Finding my Future... or Maybe Not

Jim Odom was a very helpful guest speaker for me. He taught me a lot more then I originally thought he would. I learned a very big lesson from him being that you don't have to have your life figured out before you graduate high school, even though that concept is shoved down your throat from the beginning of your senior and even junior year of high school. He is living proof that you don't always know what you're good at, and you don't have to find your calling early on in life. Which really spoke to me personally, because I feel like I haven't found what I'm supposed to do or who I am supposed to be. I don't know what my calling is or what I was made to do. And that's okay.

I also learned from him that when it comes to other people's opinions on your work, take it or leave it. Learn from it, take it as constructive criticism, or don't. Joining a writing critique group, can help you a lot with you're writing. Getting a second opinion on your work can actually help improve it more then it can hurt it, and the best part is, you don't have to take their advice if you choose not to. 

He also told us not to be afraid to write what we are really thinking. Even if it is embarrassing. Chances are that little embarrassing moment in your book, will make it more interesting and entertaining.  

I was so inspired by Mr. Odom, because I felt like him coming to talk to us really helped me with my writing technique. I love being in a creative writing class and it has helped me just as much but it was really great being able to hear real stories about writing from a published author. 

I asked Mr. Odom multiple questions because I was just so curious about the writing critiques and everything else he was talking about. I got all of my questions answered and that was very helpful. All in all, I would say I learned a lot about writing from Mr. Odom and I am very excited to use the news things he taught me in my writing.