Alumni Updates

Steven Willis standing outside Prairie Lights

Writers' Workshop Alumni

Our alumni work as teachers and writers across many disciplines and publish books in every genre. 6 recent U.S. Poets Laureate have been graduates of the Writers' Workshop and some of the most distinctive, celebrated voices in contemporary poetry and fiction have come through our program and used their time here to develop their work and their voice.

"I do not in fact know what I would have done, or who I would have been as an adult, if I hadn’t lived in and around Iowa City"

- Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, MFA Writers' Workshop

News, Publications, and Awards

Jamel Brinkley wins 2024 Maya Angelou Book Award Juan Felipe Herrera awarded 2024 MacArthur Genius Grant Ruthvika Rao shortlisted for the Center For Fiction First Novel Prize Elizabeth Willis and m.s. RedCherries longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award in Poetry Tony Tulathimutte longlisted for the 2024 National Book Award in Fiction V. V. Ganeshananthan wins the 2024 Carol Shields Prize for Fiction Jayne Anne Phillips wins the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction Jorie Graham, Yiyun Li, and Robyn Schiff are finalists for the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes in Fiction and Poetry

Before the Mango Ripens, by Afabwaje Kurian

Before the Mango Ripens
Afabwaje Kurian
_{September 24, 2024 | Fiction}

The Goner School
Jessica Laser
_{September 27, 2024 | Poetry}

Small Rain
Garth Greenwell
_{September 3, 2024 | Fiction}

Terminal Maladies
Okwudili Nebeolisa

Browse Publications

See Prizes & Awards

The Latest Alumni Updates

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Friday, April 11, 2025

Saturday! April 12 at 10 a.m. in the Lisbon, IA Public Library, Workshop MFA Candidate and poet, Griffin Rockwell, will lead a writing workshop and presentation about writing poetry, in honor of National Poetry Month events.uiowa.edu/event/32094

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Friday, April 11, 2025

Also tonight! April 11 at 7 p.m. at Prairie Lights Bookstore, Writers' Workshop alum Jonathan Thirkield will read from his newest book of poems, 'Infinity Pool'. Thirkield's Q&A in the Frank Conroy Reading Room at Glenn Schaeffer Library/Dey House will start at 12:30 pm events.uiowa.edu/event/30659

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Thursday, April 10, 2025

Friday! April 11 at 4:30 p.m. in the Frank Conroy Reading Room at Dey House/Glenn Schaeffer Library, join us for avant-garde poetry by the legendary Dutch sound artist, Dadaist and performance artist Jaap Blonk events.uiowa.edu/event/32102

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Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Thursday! April 10 at 7 p.m. in Prairie Lights bookstore, Caitlin Roach will read from her debut book of poems, 'Surveille', winner of the 2024 Brittingham Poetry Prize. She will be in conv. w/Rachel Yoder, author 'Nightbitch' & Asst. Prof. of Screenwriting & Cinema Arts events.uiowa.edu/event/30649

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Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Wednesday! April 9th at 7 p.m. in Prairie Lights bookstore, Chris Offutt will read from his newest book, 'The Reluctant Sheriff', which is a continuation of his Mick Hardin thriller series. events.uiowa.edu/event/30726

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Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Lan Samantha Chang, Margot Livesey, Brenda Hillman and Sarah Thankam Mathews on the faculty list for the Napa Valley Writer's Conference this summer, July 20-25 www.napawritersconference.org https://www.napawritersconference.org/