Meet our writers

Jun 15, 2024
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Welcome!

The Iowa Writers Collaborative is made up of some of the foremost regional journalists in the country.

Some of us discuss politics, and some don't. Some are funny, and others are dead serious. We have two poets in our midst, including one who was designated the Iowa Poet Laurette. We have a Pulitzer winner and another whose family-owned newspaper has won countless awards from the Iowa Newspaper Association. 

Our writers have appeared in The Des Moines Register, The Quad City Times, The Washington Post, New York Times, The Atlantic, and Time magazine. 

Each writer is independent and has a Substack of their own.

Nicole Baart: This Stays Here, Sioux Center

This Stays Here

A Substack about community for people who want to be better neighbors. Life in my small, rural, Iowa town is idyllic--and also really hard. I imagine the same can be said about wherever you live. Come join the conversation!
By Nicole Baart

Ray Young Bear: From Red Earth Drive, Meskwaki Settlement

From Red Earth Drive

Narratives from a Meskwaki on modern day America in the Midwest.
By Ray Young Bear

Laura Belin: Iowa Politics with Laura Belin, Windsor Heights

Iowa politics with Laura Belin

A weekly podcast and in-depth reporting on Iowa politics

Tory Brecht: Brecht’s Beat, Quad Cities

Brecht's Beat

On Iowa sports, life on the Upper Mississippi and other subjects.
By Tory Brecht

Dartanyan L. Brown: My Integrated Live, Des Moines

My Integrated Life

Stories and Sounds from a Life In Jazz and Journalism
By Dartanyan L. Brown

Douglas Burns: The Iowa Mercury, Carroll

The Iowa Mercury

Fourth-generation Iowa journalist dives deep with unpredictable, well-reported writing on rural America's people, politics and culture.
By Douglas Burns

Jane Burns: The Crossover, Des Moines

The Crossover

Women's sports stories from Iowa - a place where new generations of female athletes carry on a century of success.
By Jane Burns

Dave Busiek: Dave Busiek on Media, Des Moines

Dave Busiek on Media

How to be a more informed news consumer and understand why journalists do what they do

Rachelle Chase : Reading with Rachelle, Ottumwa

Reading with Rachelle

Exploring history you never learned in school — but wish you had
By Rachelle Chase

Art Cullen: Art Cullen’s Notebook, Storm Lake

Art Cullen’s Notebook

A view from rural America: immigration, agriculture, environment, politics

Suzanna de Baca: Dispatches from the Heartland, Huxley

Dispatches from the Heartland

Reflections on change and transformation.
By Suzanna de Baca

Steph C: It Was Never a Dress, Johnston

It Was Never a Dress

My personal Substack
By Steph C

Taylor Deckert: Taylor’s Millennial Mindset, Sioux City

Debra Engle: A Whole New World, Madison County

A Whole New World

The thoughts we think, the stories we tell, and the way we look at life determine everything about the world we live in. Here's how to find more meaning through writing, meditation and miracles.
By Debra Engle

Randy Evans: Stray Thoughts, Des Moines via Bloomfield

Stray Thoughts

Thoughts on government transparency, politics and civic affairs written weekly -- and sometimes, weakly -- by a longtime advocate for government transparency.
By Randy Evans

Daniel P. Finney: Paragraph Stacker, Des Moines

The Paragraph Stacker

Uncensored columns from an exiled newspaper man
By Daniel P. Finney

Marianne Fons: Reporting From Quiltropolis, Winterset

Reporting from Quiltropolis

Marianne Fons writes from the small town of Winterset, Iowa, reporting on quilty and non-quilty topics.
By Marianne Fons

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts, Okoboji and Sioux Falls

Arnold Garson: Second Thoughts

A unique perspective on public affairs built on commentary, historical perspective, and subject matter that is deeply researched.

Julie Gammack: Julie Gammack’s Iowa Potluck, Des Moines and Okoboji

Julie Gammack's Iowa Potluck

Julie is a veteran print and radio commentator who believes her audience brings a lot to the table—like a potluck. Independent, local news and info served in a fun, yet impactful platform. Become a member of our club of local journalists, doing our thing

Avery Gregurich: The Five and Dime, Marengo

The Five and Dime

A sporadic establishment situated in the guts of Midwestland. Mainly stocking essays, fanaticisms, and other inquiries into music, film, and whatever culture means. It's cheap, and always aims to please.
By Avery Gregurich

Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha: Fern and Joe, Ames

Fern and Joe

opinions on topics
By Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha

Rob Gray's Area: Rob Gray’s Area, Ankeny

Rob Gray's Area

Musings and observations on sports, gardening, travel — and anything else I care to write about.

Nik Heftman: The Seven Times, Iowa

Become Inspired...

Highlighting Black triumph from the West Coast to the Midwest - and beyond. Posting multimedia stories about small Black-owned businesses.
By The Seven Times

Beth Hoffman: In the Dirt, Lovilla

In the Dirt

I dive into the the economics of growing food, give you the dirt on the politics of agriculture and occasionally share a funny tale from our ranch, Whippoorwill Creek Farm.
By Beth Hoffman

Iowa Capital Dispatch, an alliance with IWC

Iowa Podcasters' Collaborative

Iowa Podcasters' Collaborative

The Iowa Podcasters' Collaborative is a group of podcasters in Iowa creating content related to news, culture, and more. It's a product of the success of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative.
By Robert Leonard

Black Iowa News: Dana James, Iowa

Black Iowa News

Black Iowa News is an independent news platform designed to highlight Black perspectives, showcase the Black community and amplify the voices of Black Iowans — online and in print.

Chris Jones: Chris’s Substack, Iowa City

The Swine Republic

Writing about confluence of agriculture and environment from the heart of the big ag beast here in Iowa
By Chris Jones

Pat Kinney: View from Cedar Valley, Waterloo

View from the Cedar Valley

Column of news and observations from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls and greater Cedar Valley area.
By Pat Kinney

Robert Leonard: Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture, Bussey

Deep Midwest: Politics and Culture

The politics and culture of Iowa, the midwest, and beyond.
By Robert Leonard

Letters From Iowans

Darcy Maulsby: Keepin’ It Rural, Calhoun County

Keepin' It Rural

My personal Substack
By Darcy Maulsby

Hola Iowa: Iowa

Hola Iowa

Connect with the Latino communities in Iowa.

Alison McGaughey: The Inquisitive Quad Citizen, Quad Cities

The Inquisitive Quad Citizen

Stories (and questions) about Midwestern lives, including my own.
By Alison McGaughey

Kurtis Meyer: Showing Up, St. Ansgar

Showing Up

I write about the importance of simply showing up.
By Kurtis Meyer

Wini Moranville: Wini’s Food Stories, Des Moines

Wini’s Food Stories

With 25-plus years of restaurant reviewing and food writing, I'm taking a close, weekly look at Des Moines food and dining.
By Wini Moranville
Jeff Morrison: Between Two Rivers, Cedar Rapids

Between Two Rivers

Exploring Iowa, the "Land Between Two Rivers," through history, road trips, and more. Posts appear about every 10 days.
By Jeff Morrison

Kyle Munson: Kyle Munson’s Main Street, Des Moines

Kyle Munson's Main Street

Stories from along the thoroughfare and down the side streets, too

Jane Nguyen: The Asian Iowan, West Des Moines

The Asian Iowan

Born in Saigon, Vietnam. Nearly lifelong Iowan writing about people, places, and things.
By Jane Nguyen

John Naughton: My Life in Color, Des Moines

My Life, in Color

Adventures in travel, food and fun. And Iowa sports, of course.
By John Naughton

Chuck Offenburger: Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Jefferson and Des Moines

Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger

...Iowa, small towns, and saddle shoes

Barry Piatt: Piatt on Politics Behind the Curtain, Washington, D.C.

Barry Piatt on Politics - Behind the Curtain

Consistently ahead of the curve political analysis, commentary and strategy.

Dave Price: Dave Price’s Perspective, Des Moines

Dave Price's Perspective

An award-winning Iowa journalist's observations on politics, current events, family and some random things, too.

Steve Semken: Ice Cube Press, LLC, North Liberty

Ice Cube Press: Publishing, Writing, and Smart Life Secrets

Where Fact and Fiction Merge Into One. Smart Thinking, Creativity, and Celebrating Being Bold, Ferocious, and Brave. An Independent Press in a Red State.
By Ice Cube Press, LLC

Macey Shofroth: The Midwest Creative, Norwalk

The Midwest Creative

Essays and explorations on the creative life and those of us living it in the Midwest.
By Macey Shofroth

Larry Stone: Listening to the Land, Elkader

Listening to the Land

Join me on my travels in Iowa outdoors.
By Larry Stone

Mary Swander: Mary Swander’s Buggy Land, Kalona

Mary Swander’s Buggy Land

The Amish, sustainability, and the wider rural environment.

Mary Swander's Emerging Voices: Emerging Voices, Kalona

Mary Swander's Emerging Voices

Diverse people voice their opinions for the Iowa Writers Collaborative

Cheryl Tevis: Unfinished Business, Boone County

Unfinished Business

Current events, rural living/consumer issues, women's challenges, Iowa life
By Cheryl Tevis

Ed Tibbetts: Along the Mississippi, Davenport

Along the Mississippi

News, opinions and ideas from the Quad-Cities, where the river runs east to west
By Ed Tibbetts

Jason Walsmith: The Racontourist, Earlham

The Racontourists

Hey there! We are Jason and Emma Walsmith - we call ourselves racontourists - and yes we made that word up, a beautiful mish mash of two words we are very fond of. We will write about music, travel, people, places and things.
By Jason Walsmith

Kali White VanBaale: 988: Mental Healthcare in Iowa, Bondurant

988: Mental Healthcare in Iowa

Stories from the front lines of Iowa's mental healthcare crisis and beyond
By Kali White VanBaale

Teresa Zilk: Talking Good, Des Moines

Talking Good

In this space, I’ll write about the people, places, and learnings that have helped to shape me and my journey here in Iowa.
By Teresa Zilk