Iowa Writing Resources
Posted by David Duhr in 
Next in our series of State Writing Resources is the Hawkeye State, Iowa, a state name that is 75% vowels, tied with Ohio. Iowa’s motto is “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. And also, we love our vowels.” Iowa writing has a pretty cool history and present. The Iowa Writing Workshop is legendary, of course, and has spawned dozens of our best-known writers. And the list of writers born in Iowa is silly impressive: Mildred Benson (among the earliest of the Nancy Drew writers); Robert Coover; Wallace Stegner; Bess Streeter Aldrich; Pulitzer winner Susan Glaspell. We could go on and on, but you can check out more of ’em here. Marilynne Robinson was once a preacher in Iowa, didja know? And WBN’s very own Brian Nicolet is also a proud Iowan.
Presented in no particular order, here are ten Iowa writing resources, from conferences to local critique groups to literary magazines. If you live in the Hawkeye State or are planning a move there, these are some organizations you might want to take a peek at.
Founded in 2002, ICB’s mission is to stimulate public interest in books, reading, literacy and libraries.
A nonprofit organization whose sole objective is to promote interest in and appreciation for better poetry by Iowans.
A prestigious literary journal “nudging along American literature, being local but not provincial, experimental but not without respect for literary traditions.”
4) The Iowa Scriptwriters Alliance
An organization dedicated to improving the art and craft of scriptwriters through education, communication and participation.
Offers regional support, conferences, resources, and best of all, networking opportunities.
A two-year residency program which culminates in the submission of a creative thesis (a novel, a collection of stories, or a book of poetry) and the awarding of a Master of Fine Arts degree.
7) Iowa Writers’ Workshop Summer Programs
Offering non-degree summer coursework; application required.
Writers in Iowa sharing their experiences with writing.
Founded in 1993, IRN is the central Iowa chapter of Romance Writers of America.
A literary journal produced by the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. Publishes fiction, nonfiction and poetry.
Help us add to this list, Iowans! Do you run a local writing group or a lit journal we should be aware of? Feel free to share info and links in the comments section below.