Letters from Iowans
...something new
Now, it’s your turn.
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative was created almost one year ago, and we now have 31 writers contributing from around the state.
The criteria set early on was that members must have professional writing experience. We wanted to offer this as a vetting service to readers inundated with opinions from various sources.
And it works. When a well-known Iowa columnist like Chuck Offenburger launches with a solid subscriber base, his readers see recommendations from other Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members. Because they know and trust Chuck, they are likelier to sample writers he recommends. As each new writer comes aboard, we see an uptick in subscribers from those they bring online.
It’s become an excellent tool to link readers and writers interested in Iowa.
The Problem
The downside of the established criteria is that some wonderful writers do not fit the IWC criteria for membership because they were not published professionally.
The Solution
This new Substack column, ‘Letters From Iowans’is a forum for those who would like to post an essay to have a place to do so. We reserve the right to choose what is published, prioritizing civility.
Why Subscribe
Subscribing to this column is free. However, if you would like to support the effort by becoming a paid subscriber, those funds will be directed toward partial and full scholarships to the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat. This is a place where participants can improve and enhance their essays and commentary.
Who
Julie Gammack (Potluck) and Richard Gilbert (Sh*t Richard Says) are a husband and wife team who will be curating submissions.
Why
The media landscape is changing dramatically. As a result, there are fewer opportunities for commentary to be seen outside of a narrowing bubble of readers. Substack offers a platform to showcase writers who are independent and responsible for their readership base and can refer to one another. Algorithms don’t dictate what you see - emphasizing controversy and hate speech - you do.
Submissions
To submit an essay: lettersfromiowans@gmail.com
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative now consists of 31 outstanding columnists. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to those you wish to support. It is so appreciated.
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