A novel's first chapter is its foundation, the cornerstone upon which its larger structure rests. This lecture presents a theory of good beginnings, exploring ways that authors provide a blueprint for what follows, immerse the reader in a set of specific themes, and introduce the seeds of a coming dilemma, all while not giving too much away. Drawing on archetypal examples from literature, from Charles Dickens to Alice Walker and Kazuo Ishiguro, we'll discuss the essential features of an opening...

Let’s face it — we all have it. Maybe we even need it to write well. But perfectionism can turn writing into a painful struggle. It can make it hard to get something down on the page and turn editing into a confusing hack-fest. We probably can’t control how we think, but we can adopt practices that help us outrun our perfectionism and edit effectively by getting quiet and listening to our intuition. Writing coach Mary Allen offers concrete advice and tips about how to outrun perfectionism and...

Writers’ Workshop graduate Kiley Reid will read from her fresh and provocative novel Come & Get It, one of the most anticipated books of the year and a New Yorker Best Book of the Week. Set in 2017 at the University of Arkansas, Come & Get It is about a residential assistant and her messy entanglement with a professor and three unruly students. In a NYT Book Review, Julia May Jones calls Reid “a social observer of the highest order,” and NPR says, ”Reid nails the anxiety about the future (and...

Join us monthly to generate new creative writing inspired by works in the Stanley collection. Each session will be led by a different talented writer from our area, who will be offering a new prompt and a new approach to ekphrastic writing (writing inspired by visual art). Bring your own notebook and pencil or computer and leave with the beginning of a newly written piece. Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry. Teen and adult writers in all genres are welcome.

Write at the Stanley meets every fourth...