"Nah, I can't write, I'm terrible."
Boy, have I heard this one a lot. Though I could write a whole other article on how people should stop demeaning themselves for not being experts at everything, I certainly don't think that everyone is an awful writer or anywhere close actually.
For my friends, I'm sure hearing, "you should write" from someone who wants to do it for a living can be demoralizing. Many would agree that I'm a gifted writer, but at the same time, writing can't be measured as concretely as other skills. Obviously good grammar and structure are important in any type of writing, but at the end of the day, it's basically like music; we can say that one artists is great and another is not, but it's all opinion past technical ability. Someone can be more "skilled" at their craft, but that doesn't make the content any less amazing and meaningful for each individual.
You don't have to write a masterpiece to create something beautiful, touching, impactful, or real.
All of that goes to say that I want people to just write and not judge themselves so much. Writing, though you may associate it with long nights of analyzing novels that you didn't want to read in the first place or research papers that make you want to burn libraries and online databases, is something I think everyone can benefit from on a personal level. We're all different, but for me there's something therapeutic about getting my emotions and thoughts out. You might write pages of rambling about how you felt in one moment that seem incoherent, or it may be three lines of text that clearly summarize a whole season of your life.
Either, way, write it!
If you're having a bad day, write a poem about how it sucked and try to think of how it can get better, even change the ending. If you're falling in love, write about the person that makes you feel this way. I promise that this situation will likely birth some of the best writing of your life. Nothing makes you put effort into something like being attracted to someone, plus who isn't flattered by being written about? I'd probably burst into flames if someone wrote about me the way I write about them.
Write a poem, write a song, write a story, journal, or just jot down whatever comes across your mind. Don't think about how great it is or how awful you think it is. If you think it's bad, it's probably not. I guarantee you could ghostwrite for some of the artists on the radio if you had the connections and musical talent. At the end of the day, you can share your writing or it can be personal. I highly recommend sharing, especially with me! To anyone who reads this, I would love to read whatever you write. I love words and the expression of writing, so getting to read what people I am friends with or know is even more meaningful than reading other texts because I get to take a glimpse into your life, heart, and mind.
I challenge you to write something. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be an article (which you could submit to Odyssey), a poem, song, whatever, just give it a chance. And for those who say they aren't writers, think about anything that you are great at or love. Were you a master the first time? Most likely not. Our generation has gotten to a point where having to work at things is upsetting, so we're quick to shy away from things we're not great at. Don't do that here! You could be the next great author or songwriter. You could be the next great blogger or even just impact someone else's life with your words.
Simply put, in the words of Shia Lebouf:
"Just do it!"
