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

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News, Publications, and Awards

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 V. V. Ganeshananthan is shortlisted for the 2024 Women's Prize for Fiction Jamel Brinkley, Justin Torres, and Robyn Schiff are named 2024 Guggenheim fellows Ada Zhang receives a 2024 Whiting Award Lan Samantha Chang receives 2024 Arts and Letters Award from the Academy of Arts and Letters

Before the Mango Ripens, by Afabwaje Kurian

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

 

The Goner School, by Jessica Laser

The Goner School 
Jessica Laser 
September 27, 2024 | Poetry

 

Small Rain, by Garth Greenwell

Small Rain 
Garth Greenwell 
September 3, 2024 | Fiction

 

Terminal Maladies book cover

Terminal Maladies 
Okwudili Nebeolisa

 

Browse Publications See Prizes & Awards

The Latest Updates

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Friday, November 15, 2024
Flash fiction by Christina Cooke, "What Happened Was" | 'Split Lip Magazine' https://splitlipthemag.com/flash/1124/christina-cooke

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Friday, November 15, 2024
Stella Wong, reading from her new book of poems, 'Stem', in Rochester, NY on November 22 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stella-wong-poetry-reading-tickets-1083055751909

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Friday, November 15, 2024
"Coyote Vicious: A Novel Excerpt," by Koada | 'Uncharted' https://www.unchartedmag.com/stories/coyote-vicious-a-novel-excerpt/

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Friday, November 15, 2024
Science fiction by Mathew Lebowitz, "Panopticon" | 'Uncharted' https://www.unchartedmag.com/stories/panopticon/

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Friday, November 15, 2024
Moriana Delgado in Chicago, IL for City Lit Books' Poetry Salon on November 20 https://www.citylitbooks.com/events/20241120

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Friday, November 15, 2024
"Yiyun Li blurs lines between fiction and reality in search for insight" Acclaimed Chinese-American author values the act of writing over the final product | 'Nikkei' Asia https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Books/Yiyun-Li-blurs-lines-between-fiction-and-reality-in-search-for-insight

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2022 National Hum Medalists Joy Harjo and Juan Felipe Herrera

Joy Harjo and Juan Felipe Herrera win 2022 National Humanities Medals

Wednesday, October 30, 2024
"President Joseph R. Biden presented the 2022 and 2023 National Humanities Medals, in conjunction with the National Medals of Arts, on Monday, October 21, 2024, in a private ceremony at the White House."
National Book Award Finalists: Kaveh Akbar, m.s. RedCherries, and Deborah Jackson Taffa

3 writers with Iowa ties are finalists for National Book Award

Thursday, October 3, 2024
Sara Epstein Moninger
Juan Felipe Herrera

Juan Felipe Herrera Named 2024 MacArthur Fellow

Tuesday, October 1, 2024
2024 National Book Award Longlisted books by Workshop authors

5 writers with Iowa ties longlisted for National Book Award

Monday, September 16, 2024
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