For those of you who might be curious, here is a list of our past events.
Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Dec 18th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
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Author Spotlight | Anna Jinja Mather
posted: Dec 18th, 2024
Join author Anna Jinja LIVE & In Person at KHOI Community Radio Station. Anna will read from and discuss her book, Adopting Grace.
read more...Open Write Tuesday with founder, Ana McCracken
posted: Dec 10th, 2024
Join Ana McCracken for our Open Write Tuesday on Zoom.
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Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Dec 9th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
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CANCELED | 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups
posted: Dec 8th, 2024
Join Claire Kruesel for the 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers groups series from 2 to 4 PM at the Ames Public Library...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Dec 4th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Nov 25th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Nov 25th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Nov 20th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Gathering of Artists
posted: Nov 20th, 2024
This event will be the first in a series of soft opening events for Fifth Street, our new writers co-working space in downtown Ames. Meet with other writers and our director Ana Hays McCracken to explore the space as it's open for the first time.
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Ruth Harkin at the Ames Public Library
posted: Nov 13th, 2024
Join Ruth Harkin, author of the new book When My Husband Ran for President and Other Short Stories, for a talk and book signing. Mention the Harkin name in Iowa and most will recognize it because of Iowa’s long-time US Senator and Congressman Tom Harkin. However, Ruth Harkin has an incredible legacy of her own...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Nov 11th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups
posted: Nov 10th, 2024
Join Ana McCracken for the 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers groups series from 2 to 4 PM at the Ames Public Library...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Nov 6th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
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Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Oct 28th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
A Generative Writing Workshop for Adults
posted: Oct 26th, 2024
Do you dream of writing “someday,” but don’t know where to start? Perhaps you already write, but you’re stuck. Join this FREE monthly writing workshop for adults,...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Oct 23rd, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Oct 16th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Oct 14th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups
posted: Oct 12th, 2024
Join Claire Kruesel for the 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers groups series from 2 to 4 PM at the Ames Public Library...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Oct 2nd, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Sep 23rd, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Swift Literary Festival—Pop-Up Event
posted: Sep 22nd, 2024
Join the Ames Writers Collective at our 2nd Annual Swift Literary Festival, on Sunday, September 24th at the annual Octagon Art Festival. (10 AM to 4 PM)
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Sep 18th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Sep 16th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Words Meet Art at Arts As Alchemy Forgetting to Remember Pieces of Me
posted: Sep 14th, 2024
Join Ames Writers Collective Founder, Ana McCracken for an evening of Words Meet Art held in partnership with "Arts As Alchemy Forgetting to Remember Pieces of Me" a collage exhibit...
read more...Words Meet Art at Arts As Alchemy Forgetting to Remember Pieces of Me
posted: Sep 13th, 2024
Join Ames Writers Collective Founder, Ana McCracken for an evening of Words Meet Art held in partnership with "Arts As Alchemy Forgetting to Remember Pieces of Me" a collage exhibit...
read more...
2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups
posted: Sep 8th, 2024
On Sunday, September 8th, Linea King kicks off the Swift Youth Writers groups series. She looks forward to writing with those of you who can join her from 2 to 4 PM at the Ames Public Library...
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Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Aug 26th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Aug 12th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Jul 31st, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Jul 29th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Open Write Tuesday with founder, Ana McCracken
posted: Jul 23rd, 2024
Join Ana McCracken for our Open Write Tuesday on Zoom.
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Jul 22nd, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Jul 17th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Open Write Tuesday with Speculative Fiction Author Rachel Aukes
posted: Jun 25th, 2024
Join Kris Abel-Helwig for our Open Write Tuesday on Zoom.
read more...
June 24 to 28, 2024 | Swift Youth Writers Workshop
posted: Jun 24th, 2024
In partnership with the Ames Public Library, our Swift Youth Writers Workshops offer kids an escape into creative writing and the opportunity to connect with other youth writers. FREE!
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Ames Writers Collective & William R. Bliss Cancer Center Survivorship Day 2024
posted: Jun 2nd, 2024
Join Ana McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective for a Pop-Up Writing Through Cancer Session at Survivorship Day 2024...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: May 20th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: May 12th, 2024
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: May 6th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Apr 22nd, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Apr 15th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Apr 14th, 2024
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Apr 1st, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Author Spotlight | Poets Paul Brooke & Jennifer Knox
posted: Mar 29th, 2024
Here at the Ames Writers Collective we like to refer to Paul and Jen as the "Jen and Paul Show." Together they will entertain you with...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Mar 27th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Mar 25th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Mar 24th, 2024
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Mar 6th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...
Celebrating Willa Cather 150 - Wednesday, Feb 28
posted: Feb 29th, 2024
Produced in association with the National Willa Cather Center, the Ames Writers Collective and the Ames Public Library will host a sesquicentennial celebration of Willa Cather...
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Open Write Tuesday with Speculative Fiction Author Rachel Aukes
posted: Feb 27th, 2024
Join Kris Abel-Helwig for our Open Write Tuesday on Zoom.
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Feb 26th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Feb 14th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Open Write Tuesday with YA & Modern Crime Author Kris Abel-Helwig
posted: Feb 13th, 2024
Join Kris Abel-Helwig for our Open Write Tuesday on Zoom.
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Feb 12th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Feb 11th, 2024
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...
Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Feb 7th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Jan 31st, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Jan 29th, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Jan 24th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Writing Circle Mondays | John Stoddard Cancer Center
posted: Jan 22nd, 2024
Writing Circle Mondays: Each session participants create a safe space, and then write together to timed intervals to writing prompts. Writing prompt inspire stories from participants' lives...
read more...
Swift Youth Writers Poetry Workshop
posted: Jan 21st, 2024
Youth writers, listen up! You are invited to join poet Caleb Rainey for three poetry workshops designed especially for Central Iowa Youth. These workshops are completely free... Jan 7, 14, and 21
read more...Writing Circle Wednesdays
posted: Jan 17th, 2024
Writing Circle Wednesdays are for individuals who are currently receiving or who have completed cancer treatments...
read more...Swift Youth Writers Poetry Workshop
posted: Jan 14th, 2024
Youth writers, listen up! You are invited to join poet Caleb Rainey for three poetry workshops designed especially for Central Iowa Youth. These workshops are completely free... Jan 7, 14, and 21
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Jan 14th, 2024
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...Swift Youth Writers Poetry Workshop
posted: Jan 7th, 2024
Youth writers, listen up! You are invited to join poet Caleb Rainey for three poetry workshops designed especially for Central Iowa Youth. These workshops are completely free... Jan 7, 14, and 21
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Dec 10th, 2023
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...
Author Spotlight Featuring Joe Geha
posted: Dec 9th, 2023
Join us for an Author Spotlight featuring Joe Geha, author of Kitchen Arabic...
read more...Author Spotlight Featuring Gary Eller
posted: Nov 17th, 2023
Join us for an Author Spotlight featuring Gary Eller, author of True North...
read more...Building Community through the Art of Writing
posted: Nov 13th, 2023
Open to members of the Iowa State University Women's Club
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Nov 12th, 2023
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...
Author Spotlight Featuring Dr. Douglas Gentile
posted: Oct 27th, 2023
Join us for an Author Spotlight featuring Dr. Douglas Gentile, author and Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Iowa State University. A Zen Buddhist monk and meditation teacher, he...
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John Stoddard Cancer Center | An Evening With the Ames Writers Collective
posted: Oct 19th, 2023
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Writing That Scary Thing—A Women's Writing Retreat
posted: Oct 16th, 2023
Most of us give little thought to how we would like to be remembered in our obituaries. The thought of writing it may be scary. But writing your obituary does not signal the end of your life. Instead, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect, receive feedback from others, and to plan how you wish to live the rest of your best life...
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Oct 8th, 2023
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...
Writing A Life Into Memoir—An introductory workshop on craft
posted: Sep 27th, 2023
Join author, Tom Montgomery Fate for an introductory workshop that teaches craft strategies to mine your life stories. Points shared during this workshop are useful for other genres such as fiction and poetry...
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Swift Literary Festival—Pop-Up Event
posted: Sep 24th, 2023
Join the Ames Writers Collective at our 2nd Annual Swift Literary Festival, on Sunday, September 24th at the annual Octagon Art Festival. (10 AM to 4 PM)
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Author Spotlight Featuring Pamela Riney-Kehrberg
posted: Sep 22nd, 2023
Join us for our Author Spotlight featuring Pamela Riney-Kehrberg, author and Distinguished Professor of History at Iowa State University. She will read excerpts her latest book, When a Dream Dies...
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Author Spotlight with Third Stanza Poets & 11 Days of Global Unity
posted: Sep 11th, 2023
Join founder, Ana McCracken for an evening "spotlighting" Third Stanza Poets as they revive their longstanding tradition of hosting 11 Days of Global Unity...
read more...Swift Youth Writers Group - Writing for Teens
posted: Sep 10th, 2023
Teens in 6th - 12th grade are invited to escape into creative writing and connect with other teen writers. Each month on the 2nd Sunday...
read more...
Swift Youth Writers Workshop | Grades 8-12 | June 26 to 30
posted: Jun 26th, 2023
Escape into creative writing and connect with other writers. Over the course of five days, June 26-30, young writers will come together in a safe space to read an inspirational piece of writing and write together to timed-writing prompts. FREE
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Ames Writers Collective Founder @ Poetry Palooza!
posted: Apr 6th, 2023
Friday and Saturday are filled with workshops and open mics at Mainframe Studios, and Poetry Palooza! concludes with a panel discussion at NOON on Saturday featuring moderator, Debra Marquart and panelists that include Ana McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective. Click here for more information and to RSVP for the FREE events.
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Part II—Public Reading | Words Meet Art & Harriet Bart: Material Alchemy
posted: Apr 2nd, 2023
Writers who participated in Words Meet Art Part 1 will present their flash fiction, poems, creative nonfiction, a monologue, and/or perform music in response to the exhibition Harriet Bart: Material Alchemy in the Christian Petersen Art Museum.
read more...Part 1—Words Meet Art & Harriet Bart: Material Alchemy
posted: Apr 1st, 2023
Words Meet Art, an outreach program of the Ames Writers Collective, is a literary arts event demonstrating through words how art, used as a writing prompt, can invoke feelings, trigger memories, and inspire conversations across divides and demographics. For inspiration, writers will interact with the Harriet Bart exhibition at the Christian Petersen Art Museum ...
read more...Part 1—Words Meet Art & Harriet Bart: Material Alchemy
posted: Mar 30th, 2023
Words Meet Art, an outreach program of the Ames Writers Collective, is a literary arts event demonstrating through words how art, used as a writing prompt, can invoke feelings, trigger memories, and inspire conversations across divides and demographics. For inspiration, writers will interact with the Harriet Bart exhibition at the Christian Petersen Art Museum...
read more...
Author Spotlight | Kris Abel-Helwig
posted: Mar 7th, 2023
Come meet Kris Abel-Helwig at the Ames Public Library.
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David Gonzalez | A Night of Poetry | Author Spotlight
posted: Feb 9th, 2023
David Gonzalez, a professional storyteller, poet, playwright, musician and keynote speaker will read from Soundings, his debut book of poetry.
read more...Writing Through Cancer Meets [UNTITLED]: how a breast cancer survivor learned to say goodbye to her boobs
posted: Jan 7th, 2023
Bring your notebook and pen to the Octagon on Saturday, January 7th, and invite your muse to write to writing prompts inspired by the Octagon exhibit, [UNTITLED]: how a breast cancer survivor learned to say goodbye to her boobs...
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Meet Ana at Dog-Eared Books
posted: Dec 31st, 2022
Meet the Ames Writers Collective founder, Ana McCracken. Learn about upcoming programs and suggest some of your own.
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Beth M. Howard in Conversation - Author Spotlight
posted: Dec 9th, 2022
Join us for a live conversation at KHOI Radio with author Beth M. Howard
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Mary Warner & Rex Heer
posted: Oct 6th, 2022
This Author Spotlight will feature Mary Warner, author of "Adventure on Gallop Ghosts Islands" and the book's illustrator, Rex Heer.
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Music & Conversation Between Friends
posted: Oct 1st, 2022
It's our anniversary! Join us on October 1st for a celebratory evening featuring authors Tom Montgomery Fate and John T. Price and poet and vocalist, Debra Marquart and The Bone People.
read more...In 650 Words—The College Essay Workshop
posted: Oct 1st, 2022
The way to tackle the college essay is to simply begin, and this workshop will provide a starting point to make the writing task less daunting.
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Dennis Maulsby—Author Spotlight
posted: Sep 29th, 2022
LIVE at KHOI - Author Spotlight featuring Dennis Maulsby
read more...In 650 Words—The College Essay Workshop
posted: Sep 27th, 2022
The way to tackle the college essay is to simply begin, and this workshop will provide a starting point to make the writing task less daunting.
read more...In 650 Words—The College Essay Workshop
posted: Sep 27th, 2022
The way to tackle the college essay is to simply begin, and this workshop will provide a starting point to make the writing task less daunting.
read more...
Swift Literary Festival—Pop-Up Event
posted: Sep 25th, 2022
Join the Ames Writers Collective for our Swift Literary Festival, a Pop-Up event, on Sunday, September 25th at the annual Octagon Art Festival. (10 AM to 4 PM)
read more...
Swift Youth Writers Workshop
posted: Jul 18th, 2022
Over the course of five days, July 18-22, young writers will come together in a safe space to read an inspirational piece of writing and write together to timed-writing prompts. FREE
read more...
Words Meet Art at the Octagon
posted: Sep 23rd, 2021
Words Meet Art is a literary arts event celebrating the intersection of words and art.
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