Professions in Writing Arts
One credit courses were an enigma to me. I was taking a 4-credit lab science so I had room to take a 'Special Topics' course…whatever those were, and if nothing else it could help round out my understanding of writing or the Writing Arts program. I had no idea what to expect in regard to workload, time commitment, or overall intensity of the class.
The class itself would prove to be an emotional roller coaster, complete with terrifying lows and exciting and optimistic highs. If there was an overwhelming emotion to the five weeks the class spanned, while I initially would have wanted to resign it to pessimism, upon completion I couldn't help but be optimistic about the possibilities and opportunities open to writers today. Throughout history, it would seem, writers have never had an easy way to go about their craft. The writing, while personally fulfilling, would never be enough. Rather there need to be jobs and careers and opportunities for such writings to reach larger audiences and make the impact or convey the social statement that the writer often intended.
Today, more so than ever, it seems there is a wealth of possibility in the world. While the job market itself is dreary and some might see writing as a hopeless venture, perseverance plays a key role in the success of the professional. In writing, and possibly even more so than in other fields, one has to be willing to accept rejection or indifference and overcome these obstacles to continue the long and arduous journey that writing really is. If writing could be said to be a process, then so too is the task of obtaining a career in writing. The career, as much as a piece of work, requires attention, revision, and understanding that there might always be another step to take before it is truly finished.
The writer must also be adaptable. They must learn to use the technology of their time and field to succeed in reaching wider audiences as well as branding and marketing themselves for the future. One cannot resign themselves to write and write alone, but rather they have to be willing to realize that the writing can, and in many cases must, take a back seat to the process. Very rarely will a writer immediately reach their ultimate goal, be it publishing or academic recognition. The journey to this point must be recognized as a long, multimodal one that slowly builds upon its separate and distinct stages.
The competition is stiff and numerous. The field is competitive and difficult. The journey is more often than not long. But these facts cannot hinder the true and dedicated writer. While it might be difficult not to feel pessimism and be downtrodden by a rejection, optimism it seems must be the attitude one walks away from writing with. As with all paths in life a career is a hard thing to obtain, but they do exist and are therefore important and necessary. Entertainment, knowledge, recognition, and understanding could all be motives for writing, but if this course has given me anything, it is the belief that perseverance and dedication to the craft will eventually pay off. It might take years, but much like anything worth having, it must be fought for. One must struggle to truly comprehend the deep and resounding value of what they have obtained.
The class itself would prove to be an emotional roller coaster, complete with terrifying lows and exciting and optimistic highs. If there was an overwhelming emotion to the five weeks the class spanned, while I initially would have wanted to resign it to pessimism, upon completion I couldn't help but be optimistic about the possibilities and opportunities open to writers today. Throughout history, it would seem, writers have never had an easy way to go about their craft. The writing, while personally fulfilling, would never be enough. Rather there need to be jobs and careers and opportunities for such writings to reach larger audiences and make the impact or convey the social statement that the writer often intended.
Today, more so than ever, it seems there is a wealth of possibility in the world. While the job market itself is dreary and some might see writing as a hopeless venture, perseverance plays a key role in the success of the professional. In writing, and possibly even more so than in other fields, one has to be willing to accept rejection or indifference and overcome these obstacles to continue the long and arduous journey that writing really is. If writing could be said to be a process, then so too is the task of obtaining a career in writing. The career, as much as a piece of work, requires attention, revision, and understanding that there might always be another step to take before it is truly finished.
The writer must also be adaptable. They must learn to use the technology of their time and field to succeed in reaching wider audiences as well as branding and marketing themselves for the future. One cannot resign themselves to write and write alone, but rather they have to be willing to realize that the writing can, and in many cases must, take a back seat to the process. Very rarely will a writer immediately reach their ultimate goal, be it publishing or academic recognition. The journey to this point must be recognized as a long, multimodal one that slowly builds upon its separate and distinct stages.
The competition is stiff and numerous. The field is competitive and difficult. The journey is more often than not long. But these facts cannot hinder the true and dedicated writer. While it might be difficult not to feel pessimism and be downtrodden by a rejection, optimism it seems must be the attitude one walks away from writing with. As with all paths in life a career is a hard thing to obtain, but they do exist and are therefore important and necessary. Entertainment, knowledge, recognition, and understanding could all be motives for writing, but if this course has given me anything, it is the belief that perseverance and dedication to the craft will eventually pay off. It might take years, but much like anything worth having, it must be fought for. One must struggle to truly comprehend the deep and resounding value of what they have obtained.