Iowa Summer Writing Festival


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Workshop Descriptions & Instructors Marilyn Abildskov Mary Allen Kate Aspengren Thomas Fox Averill Nancy Barry Timothy Bascom Kyle Beachy Karen Bender Linda Bendorf Maudy Benz Venise Berry Bruce Bond David Bouchier Michael Dennis Browne Maggie Conroy Mary Cross Thomas K. Dean Amber Dermont Janet Desaulniers Kelly Dwyer Hope Edelman Josh Emmons Jill Esbaum Sarah Fay Hugh Ferrer Katie Ford Geoffrey Forsyth Cecile Goding Douglas Goetsch Sands Hall Christine Hemp Jim Heynen Rick Hillis Charles Holdefer Richard Jackson Rebecca Johns Cheryl Fusco Johnson Wayne Johnson Daniel Khalastchi Carolyn Lieberg BK Loren Peter Markus Fritz Mc Donald James McKean Gordon Mennenga Sharelle Byars Moranville Michael Morse Marc Nieson Shannon Olson Diana Ossana Lon Otto Juliet Patterson Kiki Petrosino Mark Jude Poirier Leslie Carol Roberts Anjali Sachdeva Sarah Saffian Sam Samuels Sandra Scofield Mary Kay Shanley Robert Anthony Siegel Carol Spindel Karen Subach Mary Swander Mary Vermillion Kris Vervaecke Ashley Warlick Michelle Wildgen Bart Yates	Kelly Dwyer Plotting the Plot in the Novel One-Week Workshop July 5–10 Plotting the Plot in the Novel Weekend Weekend Workshop July 11–12 Generating Fictional Ideas Weekend Workshop July 18–19 Biography Plotting the Plot in the Novel One-Week Workshop July 5–10 Much like the weekend workshop of the same name, this workshop will be devoted to creating, developing, and deepening our plots. We’ll work on ways in which our plots might arise out of character, and we’ll discuss issues such as how to create more intensity and how to juggle and integrate more than one plot at a time. In this weeklong version of the workshop, we’ll be able to do a few more plot exercises, and we’ll spend additional time sharing our ideas and plots with one another. By the time the week is over, everyone will have a general outline for a novel plot, and many may have a more detailed, annotated outline as well. This workshop is for writers of all levels. Our primary focus will be on generating new material. Plotting the Plot in the Novel Weekend Weekend Workshop July 11–12 It has been said that there are three rules to writing a novel, but that, unfortunately, no one knows what they are. We might assume, though, that one of these rules might have something to do with plot: Maybe we should have one in our novels? Maybe it would be helpful to plan the plot out ahead of time? In this weekend workshop, we’ll do various exercises to help us develop and deepen our plots. We’ll work on ways in which our plots might arise out of character, and we’ll discuss issues such as how to create more intensity and how to juggle and integrate more than one plot at a time. This weekend workshop is for writers of all levels. Our primary focus will be on generating new material. Generating Fictional Ideas Weekend Workshop July 18–19 You’ve set aside an afternoon to do nothing but write. The laundry’s done, the phone’s unplugged, you’re sitting in front of your computer/yellow legal pad, a cup of coffee/tea beside you, and: nothing. In this weekend workshop, we’ll generate ideas through various in-class exercises and explore ways in which these ideas might turn into stories or novels. We’ll work on beginnings for the ideas we like best and share our results with one another, asking questions such as: What might this character do? Where might the plot be heading? What might be interesting ways to pursue the language or voice evoked? We’ll also work on generating momentum, so that a compelling first paragraph might lead to an interesting conflict. Throughout it all, we’ll try to remember that as difficult as the struggle sometimes is, we’re writing because it’s fun. By the end of the weekend, you’ll have enough characters, plots, and opening lines to break through the most pernicious writer’s block. Biography A graduate of Oberlin College and The University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Kelly Dwyer has written two novels, The Tracks of Angels and Self-Portrait with Ghosts,both published by Penguin Putnam Inc., and two children’s books, Sophie’s Magical Windmill and The Dream Tree,published by ArchitectureKIDS. She has been awarded a Michener/Engle Fellowship, a Wisconsin Arts Board Grant, and a Library Association Award for Outstanding Novel written by a Wisconsin Writer. Kelly lives in Baraboo, Wisconsin, with her husband and young daughter.

	Site Map \| Welcome \| Workshops by Session Date \| Workshops by Instructor Workshops by Genre \| Registration & Housing Information \| Registration Form Sponsored by the Division of Continuing Education Iowa Summer Writing Festival C215 Seashore Hall The University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 52242 Phone 319-335-4160 FAX 319-335-4743 iswfestival@uiowa.edu Last updated on February 19, 2009