Suggestions for Writers:
1. Learn the rules before breaking them. For concise instuction in English usage, see the online version of Strunk & White's The Elements of Style and Paul Brians' Common Errors in English Usage. If you wish to deliberately break a rule, as Madeleine L'Engle did when she left out the period in Mrs Whatsis, be sure to let your editor know!
2. Read the sort of stuff you intend to write. If, for example, you plan to write a mystery novel, read the best mystery writers, past and resent. For a list of books in your chosen genre, see http://home.comcast.net/~dwtaylor1/. As you read, ask yourself questions like, "What makes me what to keep reading?" "Why do I care about this character?" "Why did I just stop and re-read that passage?" "What would make this writing even more effective?" "Which aspects would I eliminate or develop?" For an ebook version of E.M. Forster's lecture series on writing, Aspects of the Novel, see http://www.ebookmall.com/ebook/100364-ebook.htm.
3. If you want to be a writer, make it a habit to write something every day, even if it's only a brief passage in your writing journal. If you can't think of one word to write—and this is hopefully a rare occurence—you might simply copy sentences and paragraphs from published works that appeal to you. Try to figure out what makes the writing work for you and jot down your observations. As with any skill, practice makes perfect. Don't let your ideas get away from you. Keep track of them in a notebook, or simply jot them down on whatever scraps of paper you can find, such as the backs of envelops and napkins. Keep those scraps in a box so they won't be swept away with the recycling. For more tips on this topic, see http://www.dailywritingtips.com/keeping-a-writers%E2%80%99-notebook/.
Coffeehouse for Writers is a popular online community. Then again, you might want to join a local writing group that meets regularly for the purpose of critiquing each other's work. If you start your own group, be sure to lay some ground rules, so everyone is on the same page. Hint: writers benefit as much from being told what works well in a piece of writing, as they do from being told what doesn't work.
5. Realize that all good writing requires a lot of judicious rewriting. As Anne Lamott points out in her immensely popular book, Bird by Bird, first drafts are nearly always in need of revision. Whatever you do, realize that there's something there of value. If you find yourself tempted to burn what you've written, find an editor who's willing to critique it. A good developmental editor can provide you with a clear blueprint for revison. A substantive writer worth his or her salt can turn coal into diamonds, metaphorically speaking.
7. Challenge yourself by coming out of the closet! If you're ready to dive right in and have a few hours set aside for writing every day, you might want to join the hundreds of other writers who have pledged to write a 175-page first draft in a month! That's an average of five or six pages a day, so save the editing for later.
8. Get to know your readers. If you are a mature writer, you may want to find out more about those younger readers who have been playing video games since infancy. They tend to be more oriented toward the image, so try to be very concrete, but do it with as much economy as possible. Check the book store to see what's being published in your genre, and make it a point to notice what people are reading on the bus, in reading groups, and at the coffee shop.
9. Publish your best writing! There are numerous ways to break into print these days. Anyone can be a published writer.
10. Don't let rejection get you down. Hang in there, revise if necessary, and consider self-publishing. If the rejection letter comes without suggestions for improvement, send the manuscript to a good developmental editor.