IWP Starts Year with Three Free Events

August 31, 2010

This year the International Writing Program (IWP) is kicking off the beginning of the academic year with a series of three free events Friday, September 3 and Sunday the 5th. Each Year the IWP brings authors from all over the world to Iowa City. This year, 38 authors from 32 countries will be able to experience life on an American campus, and in an UNESCO city of literature. Friday from noon to 1:30, Milosz Biedrzycki, Andrea Hirata, Beverly Perez Rego and Sölvi Björn Sigurdsson will lead a panel discussion "Translation/Writing Across Languages" in Room A of the Iowa City Public Library. Later, at 5pm, Amilcar Bettega and Pola Oloixarac will read at Shambaugh House. Finally, Maryia Martysevich and Billy Karanja Kahora will read 4pm Sunday at Prairie Lights bookstore.

All of these events are free to the public. For more information on the authors, follow this link to the IWP Writers page. The IWP hosts events featuring the visiting authors all year long. For information on upcoming events, check the IWP calendar.

Fiction | Poetry | Nonfiction | International Writing Program
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PATV 18’s Coverage of the 2010 Iowa City Book Festival

August 20, 2010

This year the Iowa City Book Festival celebrated Iowa City being named an UNESCO City of Literature. PATV Channel 18 was there to film the celebration. You can watch their coverage by clicking the image above or follow this link to blip.tv.

This year's festivities were sponsored by the University of Iowa Libraries, University of Iowa Press, Prairie Lights as well as many other great organizations.

UNESCO
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Former Writers’ Workshop Faculty Member Pays His Way with Poetry

August 11, 2010

Simon Armitage wanted to see if he could earn a living with only his poetry. In order to test whether this was possible, he set out to walk Pennine Way, a 264-mile trail across the English countryside, with no money. In order to cover his expenses, he asked for donations from attendees of nightly poetry readings he held in pubs, halls and houses along the way. In a recent BBC News article, Armitage explains that, even though he publishes his poetry in books, he still considers it important to read in front of people. The experiment, which started July 8 and ended July 26, proved a success, as he was able to pay his way with the earnings from the readings. Armitage plans to write a book about his trials and the people he met on his journey.

Armitage was born in Huddersfield, England. His work includes poetry, plays and novels. He has received several awards for his work, and taught at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He currently teaches at Manchester Metropolitan University. Click here for the full article from BBC News.

Iowa Writers' Workshop | Poetry | Faculty
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Director Amy Margolis’s Reflections on the Iowa Summer Writing Festival

August 06, 2010

In the July edition of Spectator@IOWA, Iowa Summer Writing Festival director Amy Margolis discusses what makes the festival successful year after year. She also talks about the types of classes offered by the festival and the part Iowa City as a community plays in the festival's success. The festival attracts large numbers of people looking to sharpen their writing skills each year. Margolis states that she is continually amazed at how quickly people pick up good writing habits after attending just a few workshops.

Margolis has been working for the ISWF for 20 years, beginning as a graduate assistant while she was a student in the Writers' Workshop. Click Here for the full interview.

Iowa Writers' Workshop | Fiction | Poetry | Nonfiction
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Wag’s Revue Features 5 University of Iowa Authors

July 28, 2010

Wag's Revue is a quarterly online-only literary journal containing poetry, essays, fiction and interviews with important contemporary authors. This month, the staff at Wag's released their sixth issue, which contains material from five University of Iowa writers.

This issue includes an interview with Writers' Workshop graduate, David Shields in which he discusses his new book, Reality Hunger: A Manifesto. Also included in the journal are essays by current Nonfiction Writing Program members Rachel Yoder and Sarah Viren as well as a short story by Dylan Nice. Incoming fiction MFA candidate and O'Henry award winner Tony Tulathimutte also makes an appearance with his short story, "The Man Who Wasn't Male."

Wag's Revue, is always free to view and the issues are available as PDF downloads as well.

Iowa Writers' Workshop | Alumni | Fiction | Nonfiction | Nonfiction Writing Program
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