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News & Photos
Alumnus Shares Story of His Success
Jason Odell Williams ’92 seems to have done it all. He’s been an actor and a playwright, he has a full-time job as a writer and producer of the hit TV series Brain Games on the National Geographic Channel, and he is turning his recently published first novel Personal Statement into a screenplay. Jason spoke to the Upper School on Friday, October 4 about his writing career, shared samples of his work, and fondly reminisced about what he learned in his nine years as a student at McDonogh.
“The most important thing you will learn at McDonogh is the art of collaboration, in other words, play well with others,” he said noting that collaboration is the key to success in any field. Although most of Jason’s work is solitary, he attributes much of his success to learning the importance of being kind and being easy to work with. On the academic side, Jason says McDonogh taught him the love of the written word, citing both the books he read as a student and the Oratory program.
“I learned to appreciate the art of storytelling. Storytelling is storytelling,” he says. “Just fake it, ‘till you make it…and be willing to rewrite.”
When it comes to his novel Personal Statement, Jason laughs when he talks about heeding his “fake it, ‘till you make it” advice by writing in the voice of three culturally diverse teenagers (including two girls) who are going through the college admissions process. Although the Young Adult novel is a satire about the college application rat race set against the backdrop of “competitive volunteering,” it feels relevant to anyone going through the process.
Jason says, “I think it's laugh-out-loud funny and hilarious throughout, but at the heart it's a coming-of-age story about several teenagers trying to figure out who they are and want they want out of life.”
After reading a passage from Personal Statement, the audience peppered him with questions about his writing career and his McDonogh experience. He told them it was about 13 months from the time he began writing the book until it was published in August 2013 and that he made close to 30 major revisions, including revamping one of the main characters. He shared that the idea for the book came from his own experience enrolling his daughter in pre-school in Manhattan and his characters were developed by observing people.
He said internships were the best way to learn and get a job, and reminded the students of the importance of showing up on time and being easy to work with (play well with others). He confessed that although he really loved all his teachers, his favorite class at McDonogh was “Mr. Van’s (Van Meter) because it led me on the path I am on today.”
Finally, when asked what his favorite experience has been (acting, writing for television, writing plays, writing his novel)? Jason replied, “Whatever I’m doing now. I try not to look back.”
Jason Odell Williams ’92 seems to have done it all. He’s been an actor and a playwright, he has a full-time job as a writer and producer of the hit TV series Brain Games on the National Geographic Channel, and he is turning his recently published first novel Personal Statement into a screenplay. Jason spoke to the Upper School on Friday, October 4 about his writing career, shared samples of his work, and fondly reminisced about what he learned in his nine years as a student at McDonogh.
“The most important thing you will learn at McDonogh is the art of collaboration, in other words, play well with others,” he said noting that collaboration is the key to success in any field. Although most of Jason’s work is solitary, he attributes much of his success to learning the importance of being kind and being easy to work with. On the academic side, Jason says McDonogh taught him the love of the written word, citing both the books he read as a student and the Oratory program.
“I learned to appreciate the art of storytelling. Storytelling is storytelling,” he says. “Just fake it, ‘till you make it…and be willing to rewrite.”
When it comes to his novel Personal Statement, Jason laughs when he talks about heeding his “fake it, ‘till you make it” advice by writing in the voice of three culturally diverse teenagers (including two girls) who are going through the college admissions process. Although the Young Adult novel is a satire about the college application rat race set against the backdrop of “competitive volunteering,” it feels relevant to anyone going through the process.
Jason says, “I think it's laugh-out-loud funny and hilarious throughout, but at the heart it's a coming-of-age story about several teenagers trying to figure out who they are and want they want out of life.”
After reading a passage from Personal Statement, the audience peppered him with questions about his writing career and his McDonogh experience. He told them it was about 13 months from the time he began writing the book until it was published in August 2013 and that he made close to 30 major revisions, including revamping one of the main characters. He shared that the idea for the book came from his own experience enrolling his daughter in pre-school in Manhattan and his characters were developed by observing people.
He said internships were the best way to learn and get a job, and reminded the students of the importance of showing up on time and being easy to work with (play well with others). He confessed that although he really loved all his teachers, his favorite class at McDonogh was “Mr. Van’s (Van Meter) because it led me on the path I am on today.”
Finally, when asked what his favorite experience has been (acting, writing for television, writing plays, writing his novel)? Jason replied, “Whatever I’m doing now. I try not to look back.”