Member Open Hours - Today 10 to Noon
2025-11-18 08:00 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | Ames Writer Collective Fifth Street Writers, 612 5th Street, Ames, Iowa, 50014, United States
This month, join us for our Members Open Hours at Fifth Street Writers. Interested in becoming a member? Click here for more information!
Open today from 10 AM – NOON. Check our events calendar for specific dates!
Our space is designed for writers by writers? It’s a quiet place to focus on your writing projects? We have seating areas spread throughout the building at Fifth Street Writers that run the gamut from comfy club chairs to benches with tables, to larger tables with chairs. Limited parking is available in front of the building, with plenty of street parking. Our site host is founder, Ana McCracken.

Member Open Hours
2025-11-19 08:00 - 10:00 | Ames Writer Collective Fifth Street Writers, 612 5th Street, Ames, Iowa, 50014, United States
This month, join us for our Members Open Hours at Fifth Street Writers. Interested in becoming a member? Click here for more information!
Open this month from 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM on Wednesdays. There are a few exceptions, please check our events calendar for specific dates!
Our space is designed for writers by writers? It’s a quiet place to focus on your writing projects? We have seating areas spread throughout the building at Fifth Street Writers that run the gamut from comfy club chairs to benches with tables, to larger tables with chairs. Limited parking is available in front of the building, with plenty of street parking. Our site host this month is communications intern, Acacia Coates.

Author Spotlight | Karen Bermann
2025-11-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Fifth Street Writers, 612 5th Street, Ames, 50010, United States
LIVE and In Person at
FIFTH STREET WRITERS
612 5th St., AMES, IA
Thursday, November 20, 6:30 PM
Books for Sale & Author Signing
A vividly illustrated family memoir told in two voices, father and daughter, The Art of Being a Stranger explores the impact of displacement and historical memory across generations.
Karen Bermann is professor emerita of architecture at Iowa State University. She worked on sweat equity rehabilitation in her native New York and taught first-year design in Ames and fourth-year design in Rome, where she now lives.
On Exhibit & Meet the Author/Artist:
Drawings from The Art of Being a Stranger
Thursday, Nov 20: 6:30 PM
Friday Nov 21 10:30 AM to Noon and 1 to 6:30 PM
Saturday Nov 22: 1:30 to 6:30 PM

A Generative Writing Workshop for Adults
2025-11-22 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-24 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-21 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue, Ames, IA, 50010, United States
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, which provides a safe space for writers of all stages and genres to generate stories inspired by prompts running the gamut from phrases, poems, photography, guest authors and their prompts, or a piece of artwork. We will read our stories to one another and share only positive feedback.
These workshops are inspired by the Amherst Writers & Artists Method, which believes that everyone is a writer.
This workshop is held at the Ames Public Library from 10 to 12 PM upstairs in the PEO Room.
Presented by the Iowa Center for the Book and Ames Public Library in partnership with the Ames Writers Collective.

Portraits of Stones w/ Karen Bermann & Claire Kruesel
2025-11-22 13:30 - 18:00 | Fifth Street Writers, 612 5th Street, Ames, 50010, United States
Portraits of Stones – a drawing & writing workshop
Saturday Nov 22: 1:30 to 6:30 PM
Drop in anytime Saturday for drawing, writing, and chatting with two creatives. Art materials provided for watercolor & drawing as well as stones. Objects will be used to inspire short bursts of writing. Feel free to bring your own objects for inspiration and/or drawing/writing materials. Or just stop by to view Karen’s artwork on display.

Karen Bermann is the author of The Art of Being a Stranger. She has a daily practice of watercolor drawing and naming the stones in her courtyard where she resides in Rome, Italy.
Screenshot
Claire Kruesel, a resident of Ames, is a poet and longtime creative collaborator with Karen. She writes object biographies and teaches writing.

Member Open Hours
2025-12-10 08:00 - 10:00, 2025-12-17 08:00 - 10:00, 2026-01-14 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-01-19 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-01-21 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-01-26 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-01-28 09:00 - 11:00, 2026-02-02 09:00 - 11:00 and 9 more dates | Ames Writer Collective Fifth Street Writers, 612 5th Street, Ames, Iowa, 50014, United States
This month, join us for our Members Open Hours at Fifth Street Writers. Interested in becoming a member? Click here for more information!
Open this month from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM on Mondays and Wednesdays. There are a few exceptions, please check our events calendar for specific dates!
Our space is designed for writers by writers. It’s a quiet place to focus on your writing projects. We have seating areas spread throughout the building at Fifth Street Writers that run the gamut from comfy club chairs to benches with tables, to larger tables with chairs. Limited parking is available in front of the building, with plenty of street parking. Our site host this month is communications intern, Acacia Coates.

2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups
2025-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 | IA
Held monthly on 2nd Sundays, the Swift Youth Writers Groups are held from 2 to 4 PM at the Ames Public Library. We meet in the P.E.O. Room. These writing groups are open to youth grades 6 through 12. We supply notebooks, pens and other materials to prompt and inspire stories.
Swift Youth Writers Groups are an Ames Writers Collective FREE community outreach program held in partnership with the Ames Public Library. The Ames Writers Collective community outreach programs are funded by grants and generous donors.
Join us! Happy Writing!

NO December Generative Writing Workshop for Adults
2025-12-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue, Ames, IA, 50010, United States
THIS DECEMBER EVENT IS CANCELED due to the holidays!
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, which provides a safe space for writers of all stages and genres to generate stories inspired by prompts running the gamut from phrases, poems, photography, guest authors and their prompts, or a piece of artwork. We will read our stories to one another and share only positive feedback.
These workshops are inspired by the Amherst Writers & Artists Method, which believes that everyone is a writer.
This workshop is held at the Ames Public Library from 10 to 12 PM upstairs in the PEO Room.
Presented by the Iowa Center for the Book and Ames Public Library in partnership with the Ames Writers Collective.

2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Groups
2026-02-08 14:00 - 16:00 | IA
Join us on Dec 14th for the 2nd Sunday Swift Youth Writers Group held from 2 to 4 PM at the Ames Public Library. We are scheduled to meet in the P.E.O. room, but check monitors incase the location changes.

We supply notebooks, pens and other materials to prompt and inspire stories.

Swift Youth Writers Groups are an Ames Writers Collective FREE community outreach program held in partnership with the Ames Public Library. The Ames Writers Collective community outreach programs are funded by grants and generous donors.

Join us! Happy Writing!

2026 IPA Poetry Slam | Ames Qualifier
2026-02-26 18:30 - 21:00 | Fifth Street Writers, 612 5th Street, Ames, 50010, United States
Poets! Join us for the 2026 IPA Poetry Slam Ames Qualifier!
Doors open at 6:30 PM! Qualifying event begins at 7 PM!
Bring your poems and be ready to compete! Click here to register.
