Co-sponsored by PorchLight and Iowa City Poetry, the Free Generative Writing Workshops provide a space for career writers, curious beginners, writers of all income levels and stages of life. Their goal is to make it easy to meet and learn from some of the most talented writer/teachers living in or passing through Iowa City. Every
PorchLight's Write Now Writer's Group provides community, and learning opportunities for beginning to intermediate writers. At their monthly meetings, share short craft lessons, generate writing from prompts, and, on occasion, provide responses to participants' work in progress. Writers working in any genre are welcome. This is a great group for writers who have not had the
Writers' Workshop graduate Peter Bognanni will read from his new novel, How to Lose Yourself Completely, and will be joined in conversation with Daniel Khalastchi. Bognanni's publisher offers this description of How to Lose Yourself Completely: "A teen grappling with grief and anxiety is sent to wilderness "adventure therapy,” where he meets a group of friends—and a
Katie Bennett will read from her new book, She Was Wild Grass, and will be joined in conversation with BRINK publisher and author Nina Lohman & BRINK editor Alisha Jeddeloh. Bennett's website offers this introduction: "She Was Wild Grass intertwines Bennett’s artistic coming-of-age with the story of Joan Vollmer, the remarkable yet overlooked figure of the Beat Generation whose life was cut
Join them for a special University of Iowa Book Matters event! University of Iowa Professor Kathy Lavezzo will read from her new book, Bad Medievalism and the Modernity Problem, and Iowa Assistant Professor William Rhodes will read from his newest book, The Work of Reform: Literature and Political Ecology from Langland to Spenser. They will be joined
Join Sidekick Coffee and Books for an evening with author Grant Faulkner in conversation with Yasmina Din Madden for his new book Something Out There in the Distance on September 24th at 7 pm. One book purchase admits two people. About the book: Flash-fiction master Grant Faulkner and photographer Gail Butensky have partnered to create
Ready to get some eyes on your work? This group provides careful readings and positive, descriptive feedback on works-in-progress. They meet twice a month and workshop two submissions of up to 20 pages at each meeting. They are currently open to adding one or two more members. They advise sitting in on a session to
Join them for their annual IWP Sunday Afternoon Reading Series! This week’s event features IWP Residents Monique Malcher (Brazil), Wame M. Molefhe (Botswana), and Lien Ming-wei (Taiwan). They will be joined by Iowa Writers' Workshop Poetry candidate, Aditya Menon. Monique Malcher is a writer, journalist, and visual artist born in Santarém, in western Pará, Brazil. She holds
Kyle McCarthy will read from his new novel, Immersions, and will be joined in conversation with Iowa Writers' Workshop Associate Professor, Kevin Brockmeier. Publisher Tin House (Zando) describes Immersions as "Black Swan meets Bluebeard in this novel of sisterly rivalry and obsessive love set in the New York City dance scene." Immersions is praised by bestselling author Leslie Jamison as "
Nicholas Russell will read from his new novel, Observer, and will be joined in conversation with 2026 Iowa Writers' Workshop Visiting Associate Professor (and Writers' Workshop graduate) Tony Tulathimutte. Publisher Ecco Press describes Observer as "A disquieting, atmospheric debut horror novel about a young woman investigating her mother’s disappearance at an abandoned Nevada observatory, for fans of Jeff
Flash Forward is PorchLight's monthly studio session for writers interested in short form writing: flash fiction, micro essays, prose poetry, and more. Join them and learn more about these miniature marvels. Each session includes a discussion of short form works we love, a generative writing prompt, optional sharing, and light positive feedback. Whether you're new to
Grief Writing - A monthly exploration of loss and heartbreak Jennifer New leads this monthly group that uses writing as a reflective tool to explore loss. Francis Weller's Five Gates of Grief provides a backbone to consider grief from multiple angles, e.g., death of loved ones, loss of health or ability, grief for the world. This is an
