The days are winding down now. The cold winds have swept in from the North. As I bundle my coat around myself in defense against Old Man Winter's breath, I walk rigidly to the computer lab in which I will finish my Professional Writing class. I long for the freedom the sea provides. I wish once again to be aboard my Brig-of-War, sailing against the salty winds of literary chaos.

This is an ending. This is a beginning. This is a moment. This is the life of a Pirate Writer.

Professional writing is, in my grand estimation, merely a boring extension of creative writing. Whereas creative writers are allowed to roam a universe they create in search of plot, character development, and exciting climax, professional writers must use the strictures and rules of a known world to write for people who probably don't care. I've never been one to want to be a professional writer. It holds no use for me and I feel that there are many others better suited and more interested that will go much farther along its trails than I would ever care to travel. However, this is not to say that learning about the discipline itself is not without its worth. It is important to observe all things, even those we are disiniterested in, in order to get a fuller grasp of the literary world we deign fit to reside in.

I studied the stories of professional writers. I learned of their tales and of their lives. I was taught of some of their odd practices and found them to be much akin to witchcraft. Most importantly, I found that professional writing is not something I am interested in. It may be something I need to employ, someday, if I wish to eat. Because of this, I am not without gratitude to Professor Sun and her class.

I cannot lie and say that I am now a better professional writer because of my experiences. For the most part I did nothing new. Instead I traveled a path already known to me. There is some merit in this activity. I was able to solidify some principles of writing while at the same time learning new tips and techniques to apply to my already solid foundation of grammar and nuance.

My adventures in professional writing are, without a doubt, not an end. Though this be the future I wish I could write, I am not so naive as to believe that I can escape the dastardly clutches of this form of writing for long. When the time comes, I will appreciate all I have learned with Professor Sun in this little corner of the world.

 

Back to the Jolly Roger