Odyssey Creators: Write Bigger | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Odyssey Creators: Write Bigger

Some advice from an ex-EIC.

16
Odyssey Creators: Write Bigger
Pexels

My first Odyssey article was published my last week of my senior year of high school. It received thousands of views, and I fell in love with the virality of the platform. After a few months of lots of (less successful) articles and a deepening excitement towards the website, I became the Editor in Chief of the community at my school. I had found a home in a platform that not only allowed, but encouraged me to tell my story, on a well-constructed stage with a packed audience.

Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: Odyssey is not a journalism platform. They don’t claim to be. So it’s not fair to expect them to be producing high-quality journalism content. This isn't an "Odyssey isn't journalism, blah blah blah" article. Odyssey is a social platform for millennials to tell the stories of their lives in article format, and for other millennials (or anyone, really) to read and connect with them.

In theory, this sounds excellent. This sounds like a wonderful way to gain insight into the lives and minds of young people all around this country.

But Odyssey creators very often chase the “pageviews and shares” high and sacrifice actual storytelling and high-quality writing. At the end of the day, Odyssey is a business, and pageviews and shares are the way they stay that way, which is completely fair and understandable. But creators shouldn’t be getting comfortable with producing low-quality content simply because it fits into the algorithm of the platform.

This isn’t an article to bash Odyssey as a platform. It truly has meant so much to me, and I really have honed in on my voice as both a writer and a young person just by having a place like this to publish my writing.

It bothers me how easily this platform is thrown away in the chase for pageviews. Creators have an opportunity to put their work out there and really be seen. And it bothers me that that's so often overlooked because relatability is valued above creativity. Most creators aren't striving for great writing, they're striving for great audience engagement.

It’s hard to write a thought provoking or meaningful article every week. And that being said, there are plenty of great pieces of writing that aren’t either of those things. But as a creator, you should want to create great pieces of writing. You should want to tell stories in a way that makes them your own, not in a way that conveniently fits into a pre-tested and approved headline.

Odyssey creators: write bigger.

Don’t write about something for the sole reason that you know your entire hometown will relate to it. Don’t write something that has more .gifs than words, in a chase for readers that don't like to read.

Write about heartbreak and passion and the things that make you laugh. Write strong opinions. Write about things you research because you're interested in them. Write about the things that make you interesting. Write using words that are huge and strong and create stories on their own.

If you’ve decided to put yourself out there by becoming a content creator, you have to truly put yourself out there. You have to write things that might not get views or shares, simply because you feel compelled to write them. You have to really create.

You have to write bigger.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

198126
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

19595
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

461441
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28620
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments