by George Smith, Student Reporter
The NWOSU Department of English, Foreign Language, and Humanities held a “Writer’s Marathon” Friday in downtown Alva in the hopes that local wordsmiths would be inspired to put pen to paper in a new and creative way.
According to Dr. Kathryn Lane, a writing marathon is an event in which participants go to different locations around a city to find new topics to write about.
The event was open to all NWOSU students and faculty members. Community members were also invited. Participants signed-in for the marathon at the Graceful Arts Gallery in downtown Alva. After signing in, participants walked to 12 different downtown locations and completed timed writing sessions.
Lane, the NWOSU professor who hosted the event, said that having a marathon in Alva “is important for students who view writing as something other than a grade.” Lane added that writing is perhaps the most important form of communication, as the written word can be preserved for generations to come.
One student who participated in the marathon – NWOSU English major Alanna Negeleine – said she has been writing stories since she was a child. When she found out about the marathon, she knew it would be the perfect “fit” for her.
“Writing is my favorite thing to do,” she said.
Participants who wish to have their work published on the university’s website may do so by emailing their work in a Word document to: english@nwosu.com. The website featuring writers’ work should be active by late February.