For·Words Series to Focus on Young Writers

The for·Words event “Ready to Write: Cultivating Young Voices through Literary Expression” will take place at 4 p.m. Feb. 24 in the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium.  

Mallory Hellman, director of the Iowa Young Writing Project (IYWP), will present on writing instruction and how to make writing an engaging endeavor for children instead of a chore. This event is free, and all are invited to attend.

The IYWP was founded in 2010 by graduates of the prestigious University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop with the goal to empower, inspire and educate Iowa’s children and teens through language arts and creative thinking. Through the investment of time, energy and creativity by volunteers, as well as partnerships with local organizations and institutions, the IYWP is able to offer children and teens events and workshops led by nationally recognized writers, opportunities to publish creative endeavors and receive mentoring and tutoring at little to no cost.

Hellman received a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and American literature from Harvard. Her short story, “October, Forest River,” was a finalist for the Room of Her Own Foundation’s Orlando Prize, and her nonfiction has appeared on the Forbes Booked Blog and the Indiana Review. Additionally, Hellman has served as fiction editor on the Iowa Review and associate editor of fiction and nonfiction on the Indiana Review, as well as a regular contributor to the Little Village, an independent news publications for Eastern Iowa. She has taught writing courses at Indiana University, the University of Iowa, the Duke Talent Identification Program and at primary and secondary schools throughout Eastern Iowa.

More information about this event, other English and Linguistics’ programming, and other events sponsored by the School of Arts and Letters can be found at facebook.com/trumansal.