I've been writing for Odyssey for a little over two months now, and it has honestly been one of the most rewarding experiences thus far in my life. However, like anything in life, writing for Odyssey has not come without criticism. I'm shocked at the number of people who claim that those who write for Odyssey are attempting to be philosophical or aren't "good enough" to write for other websites that are allegedly better. So, I decided to dedicate this article to educate the critics of this amazing platform for writers.
I have always had a deep love for writing and expressing myself. Unfortunately, I never was able to find an outlet for this love. Beyond English class, I never really had an opportunity to write and have people read what I have to say. A few months ago, I noticed a ton of articles from "Odyssey" appear on Facebook and Twitter on a number of topics that I could relate to. I foolishly assumed these articles were written by English majors who wrote for Odyssey as a career. However, when I saw people who I would be going to college with posting articles they wrote using Odyssey, I decided to look into a spot as a Content Creator for Rowan University.
After applying to be a "Content Creator," I received a ton of great information on what it takes to write a good article and how to share what you wrote with a ton of people. I was a little surprised at the amount of work that went into Odyssey. And I have to admit when I found out I had to submit one article per week, I got nervous. Could I come up with something interesting every week that people could relate to? (The answer thus far has been yes).
Once I got the hang of my weekly deadline and how to write in a way that made sense to people other than myself, I started to reap the benefits of writing for Odyssey. Nothing, and I mean nothing, compares to the feeling I get when I post an article I've written and I get texts, tweets and comments from people (sometimes who I don't even know) who have related to a story I wrote in some way, shape or form. Knowing that what I have to say matters to other people is without a doubt the most fulfilling part of writing for Odyssey. Although, the $20 I get when my article is the top shared for my school is a pretty nice perk as well.
I don't understand why people think that the students who spend hours researching and writing for Odyssey are "not good enough" writers for "better" websites. Or how by writing an essay based on my personal beliefs and ideas means I'm trying to be philosophical or better than other people. Honestly, no one could ever read what I have to say, and I would still write for Odyssey. I do it for myself. I enjoy the feeling I get when I hit submit on a piece I worked super hard on. I've come to love the way my name looks under a title of an article I wrote.
So, if you don't like Odyssey or the people who write for it, that's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. But understand that every single person who writes for Odyssey works hard on what they write. And personally, I don't write for Odyssey for anyone but myself.
