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Division of Continuing Education

Iowa Summer Writing Festival

The Iowa Summer Writing Festival is a short-term, noncredit creative writing program for adults. It brings some 1,400 writers to the University of Iowa campus each summer to participate in weeklong and weekend workshops. The program is open to individuals age 21 and older; the sole requirement is the desire to write.

Participants choose from more than 100 workshops across the genres, including the novel, short fiction, poetry, memoir, essay, screenwriting, playwriting, travel writing, humor, writing for children, mystery, science fiction, and more. There are sessions for all skill levels and objectives. In the workshop format, participants read and discuss each other's own creative work.

Weeklong sessions meet for three hours each day, Monday through Friday, with individual student/instructor conferences as well. Weekend sessions meet for eight hours over two days.

Visit the Iowa Summer Writing Festival web site for information about workshops, schedule, and registration. Information about the coming summer festival workshops and dates usually is posted in February or March.