success, and writers become authors,” reads the La Jolla Writer’s Conference website.
While writers can be stereotyped into the procrastinating sort, learning the business end of things surely cannot hurt in the endgame. Registration is still open for this year’s La Jolla Writer’s Conference at lajollawritersconference.com.