So I mentioned that I joined Odyssey back in the summer. I never really said why I decided to join the group though. Back in the summer, I read one of my friend's articles and I really liked what she wrote. I then texted her and asked, “How can I write for Odyssey?” She then gave me the editor’s phone number, who was very nice and glad I wanted to join the community! Ever since then, we have grown bigger as a group! Here are my top three reasons why I like writing for Odyssey why I believe you should encourage others to join as well.
First reason is the free write. When I first joined the group it was because I felt like I needed to finally clear the air on all these hashtags. For example, what #blacklives, #bluelives, and #alllives all mean. I wrote what came to mind and it actually went well, as my first article was in the top 3! I was very proud of what I accomplished and that it inspired me to keep writing about what I believe in; what my thoughts mean to other people and how to encourage other people to read my writing. I wrote about holidays, fears, God, someone who passed away that was close to me, and many more interesting topics you should take a look at.
Secondly, the editors try and help you be a better writer. For example, I learned that sometimes I repeat myself, make grammar issues, or even that I write things that sometimes end up not making much sense. A couple weeks ago, I wrote something that was very serious to me and I did not even realize one of the paragraphs did not fit well in the article! It was deleted, and my editor, Abby, explained to me why it was deleted. At first, I was a little upset with her that she deleted my work, but after I read it, I realized my original paragraph did not make sense. Editors are not trying to take any creativity, they are just trying to make everyone in the group a better writer. Speaking for myself, I can truly appreciate it!
Finally, the group itself. The silly group chat can brighten up someone’s day when they are feeling down. When you can not think of anything to write, reading other articles and talking to others can pitch you an idea of a topic that comes to mind. For example, when editors post who made top 3, it gives you the idea for a topic; disagreeing with or adding to the topic can make a great article! We have some great times in our chat, being both silly and serious. That is what makes Odyssey great!
So what are you waiting for? I joined back in September of 2016 and it is now March of 2017! I am learning how to make my writing better. Editors are your friends, not your enemies! Find something I wrote, that you liked or disliked, and come join to tell me how I was wrong and what your opinion is! So what are you waiting for; you can join today!
