Writer’s Symposium by the Sea is an annual event to inspire readers and writers alike, featuring evocative conversations with exemplary writers from various genres, backgrounds, and perspectives. During each interview, the audience is invited to actively listen in as writers share what inspires their writing and delve into the practices that propel their success.
The symposium’s evening interviews feature Dr. Dean Nelson, founder of the Writer’s Symposium by the Sea and director of the Journalism program at Point Loma Nazarene University. Past guest writers have included Cornel West, Amy Tan, David Brooks, Alice Walker, Philip Yancey, Anne Lamott, Bill Moyers, and many more.
STORYTELLING MATTERS: Writer's Symposium by the Sea, Feb 24-26, 2027
Tickets coming this fall for conversations with Ann Patchett, Pádraig Ó Tuama, and Edwidge Danticat.
Follow us on social media and sign up on our mailing list for updates on these events (and any bonus events that pop up along the way!).
Click on the following link for ticket links and more about this year's guest writers.
Tickets and Details Available Here
THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS
We are so grateful to the Writer's Symposium by the Sea donors. Thanks to you, we were able to bring hundreds of local high school students to hear from this year's writers and we have already received thank you notes with stories of how these experiences will make a lasting impression. We are so grateful to be a part of that.
As we plan for another amazing group of inspiring writers in 2026, perhaps you might consider a one-time or ongoing donation? We would love to add you to this list:
Writer's Symposium by the Sea Donors:
Cheree D. Adey
Mery Olive Bangs Endowment
Bob and Jo Birdsell
Lori Dedic
David Dolan
The Tom and Melanie Gillette Trust, in memory of Tom Gillette
Michelle Heckle
Larry R. Jackson
Ron & Kathleen Lauderbach
Jocelyn N. Maggard
Drs. Kathryn & Michael McConnell
Lory Costello-Neeley
Jennifer L. Newlin
Daniel K. O'Neill
Kenneth C. Price
The Estate of Jim and Muriel Ranum
Ashley Reynolds-Montano
Donald R. Schengel
PLNU School of Humanities, Arts, and Public Engagement
Sheryl B. Smee
Tatjana Soli
David & Elinor Vandegrift
Warwick's
La Playa Books
San Diego Union-Tribune
Symposium Sponsorship
To maintain the symposium's high-quality programming, we need your help to meet our yearly donation goal of $80,000. Please consider partnering with Writer's Symposium by the Sea by giving an ongoing or one-time, tax-deductible donation. Every gift allows us to provide this unique opportunity to PLNU students and the community.
For more information about donating to the Writer's Symposium, please contact giving@pointloma.edu or click here to make your donation today!
Thank you for your support.
Connect With Us
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View Archived Interviews
Thanks to our partnership with UCSD-TV, you can watch previous interviews from Writer's Symposium by the Sea here: https://www.ucsd.tv/writers/
