One of the best things I have ever heard was: "Write every day, even if you are not inspired." It's true, the only problem is finding the time to block out to fulfill this perfect goal. Writing can include so many aspects though, it doesn't have to be a full chapter, it doesn't have to be a story you are working on. Writing is broad and it means you can fill it with silly doodles, writing in your head, creating a beautiful poem, or working out an essay; writing does not pertain to one field only.
Another little piece of advice, which I consider to be a bunch of bull, is "Teenage Writers don't know how to write." With some teenagers this may be true, but those teens have never usually refined their writing skills in the way a true author has. Teenagers have some of the brightest ingenuity I have ever seen. Some of the best stories, with the richest plots, and some of the most well developed characters come from Teenagers, because they know how to create characters which connect to themselves and so many other people, they just don't know it. I say, trust a teenagers opinion, they know how to help you improve.
Something else you should have around, a dictionary or a thesaurus. Using the same words over and over can get dull and the more you try and fluctuate the use of your vocabulary, the more you'll find out you know. It improves your literary skills to use complex words. You don't have to use them in your every day conversations, but spice up your work.
Studying is great way to learn literature. You may think your course of study is over, but it never is. It's time to learn the basics of grammar, or just brush up on the fundamentals. Grammar is an amazing thing, but when used incorrectly you have people all over you to fix it. Those Grammar-Nazi can be annoying, but they're really only trying to help you improve. I'm a Grammar-Nazi myself, and I was recently told by someone it was annoying. It was their literary work I was trying to help along, if they didn't want it to be criticized they shouldn't have asked.
Learn how to take criticism. There are times when you don't want to be told: "your story is too dull," "it doesn't have enough flavor," "it doesn't appeal to me," "your grammar needs work," "your spelling needs work," "your plot line doesn't flow correctly," "I feel as though this chapter didn't connect together how it should have." We've all been there, and we've all not wanted to hear it. I was told this at a young age by my own mother, a person whom I trusted to read my work and lift it up, not put it down. I only realize now she was bringing out my true, and higher, potential. I have built up such a passion for writing and for searching out criticism from those around. I've learned how to accept it and let it come out in my writing. There are times when I want to pull a grumpy face and just tell the person they don't understand, but instead I straighten my stance, lift my head, and save their opinion in a box for later use. Their advice usually rings in my head months or years later when I realize I actively put it to good use.
Write about something you love, something you know, a world you want to know more about, your opinion, even a little FanFiction never hurts. A lot of Author's get their start in FanFiction. It saves a lot of time on descriptions and is actually a wonderful test. It tests the writer's ability to truly see a character and portray it as well as the original author intended. There are few who can claim to capturing the characters true essence; very rarely do they make the character appeal to readers if they change the way the "person" was originally mean to be. FanFiction also tests your ability to set a scene, create a plot line, and even master the art of conversation between two or more people. You are able to use a world which has already been created, one you hopefully enjoy or love, and expand upon its basis to create your own story. Never set your standards too high in FanFiction, and keep writing in your own stories. Your time should not be devoted to one story only, keep your options open because you never know when an idea may strike.
I like to think my writing has improved just by following these simple steps. I really think it has, after all, when I read my work from just a couple years back I cringe. Looking back on your old work helps you see how much you've improved, especially if it was a piece you were the most proud of. My favorite thing, is going back to my elementary school years. I find the stories our teachers had us write and as though someone turns on a switch I can remember: the epic saga of someone lost and kidnapped in the back of a white van, the detective solving the mystery of the missing best friend, even the hike up one of the most dangerous mountains to discover the crystal covens of a lost city. It all will come rushing back, and I can recall how the story was one of the best works I had completed, how it had flowed so perfectly from my head. Opening the soft paper cover and beginning to read, realizing your chapters are 3 pages long, there's no substance, and the whole story is maybe two-hundred words max. How deflated you feel at your most ingenious work being some of the worst literature you have ever read. Yet, it's only a testament to how much you have improved and worked towards bringing something real in your head to life. Words on a page only matter so much, it's the story and the emotion inside which shows the true joy in being alive.
