If you are not a reader, it will show in your writing.  If you've never read a book where the paragraphs run together and are not separated by the actions of different characters or thoughts, unless you're James Joyce, don't write your book that way!  

Writing starts with a gift.  If you can draft a story from an idea, that's a gift.  No one can give you that gift. No amount of classes will give you that gift. While I don't believe you can make someone a writer, by learning the craft, you can become a better writer.  Not all good storytellers are good writers but most good writers are excellent storytellers.  Some people have excellent stories, but simply cannot write them and that may be frustrating for someone that wants to be a writer.  I would love to be an artist but I can't draw stick people.  I think it would be great to sing like Toni Braxton, but no amount of voice lessons will ever make me into Toni Braxton.  She has a gift and it is best for me to buy her CD and appreciate her gift rather than try to become her. If you have the talent, you can improve upon that talent but it must first start with the gift-whatever that gift may be. 

How does one go about becoming a better writer? 

1. Start reading nonfiction and fiction.  Read your genre and read outside your genre.  You don't need to read every book on the craft of writing that you're stuck reading and not writing. Eventually, you need to stop reading and start writing. 

2. Study writing by taking a class on creative writing, poetry, or any other writing class.  Wary is the one that thinks he or she is so good they cannot be taught anything. It is our job as writers to be able to convey our thoughts onto a page.  We cannot leave everything to the editors. Take a writing class offered by the continuing education department at your local university, at a community center, or even online.

3. Seek feedback.  Join a writing or critique group.  I recommend only presenting finished material to the group.  Get your story on paper first, and then seek feedback on it.  

4. Surround yourself with other writers, occasionally.  Writers are lonely people and we tend to love and welcome solitude. However, the creative energy you derive from a group of creative people is immeasurable.  Attend a writing seminar, conference, or join a writing group even if for no other purpose than to feed off the creative energy of the group.  After leaving a writing conference or seminar, I feel motivated and charged.  All I want to do is return home and get back to writing. If you're experiencing writer's block or lack of motivation, I also recommend attending a conference.  

5. Write! No matter how good of a writer you are, if life crisis consume your every thought it is bound to affect your writing or prevent you from writing. Issues arise in all of our lives that require our attention: births, deaths, relationships, jobs, but you have to keep writing. This is so hard at times. I've fallen prey to this too, but I also realized that the situation is worsened by not writing because not only is the event bothering me, I feel guilty for not continuing to write. Even if you can only write a paragraph, then write that paragraph.  I know some writers that feel that if they can't write anything meaningful they won't write anything at all.  Years go by and they're still not writing. They justify this by saying, "But when I do write, it will be meaningful." Don't fall victim to this self-destructive mentality. Write!

6. Rid your life of negative energy. You need to do this whether you're writing or not.

7. Keep a clear head. Journal.

Before I self-published my novel, Dream In Color I joined an online critique group. I can truly say with this group's help, I learned how to write a more compelling story. The help I got from this group was immeasurable. If possible, join a writing group. A good writing group consists of published writers and unpublished writers. What you get out of the group will be directly proportional to what you put into it. A good writing group offers praise as well as constructive criticism. If you cannot stomach constructive criticism, you should not be in the business of writing. When I first posted Dream In Color to the group, I was nervous because I had never shared my writing with other writers before.  I knew it was a good story and I hoped they would think so too.  It was slammed. The feedback came in and they agreed, it was a good story, but I made so many mistakes!  Instead of becoming discourage, I took their recommendations, revised the novel and the end result became a novel good enough to get signed on with Random House.  Writing groups do help!

ON WRITING...

In order to really feel the characters they must come alive. You will find yourself speaking about them as if they were friends you've had conversations with that day.  I've been in conversations and say things like, "Eric bought Breck a house," and people will look at me, puzzled and wonder who's Breck and Eric? When I explain that they are characters in my book, they look at me strange, but only non-writers look at me this way. Writers know and understand.

When writing, the characters are real, within my subconscious they are real and they have a story to tell and it's my job to do them justice and tell that story the way they would want it to be told, as honestly as possible.  Sometimes we would write something and we write it the way we would say it and it 'feels' all wrong and that is because it is wrong. It's not about us, it’s about the characters and you have to be true to the characters, in language and actions. The hardest thing about writing fiction is removing the self. There are some characters that I simply don't like and would not befriend in real life. It would be nice to write them in a way that would make him or her likeable, but it’s not about me. It's about the character and staying true their voice-- and they have a voice ,so I need to just shut up and listen. There are topics and subject matter that are extremely difficult to write and if we must write about it then we must be honest. Don't sugarcoat it because if you do, trust me, it would be obvious to everyone that reads it. 

For beginner writers, its okay to emulate a writer you admire. If you've read the works of Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Terry McMillan, Stephen King, or any other writer and their style resonate with you; it's okay to emulate their style. It's okay to study a style that works until you develop your own voice. 

Think about musicians.  It is not uncommon for a musician to study another musician or even to study with that musician. They will emulate that musician until they develop their own style.  There are artists (musicians, writers, etc) that develop, create, and master their own style (Prince).  Then there are musicians that emulate the styles of others because they haven't developed one of their own (P.Diddy).  As a writer you also have that option. When people read your work, will they read something that reads like the works of Maya Angelou or will they read a fresh new voice. Personally, I would like to be that fresh new voice, but captivate my readers like Maya Angelou.