The University of Iowa Internatiopnal Writing Program The University of Iowa International Writing Program

Answers to the Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IWP fall residency?

The IWP is a 3-month residency program for writers and literary professionals from all over the world. The residency typically begins in late August and ends in mid-November. Each year, 25-35 writers gather in Iowa City to complete new projects and to interact with one another. A full description of this year’s program is here: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/about/program.html.

How is the IWP unique with respect to other writing residencies?

The IWP is the world’s oldest and largest residency for international writers. For over forty years, the program has brought to Iowa City some of the brightest lights on page, stage, and screen. Our goal is to provide our visiting writers with time and space to do what they do best: write. Situated at the University of Iowa, home of the Writers’ Workshop, the Non-Fiction Writing Program, the Playwrights’ Workshop, and many other writing units, the IWP actively engages visiting writers with all of the literary arts. Visitors to the IWP complete previous projects and begin new ones, forge productive relationships with editors and translators, and take part in the vibrant social and academic life of the University of Iowa and Iowa City.

What is the difference between the International Writing Program and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop?

Because both programs, based at The University of Iowa, are the oldest and most widely recognized programs of their kinds, they are often confused. The IWP is a 3-month residency at the University of Iowa. It is designed for foreign writers who are not already in residence in the United States, and who have achieved literary distinction in their countries. The IWP is a non-degree program and does not offer academic credit for participation.

The Writers’ Workshop offers the Master of Fine Arts degree to students of creative writing at the University of Iowa. More information about the Writers’ Workshop may be found at: http://www.uiowa.edu/~iww/

Who attends the IWP fall residency?

The eligibility requirements for IWP participants are located here: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/about/program.html.

You may read brief biographies of our most recent visiting writers here: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/writers/.

May a writers be accompanied by a spouse and children?

The fall residency is primarily a writing experience for the participant. The IWP does not have long-term accommodations for spouses and children. For this reason, we discourage family visits (apart from brief stays).

How do I apply to attend the program?

There is no application to attend the International Writing Program. Instead, the program accepts nominations from potential sources of funding support. We also accept self-nominations in some cases. Nominees must possess the qualifications noted in this year’s program description: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/about/program.html. Nominating agencies and self-nominators should complete the appropriate electronic nomination form located here: https://iwp.grad.uiowa/iwp. The Associate Director is available to answer queries and can be reached by e-mail: hugh-ferrer@uiowa.edu, by fax at 319/335-3843, or by mail at the International Writing Program, 430 N. Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA 52242-2020, USA. We encourage queries from writers.

Who nominates writers to attend the program?

The IWP accepts nominations from a variety of agencies, institutions, and individuals. Most nominating agencies are able to support all or part of a residency. Many writers are nominated by literary arts organizations around the world; by colleges or universities; or by the cultural arms of their home country governments. The IWP can provide potential nominators with an estimated budget for the residency. Reading the biographies of current and past participants may give you an idea of which agencies have provided full or partial support of a residency (link to http://iwp.uiowa.edu/writers/index.html.

I know of a writer who would be an interesting prospective participant, and would like to nominate him/her for the IWP. How do I do this?

If you know of a writer whom you wish to nominate, please submit a completed electronic nomination form (available the How To Nominate a Writer page). You may upload professional materials to the site. These can include a brief résumé indicating the writer's publications, and a representative example of his or her writing (10 pages in English translation). Despite the limitations on funding, we are always eager to know what’s going on in the world of contemporary letters. If you know of a writer you think we should consider, please contact the Associate Director.

How are writers selected to attend the program?

Selection for the International Writing Program is quite competitive. A selection committee reviews the credentials of all qualified nominees. The committee’s goal is to select a diverse group of writers who would benefit from, and contribute to, this dynamic exchange.

Is the IWP able to help me find a funding agency who might consider sponsoring my participation?

The program relies on candidate nominations that come from various agencies.  These agencies divide roughly into three groups.

  • US State Department/Embassies
    For the past several years, a worldwide competition for a limited number of funded spots has been conducted by the US State Department, through the US Embassies.  To participate in this competition, it is necessary to be nominated by the US Embassy or diplomatic post in your local area.  Some Embassies conduct their own searches, some do not make nominations, and still others are amenable to writers requesting to be nominated.  If this is the course of action you think best, submit an electronic nomination form and then send a separate e-mail query to the IWP Associate Director. The State Department competition is contingent on grant funding and is typically announced during the winter months.
     
  • Cultural and arts agencies in the US and elsewhere
    Some countries have institutions with which we have partnered to fund writers.  In those cases, the agency itself conducts a search and makes a selection of nominees internally.  We are always interested in exploring new partnerships with cultural agencies.
     
  • Grants available in the writer’s own country  
    Some writers apply for grants internally in their countries, perhaps through a national agency or a university, or through a combination of means.  The IWP deals with these opportunities on a case-by-case basis.

Nominations are confirmed by June 1 each year.

Does the IWP provide financial support for participants?

The IWP does not have funds to support individual residencies. Rather, the program relies largely on external funding, mostly through grants (see above for the nomination process). In exceptional cases, the Associate Director may be contacted for particulars about potential sources where applicants might apply for grants.

How can my organization fund a writer to attend the fall residency?

The IWP is always interested in making new partnerships with literary arts agencies in the U.S. and around the world. If your organization would like to fund a writer to attend the fall residency, please contact the Associate Director to begin the conversation.

Does the IWP offer classes or academic credit for participation?

The IWP does not award degrees to its participants. During the fall residency session, the IWP offers a class, International Literature Today, to students of the University of Iowa. An informal class on current American culture, “Text & Context,” is offered to the writers by the director and IWP staff. The International Translation Workshop, held each Friday, focuses on the works of IWP participants. Students of comparative literature, creative writing or modern languages are enrolled in the course, providing them with a unique opportunity as translators to work face-to-face with authors, leading to texts translated into English. If IWP participants are interested in specific classes in other departments at the University of Iowa, IWP staff will assist in obtaining permission from the departments offering the class.

Is the program offered each semester?

No. The IWP is a three-month residency held only in the fall semester each year, from the end of August (the start of the fall semester at the University of Iowa) through mid- November.

Does the IWP have regular publications?

The IWP's online journal is 91st Meridian. It can be found at: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/91st/index.html.

How can I locate further information about particular writers who have previously attended the program?

A complete listing of past participants in the program from 1967-2007 is located here: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/writers/participants1967-2007.pdf

 

Please send further inquiries to the International Writing Program, 430 N. Clinton Street, Iowa City, IA 52242-2020. We can also be reached by e-mail at iwp@uiowa.edu, by fax at 319-335-3843, or by phone at 319-335-0128.