Free Military-Writing Workshop in Iowa April 5-7

A free writing workshop will be offered to current and former military personnel, spouses, and teen dependents April 5-7, 2013 on the campus of the University of Iowa campus, Iowa City, Iowa.

"We each have a story to tell and the 'Writing My Way Back Home' weekend workshop will help you gain the tools and confidence to craft and share yours well," reads the announcement. "Using reading and writing exercises, we will explore deployment and wartime experiences—the fear, boredom, anxieties, thrills, brutality, tears and beauty—considering ways to write a personal story and make it compelling."

The announcement continues:

By the end of the weekend, workshop participants will have had the chance to try out a range of styles and approaches to produce stories, poetry, fiction, and blogs. Opportunities to work one-on-one with professional writers during the weekend, as well as online follow-up, will help continue the writing and revision process. No writing experience is needed to attend this workshop. A public reading for course participants interested in sharing excerpts from their work will complete the weekend.

Announcement materials included the following tentative schedule:

Fri., April 5: 7 to 9 p.m.
Sat., April 6: 9 a.m. to 12 noon; 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Sun., April 7: 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Lunches will be provided. Participants must arrange their own housing and transportation. Workshop size is limited.

For an online registration form, click here.

A 2011 "Writing My Way Back Home" was featured on the Red Bull Rising blog here. Other coverage resulting from the event includeed a post regarding the University of Iowa Veterans Center.

If you are an Eastern Iowa business or organization that wishes make a donation in support of the April 2013 workshop, please contact University of Iowa Veterans Center coordinator John Mikelson at: 319.384.2020.

A Facebook page for "Writing My Way Back Home" is available here.