When I began writing for Odyssey (the site you're reading this on right now, in case you didn't know), many of my friends who had written in the past complained to me that I was "wasting my time" and being "used" by a company for revenue. While yes, my articles do bring in money to a company due to ads on my page, I am more than certain that I am not being "used." Because of that revenue, my community is able to run. Because of that revenue, I am able to put my thoughts into the cyberspace and create a detailed organized portfolio of exactly how my writing has grown, along with a log of my college years, filled with articles about my experiences as I grow into who I am becoming.
Personally, this website has helped me grow as a writer, as well as a person. Writing articles and learning better ways to express myself has helped me better know who I am, and who I want to be. I am not writing these articles for free. I am putting in the work to build my craft, and I am more than happy to do that on a website that doesn't charge me in order for my work to get views.
Odyssey is a revolutionary site, creating writers, editors, managers, and allowing many to have an outlet of expression for FREE to them. Anyone who sees it otherwise does not understand the value of having a platform easily accessible to them for no monetary expense. This is an opportunity to savor, an opportunity to cherish, and an opportunity to grab onto while you have the chance.
If Odyssey sounds like something you'd like to write for, please find a community near you and sign up!