The Iowa Writers' Room
The Iowa Writers' Room (IWR), part of the Magid Center for Writing, grew directly from the University of Iowa’s unparalleled history of literary excellence. Iowa has long been able draw the best creative talent in the country to its graduate writing programs and some of those writers made their way to Los Angeles. Their presence has grown in recent years as alumni have filled the need for intelligent, character-driven scripted television. Indeed, the current demand for creative content is so high that UI alumni are increasingly selling the screen rights for their novels at the same time that the novels are sold for publication.
As Iowa’s impact in the entertainment industry grew, the university saw an opportunity to shorten the path to success for students by creating a value-adding, differentiated screenwriting initiative that is both low-cost and high-impact, and nimble enough to respond quickly to market demands. Thanks to the university’s many writing programs, graduate and advanced undergraduate writers already know how to create a story. This program gives them two options to learn how to tailor those stories to a new and quickly changing medium.
The Iowa Writers' Room is made possible by a generous gift from Kevin and Donna Gruneich. Their vision and support—along with the contribution of other essential donors and alumni—remains indispensable to this bespoke, unique, and transformative opportunity.
