I reflect on this from a princely setting, the Grand Wailea Resort, scene of this weekend's Maui Writers Conference - where I'll give tips about breaking in as a newspaper freelancer, as the program says, "while you're waiting for someone to option your screenplay for $3 million." Not a bad way to spend a working Labor Day weekend.
The conference is designed to help people launch careers as professional writers. Scanning the big program, which lists more than 100 sessions, it strikes me how much of it is about selling rather than creating. John and Shannon Tullius, conference directors, split it right down the middle. To my count, 58 sessions are on topics like marketing, agents, getting published and making money and 58 on topics like writing, plot development, characters and "finding your unique poetic voice."
Jackie Collins, a featured speaker, has sold 180 million copies, we're told. Heck, we sell that many Star-Bulletins in less than eight years. Maybe they'll invite me back.
