For 15 years, thousands of writers—published, unpublished, agented, unagented—have gathered at the Maui Writers Conference—on Maui, as the titular name suggests—to find the writing muse, mingle with other writers and learn the best way to see their name in print.
Now, they are coming to Oahu.
Many refer to Oahu as “the gathering place,” so it’s fitting that the Maui Writers Conference gathers this year “On the Road” in Honolulu. In the 1800s, Hawaiian royalty retreated to the shores of Waikiki, no doubt because of its abundant fresh waters. In any indigenous culture, Hawaiian included, fresh water equates to wealth. Once, springs and streams striated the Waikiki area creating a marsh perfect for growing taro, a staple for the Hawaiian diet. And, then, there was the summer surf—another reason those chiefs and their families chose to summer at Waikiki. Perfectly clean waves rolling in from the South Pacific, made “the sport of kings” synonymous with Waikiki forevermore.
Mark Twain. Robert Louis Stevenson. Jack London. They were the forerunners. The literati who discovered Hawaii early in the game. Then came James Michener, Paul Theroux, Michael Crichton and Maxine Hong Kingston. Even the Brits Isabella Bird, Jan Morris and Simon Winchester have journeyed to Hawaii in the name of literature.
Contacts. Encouragement. Confidence.
Writers continue to migrate to the “loveliest fleet of islands that lies anchored in any ocean,” as Twain—perhaps Hawaii’s first travel writer—described the place, which was commonly called the Sandwich Islands when he visited.
Writers keep coming to the islands for good reason. There’s something about Hawaii and writing that just go together—like sashimi and shoyu, sand and sea, and Waikiki and surfing. The combination is launching America’s newest talent, as well. We’re talking best-sellers and award-winners here. Like James Rollins, Patricia Wood and Wendy Merrill. (You’ll learn more about their amazing stories in the coming weeks, so be sure to bookmark this page.)
Today, Waikiki is the center of Hawaii tourism. It seems everyone wants to visit. Even New York agents. Even editors of giant publishing houses.
Chance. Fortune. Luck.
When Wendy Merrill attended the Maui Writers Conference two years ago, she met with editor in chief of Putnam, Neil Nygren. “I don’t think this is really your kind of book,” she said to Neil, “but you’re the biggest publisher here, and you’ve been around forever and know everyone, so I’d very much appreciate your feedback on my little project.”
Two weeks later, he made an offer on her book, and this past March, Falling Into Manholes was released. In its first week of publication, Merrill’s memoir on life and love appeared in the number three spot on the San Francisco Chronicle’s list of bestsellers.
Patricia Wood first attended Maui Writers Conference in 2005. She signed up for the fiction writing retreat. Her teacher: None other than best-selling, Oprah-pick Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean. One thing led to another and, soon, Paul Theroux appeared in Patricia’s life—as her mentor. In August 2007, Patricia’s debut novel Lottery was published. The Washington Post Book World awarded it “Best Fiction of 2007” honors. Most recently, Lottery was short-listed for the 2008 Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction in the U.K. Oh, and Sarah Michelle Geller optioned the film rights.
Not that this happens to everyone. But you never know.
Maybe that something that makes Hawaii such a good place for writers is serendipity.
According to one dictionary, the definition of “serendipity” is the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way: a fortunate stroke of serendipity | a series of small serendipities.
In Hawaii, as Wendy’s and Patricia’s stories will reveal, serendipity seems to be commonplace.
In addressing the 2006 group of conference attendees, Shanon Tullius, co-director of Maui Writers Conference said, “After 14 years, I have seen it over and over, the person sitting next to you ends up knowing your editor-to-be. The person sitting on the other side of you winds up your writing partner. It happens all the time.”
Hawaii and writers: They just go together.
To learn more about the Maui Writers Conference “On the Road” in Honolulu, visit www.mauiwriters.com. And check back here. Boy, do we have some stories to share.