Chris Benson
Six students along with family and friends came together Wednesday to hear the fruits of their writing labors.
Participants took part in a prose writing workshop series at the Art Academy of Milton taught by Susquehanna University adjunct professor Michael Rash.
“All had their own process building their stories,” Rash said. Each story was one page, about 10 minutes long.
Rash said things went “really good.”
He said he did not have a big plan to start with. “It was important the students come up with what fits for them. That’s not always easy.”
He said the attendance rate was very good.
“Not good when you have a workshop and half the people don’t show up,” said Rash.
Rash, who was previously a news reporter in 1989 for The News Guard in Lincoln City, Oregon, said students took the reigns.
He said his role was more “moderating, directing the students, cheering, coaching.”
“That was a long time ago. I’ve been teaching ever since,” Rash said. “Being a reporter is hard. I had 35 stories one week.”
Rash is planning to have another class. “Yes. Definitely,” he said. “I think it could be very helpful for other students to have some people who have been in the workshop before that can almost mentor somebody else.”
He said he does not want the size to get too large. A crowd of six is good for an hour, he said, and would go to 10-12 participants “at the most.”
“Tonight was a chance for everyone to show their art. Thats why was call it a showcase,” Rash said.
Haley Stanko, 25, from Lewisburg, said “it was really great just to get in front of people, especially just the past two years not being around anyone.”