Tag: #ameswriterscollective

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Sarah Lefeber

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Sarah Lefeber is the Director of the Iowa State Daily Media Group, where she leads a nationally recognized student-run newsroom and creative agency. With 15+ years of experience in media, strategy, and leadership, she’s built her career on empowering young storytellers and building innovative, community-driven media. Sarah is passionate about using creative talents for good, with previous work at Americorps, international nonprofits, and national political and legislative sectors. In her personal life, Sarah is an aspiring poet and draws both peace and inspiration from nature and her dog Beau.

Art Write Now at the Christian Petersen Art Museum

“Art Write Now” invites writers of all levels to showcase the powerful connection between visual art and creative writing. Through this program, participants will explore how art can serve as a writing prompt—evoking emotions, triggering memories, and sparking conversations. Participants will draw inspiration from the exhibitions at the Christian Petersen Art Museum to create and publicly share poetry, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, or perform monologues and music.

The program will begin with a guided tour of the museum’s exhibitions, led by University Museums curator Alison Ranniger. Afterward, Ana Hays McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective, will introduce the concept of “writing to writing prompts” that will connect writers to the exhibition through writing exercises, using the art around them as inspiration to craft meaningful responses. The combination of visual arts and literary exploration aims to create a space where participants can connect deeply with both the artwork and with one another, fostering creativity and dialogue.

Author Spotlight with John T. Price

Join the Ames Writers Collective & KHOI Community Radio Station for an evening with John T. Price—live at Fifth Street Writers on Thursday, October 9th at 7 PM.

This free community event features a reading, book signing, and conversation with John T. Price,  author of the novel, Goethe’s Oak–A Holocaust Story. Hosted in partnership with KHOI Community Radio, the evening celebrates literature, community, and creative storytelling.

About John T. Price: He is is the author of four creative nonfiction books: Not Just Any Land: A Personal and Literary Journey into the American Grasslands, Man Killed by Pheasant and Other Kinships, Daddy Long Legs: The Natural Education of a Father, and All Is Leaf: Essays and Transformations. He is the Regents/Foundation Distinguished Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he directs the English Department’s Creative Nonfiction Writing Program, and is a faculty member in the Goldstein Center for Human Rights.

Visit KHOI to tune in!

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In The Media News

Join Our Write Togethers

Join us for our Write Togethers hybrid in person at Fifth Street Writers or on Zoom.

WHAT’S A WRITE TOGETHER?

Those who join us gather together in person at Fifth Street Writers and on Zoom. We open sharing what project we’re working on, and the we write for ~90 minutes. At the end, we share our successes, and sign off or pack up our stuff and wave goodbye. Easy peasy.

Our Write Togethers are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month from 3:30 to 5 PM, and the 1st Saturday of the month from 10 to Noon.

For more information and to register, click here.

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Claire Kruesel

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Claire Kruesel (KREE-zuhl) lives and writes from Story County, Iowa, focusing primarily on the intersections of science, art, objects, and grief. She received an MFA in Creative Writing and Environment from Iowa State University. Her poetry has been published in Rattle, the anthologies Fracture and Prairie Gold, and elsewhere. Her day job involves mentoring biochemistry undergraduates on science communication. Claire also teaches Pilates and yoga, travels to France and Italy whenever she can, and sings with Ames Chamber Artists. Click here to visit Claire.

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Seeking Art Submissions | Words Meet Art

Seeking Art Submissions – Words Meet Art

Call for Submissions | DEADLINE Aug 15

The Ames Writers Collective is seeking “two-dimensional original art” submissions for an exhibition at Fifth Street Writers located at 612 5th Street in downtown Ames, Iowa.

Media can be oil, acrylic, watercolor, collage, or photography. Pieces chosen for the exhibition will be featured at Fifth Street Writers Art Meets Words events.

At Words Meet Art events, writers come together to write in community prose memoir or poetry in response to the art or photography submissions. A public event will feature both the art work and the writers reading their responses written at FIFTH STREET WRITERS. These in-person events will happen on Friday evening (writing), November 14th, Saturday morning (writing), November 15th, and an Open Mic featuring the writers and artists on Saturday evening, November 15th.

WE ARE ONLY ACCEPTING ART SUBMISSIONS AT THIS TIME – NO WRITING!

Words Meet Art is a literary arts event demonstrating through words how art evokes feelings, triggers memories and stories, and inspires conversations across divides and demographics.

Fall 2025 Exhibition date November 15th.
Each artist may submit ONE (1) PIECE for consideration.
Submission DEADLINE is AUGUST 15 at 5 PM.

Interested in submitting your 2-dimensional art. Click here to FILL OUT OUR SUBMISSION FORM. 

Thank you, Discover Ames for your grant supporting our event.

 

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In The Media News

1st Saturdays | Write Together at Fifth Street Writers

Join us at Fifth Street Writers on the 1st Saturday of each month from 10 AM to Noon. Together we’ll write in community on our writing projects.

What’s a Write Together?

  1. Bring your laptop or whatever you write with to work on your creative writing projects—novels, memoirs, poems, project outlines, your to-do list for the coming year if need be
  2. 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—some tables are shared spaces
  3. We’ll write in community for ~2 hours after sharing a brief comment about our creative project
  4. We have wifi
  5. We write, write, write in silence
  6. RULE: Cell phones MUST BE SILENCED, as well as laptop “dings”

Each month, we’ll open our doors at 9:30 am. Grab a coffee or tea and mingle with fellow writers. There’s plenty of street parking (metered) with a CyRide stop in front of our building at 612 5th Street in downtown Ames, Iowa.

While the event is free and open to all, we’re asking everyone to pre-register because space is limited. To register, click here.

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In The Media News

Missed Our Founder on IPR’s Talk of Iowa?

On January 7th, Ames Writers Collective founder, Ana McCracken spoke with Charity Nebbe, host of Talk of Iowa. Talk of Iowa is presented by Iowa Public Radio.

During their conversation, Ana shared with Charity the exciting plans for the Ames Writers Collective newly opened Fifth Street Writers—a physical space that serves as a hub and vital resource for writers in Ames and Central Iowa. She shared how Fifth Street will help build connections within the Ames community.

If you missed the live broadcast, you can stream the conversation online at IPR. Search for the  Jan 8, 2025 episode titled, A Dubuque museum celebrates 150 years. Ana’s segment is the last 20 minutes. Additionally, episodes are available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Write Together Tuesdays | Monthly 2nd & 4th Tuesdays

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Join us for our hybrid Write Together Tuesdays on Zoom or in person at Fifth Street Writers. 3:30 to 5 PM CT.

WHAT’S A WRITE TOGETHER?

We join together on Zoom and in person at Fifth Street Writers, share what we’re working on, and write for ~90 minutes. At the end, we share our successes, and sign off. Easy peasy.

For more information and to register, click here.

Categories
In The Media News

Ames Writers Collective hosting Poetry Slam Qualifier Feb. 28

Mark your calendars, for the rescheduled Iowa Poetry Association Slam Qualifier to be held on February 28 from 7 to 9 PM at Fifth Street Writers.

The winner will not only represent Ames at the Iowa Poetry Palooza but will also compete for a $100 prize and a spot in the national competition!

Poets must be 18 years or older by June 2025 to enter.

 Learn more and register today!

Check out last year’s talented participants and champions below!