“The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say,” asserts French writer Anaïs Nin.

     For the past week, 10th grade students at Franklin Academy were treated to an intensive Essay Writing Workshop directed by local author, Richard Krawiec. Mr. Krawiec’s philosophy of writing is that there is no law that learning how to write research papers and other types of non-fiction has to be boring. Students were encouraged to relax, have fun, and write lively, creative pieces which can serve all their needs in any essay situation. Mr. Krawiec has published two novels, a collection of short stories, four plays, a screenplay, and many other works of fiction. He has published hundreds of short stories, poems, and essays. He writes a monthly column for the Raleigh News and Observer. Mr. Krawiec is also the recipient of many awards and fellowships. He currently teaches online at UNC-Chapel Hill. Mrs. Michele DeCamp and Mrs. Ruth Johnson, the Franklin Academy 10th grade English Teachers who worked with Mr. Krawiec felt the week was rewarding for the students.“It was so wonderful to see the students challenging themselves to move beyond the traditional five-paragraph essay and really think about what they were trying to convey through their writing. I teach them something similar throughout the year, but they always respond better when they hear it from multiple sources. Having a professional writer like Mr. Krawiec tell them something similar adds a tremendous amount of credibility to the idea,” said Mrs. DeCamp.

  Mr. Krawiec’s workshop is supported through a grant from the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, Inc, with funds from the North Carolina Arts Council, a state agency, and Wake County Government and the Wake County Public School System. Additional support for the Artists in the Schools program is provided through generous grants from Franklin Academy Founder, Bob Luddy, Google Grants,  and the  Graham Johnson Cultural Arts Endowment.