As an Odyssey creator and Editor in Chief, I've learned a lot about writing for this platform and for my audience. A good writer knows how to strategize their content to fit their readership. They know what people want to see, how to get their attention, and how to make sure everything makes sense to their audience. Because so many of Odyssey's readers are also creators, I wanted to share some valuable writing tips to help you stand out either on this site or on your own blog or business site.
1. Tell a story
The simplest way to draw your audience in is to tell a story. The key to a good story is to make sure it's relevant to your topic. You need the audience to read your story and say, "Oh, this makes so much sense." Stories should put your topic of discussion into perspective so they can understand why it's important to pay attention.
2. Be relatable
Good writers make you feel like you're reading about yourself. Their words sound like exactly what you needed to hear because they understand how to feel relatable through their writing. With blogging, this is the key to having a large following. People want to know about your experiences and how you handled them because they are going through the same situations.
3. Think about your audience
Once you pick your topic, you need to think like your audience. Why should they care about this topic? What situations does this topic present that can be explained? What would they want to know if they were dealing with this topic? By thinking about what they want, you'll be able to create content that is relatable and shareable.
4. Keep it simple
No one sits down to read a 5,000-word article on The Odyssey Online. Would you do that? Of course not! Keep your message simple and keep it short. Specifically for the Odyssey, I wouldn't go past 500-750 words because college kids don't spend time reading long articles. They skim short readings for quick information.
5. Take a break and read it later
Never post something without first letting it sit for a bit. You can't review something right after writing it without having clouded judgment. In the moment, your writing sounds amazing to you. A day later, however, you can find typos and areas that can be re-worked to sound much more fluid.
6. Give examples
If you want your audience to understand you, giving examples is a great way to make sense out of detailed information. Examples offer a practical and realistic way to think about the topic your discussing. Don't just tell them a concept, make it seem real with examples that make sense for your audience.
7. Break it up
Give people bite-sized information to help them process your work quickly. Don't drag on with a topic just to say a thousand words about it. No one wants to have to search for your point. They want to see it, read a short description of it, and move on.
8. Focus on your message
I see so many creators start off talking about a topic and by the end of the article, they have completely forgotten the original topic. This is confusing to readers and more often than not, they'll give up and move on. Focus on your message and keep things going in one direction.
9. Discuss what you know
When writing, don't try to talk about something you have no business talking about. If you're a fashion blogger, why would you write a political opinion piece? If you're a business professional, why would you talk about different types of margaritas (unless that's your job)? Your audience didn't follow you for those topics, so stick to what you know best.
10. Remember your grammar
Even though being an Odyssey creator allows you to write with a more relaxed tone, you still need proper grammar and sentence structure. So many people forget that anyone will read your work, and a good writer never publishes something that makes them look bad.
