Welcome, new subscribers.

You’ve just joined what I like to think of as a potluck—where everyone brings something to the table.

On Mondays, you are invited to pull up a chair and join a live Zoom conversation I host with a special guest (and sometimes more than one). What makes these conversations different is that subscribers are not just listening—you are part of it. You can ask questions, offer thoughts, and help shape where the discussion goes. Afterward, the conversation is produced and shared in podcast form, like the one you see here.

As far as I know, there is nothing quite like this in the Substack universe.

Yes, there are plenty of talking heads online. But these interviews are not driven solely by me—they are shaped by a community of curious, engaged readers.

Some weeks, we dig into world affairs or local politics. Other times, we sit down with fascinating thinkers, writers, and creators and simply follow the conversation wherever it leads.

This week, I invited subscribers behind the scenes for something a little different—a live conversation with several of the literary agents who will be joining us at the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat.

It’s a glimpse into how ideas become books, and how connections—real, human conversations—can open doors.

Learn more.

Four Literary Agents Answer Questions

There is a moment in every writer’s journey when the work leaves the privacy of your desk and begins its path into the world.

For most, that moment feels mysterious—guarded by unseen forces, gatekeepers, and a long line of unanswered emails.

But after listening to the podcast we recorded Monday, one thing became unmistakably clear: the gate isn’t nearly as closed as we imagine.

Literary agents—Andy Ross, Katharine Sands, Sheree Bykofsky, and Rita Rosenkranz—pulled back the curtain on what really happens when a book begins to find its way. And what they revealed was not a system built to keep writers out, but one actively searching for them.

They are looking. Listening. Hoping.

Hoping to feel that unmistakable “yes”—the one Andy describes as something you feel in your chest. The spark Katharine talked about when a project truly connects. The clarity Rita insists upon. The readiness Sheree recognizes when a writer shows up exactly as they are.

And perhaps most surprising of all, many of the authors they represent did not come through cold submissions. They came from conversations. From conferences. From moments when a writer was no longer just a name in an inbox, but a person sitting across the table.

Which brings us to Okoboji.

This is what makes the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat different. It creates the very conditions these agents described—the space where writers are seen, heard, and given a real opportunity to connect.

From September 27–30, these four agents will be there. Not behind a screen. Not hidden behind layers of submissions. But in the room—taking pitches, answering questions, and doing what they all said they love most: discovering writers.

If you have ever wondered how to move past the silence of “no,” or how to get your work in front of someone who might say “yes,” this is your moment.

Come to Okoboji.

Pull up a chair. Start the conversation.

You never know where it might lead.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you see the Flipside edition of the IWC this week? We welcomed a new member to the roster.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit okobojiwriters.substack.com/subscribe