http://www.writinguniversity.uiowa.edu en ryan-strempke-durgin@uiowa.edu Copyright 2010 2010-08-31T14:31:01-06:00 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/iwp_starts_year_with_three_free_events/ 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 2010-08-31 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/patv_18s_coverage_of_the_2010_iowa_city_book_festival/ 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 2010-08-20 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/former_writers_workshop_faculty_member_makes_his_poetry_pay/ 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. Poetry, Faculty, Iowa Writers' Workshop 2010-08-11 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/director_amy_margoliss_reflections_on_the_iowa_summer_writing_festival/ 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. Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Iowa Writers' Workshop 2010-08-06 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/new_issue_of_wags_review_features_5_university_of_iowa_authors/ 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. Alumni, Fiction, Nonfiction, Iowa Writers' Workshop, Nonfiction Writing Program 2010-07-28 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/10000_pages_of_poetry_in_100_days/ As part of the University of Iowa Main Library's celebration of Iowa City being named a UNESCO City of Literature, Dave Morice, also known as "Dr. Alphabet," has pledged to write 100 pages of poetry a day for 100 days. Morice will spend four hours a day working on the poetry at sponsored locations such as Hamburg Inn and the Main Library during scheduled events. He hopes that this will help people see the possibilities that poetry holds. Morice has written 60 poetry marathons in Iowa, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and London, England. In 1975, Morice wrapped an entire city block in Iowa City in poetry in a piece called "Poetry City, USA." He lives in Iowa City and works in Cedar Rapids at Kirkwood Community College. See the Press Citizen for the full story. Alumni, Poetry, Iowa Writers' Workshop, UNESCO 2010-07-21 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/writers_workshop_graduate_catherine_knepper_helps_authors_get_published/ Catherine Knepper, a 2004 Iowa Writers' Workshop graduate, has found a somewhat unorthodox way to put her education to use. She has started her own business in Des Moines, Catherine Knepper Ghostwriting, from which she now edits and ghostwrites. She states that it is extremely difficult for an unknown writer to get published and finds helping such individuals very rewarding. Most of the business she gets is from word of mouth and referrals from agents. Having opened just last August, Knepper states that she has already had to turn people away; a situation she believes is due to the changing publishing environment. Click Here to read Knepper's story from the Des Moines Register. In the article, Knepper also provides tips for authors looking to get published. Alumni, Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Iowa Writers' Workshop 2010-07-13 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/marylinne_robinson_on_the_daily_show/ Tonight, 7/8/2010, Pulitzer Prize winning author and Writers' Workshop instructor, Marylinne Robinson will be on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. She will be discussing her new book, Absence of Mind, a nonfiction work in which Robinson tackles the difficult subjects of science, religion and consciousness. Click here for the L.A. Times review of the book . The show will air tonight at 10pm CDT. If you miss the program, the interview should appear on The Daily Show Guests page online after it airs. Nonfiction, Faculty, Iowa Writers' Workshop 2010-07-08 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/ui_press_releases_new_anthology_by_celebrated_iowa_author_susan_glaspell/ Susan Glaspell, born 1876 in Davenport Iowa, was one of the preeminent authors of the early twentieth century, producing 14 plays, 9 novels and over 50 short stories. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her play, Alison's House and many of her short stories appeared in The Best American Short Stories. The new anthology, Her America: A Jury of Her Peers and Other Stories, was edited by Glaspell scholars, Patricia Bryan and Martha Carpentier. The book features Glaspell's acclaimed story, "A Jury of Her Peers" with its restored original ending. The collection also contains eleven other Glaspell stories. For more information on this collection, visit the University of Iowa Press website. Fiction, Dramatic Writing, UI Press 2010-07-07 http://www.writinguniversity.org/index.php/main/entry/the_daily_palette_a_website_for_iowa_artists_and_writers/ The Daily Palette's goal is to heighten interest, awareness and appreciation of the visual arts and writing through recognizing the efforts of Iowa-identified artists and communities. The Daily Palette features the work of a different writer or artist every day. The project has for over six years provided a means for the public to view a diverse range of artwork through the display of images, texts and streaming video. The project began in conjunction with the Year of the Arts & Humanities in 2004-2005, when a team from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences School of Art & Art History Intermedia Area developed the Daily Palette to combine Intermedia's art & technology research with a broad public information effort. Since its inception in 2004, the Daily Palette has featured the work of over 2100 Iowa artists working in the visual arts, writing, film and music. The Daily Palette features subcollections in collaboration with other organizations throughout the University of Iowa and the state including "Iowa Writes". Since 2006, "Iowa Writes" has featured the work of Iowa-identified writers on the Daily Palette, and it has recently expanded its scope to include work published by Iowa journals and publishers. Curated by the staff of the Iowa Review, "Iowa Writes" features poetry, fiction or nonfiction several times a week on the Palette. Alumni, Fiction, Poetry, Nonfiction, Iowa Review 2010-06-30