Nonfiction

Aiden Ryan headshot

5Q Interview: University of Iowa Press Author Aidan Ryan

Monday, June 2, 2025
"I gave Cindy's eulogy—I was 18 years old—and the job never quite felt finished."
bio pic heidie

5Q Interview: Heidie Senseman, MFA Candidate in the Nonfiction Writing Program

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
"I’m working on a collection of essays about faith, art, and conversion—more specifically, about the way devotional art can act as a sort of vehicle for “translating” religious ideas into a vocabulary that’s more hospitable to secular audiences."
Kaylor smiling

5Q Interview: Bethany Kaylor, MFA candidate in the Nonfiction Writing Program

Wednesday, May 14, 2025
"Giving myself permission to experiment with something new—like writing an essay in the form of dictionary entries modeled after Bob Flanagan's The Book of Medicine—is so exciting and invigorating."
Grace Morse portrait with orange background

5Q Interview: Grace Morse, MFA candidate in the Nonfiction Writing Program

Monday, April 7, 2025
"I am a near-daily journal-er; it's my precious, private place. Writing at night is akin to glory for me these days, and I love to light candles and enter my body in an extra-intentional way."
Spencer Jones

5Q Interview: Spencer Lane Jones, an MFA candidate in the Nonfiction Writing Program

Monday, February 10, 2025
"I became an early bird writer because I had to be, and it hasn't really left my body."
Joe Fassler

Sad Me of the Past // Episode 6: Joe Fassler

Tuesday, August 6, 2024
"I mean this book took me more than 10 years -- I started it while I was at Iowa!" We discuss his journey from apathetic high school student to a highly recognized journalist and author, as well his tips, tricks and inspiration for aspiring writers everywhere. 
nam on the podcast!

Sad Me of the Past // Episode 5: Nam Le

Tuesday, July 16, 2024
"There was a term that I heard somewhere used, just the other day, and she said "I'm in my gathering phase." Have you guys heard that? Is that a term of art over here?" Nam takes us on his writer's journey -- from a law firm in Australia to the Iowa Writers' Workshop in Iowa City.
carmen maria machado

Sad Me of the Past // Episode 3: Carmen Maria Machado

Tuesday, April 2, 2024
"My godmother gave me stationary -- it was jungle themed stationary that had my name, it was customized -- and I would write stories and send them to publishers."
rachel reading at the studio

Sad Me of the Past // Episode 2: Rachel Yoder

Wednesday, February 7, 2024
In today's podcast, novelist Rachel Yoder discusses her wild experience adapting Nightbitch to a soon-to-be-released feature film starring Amy Adams.

Writing Exercise: I Remember

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Action is Exciting!

Tuesday, April 14, 2020