How do you learn? You READ!! One of the most important things for a potential and/or budding writer is to read as much as you possibly can - read all genres, read all story lengths, read all genders and ages and races of writers - just read as MUCH as you can without going insane. Which is a lot, trust me. ^_^ Once you sample many people's writing styles, you're going to get a flavor of different kinds of writing, and you'll be able to see which kind you like best. A good thing to do is to try to write in as many different styles or genres as you can, using what you've read as a vague guide as to what kind of mood it should give. After you write a while and read other things in your genre (or any genre) as you're writing, you'll start to recognize what mood fits when and understand other ideas regarding writing, simply by feeling. In other words, if you read and write enough, you're going to start understanding the difference between good writing and bad writing simply because of your gut. Repetition does that. People are always going to say, "You can't just write! Only writers can write! There's so much professionalism to it - it's not something just anyone can do!" So, based on that notion, you know what you do? You just head-in and act like a real writer immediately. At least, to an extent - if you just start out writing, you probably shouldn't expect a job at the city paper the next day. ^_^ But by yourself, write whatever you want and as much as you want, and be critical but proud of it. High self-esteem can be very important - if you think you're bad, very likely that's the way your stuff will come out as. It's once you start getting really good and become an author that you can write stuff and say it's bad, then read it later and see it's great. ^_^ Very importantly - you need a listener. Read your stuff to a close friend, let them read it themselves - act like you're an author and a publisher. It's very important to pick someone close to you to be a "publisher" - or, more specifically, an "advisor." It's important to not do it alone. The advisor can be your own age, or older, or even younger - it's good if they have experience in reading and/or writing, but not required. Just make sure it's someone who'll be honest with you, and look at your work objectively. They can help you, and by talking it out you can realize things you didn't realize before, and therefore help *yourself*. As your "advisor" (whom you should get as you start writing heavily early on and even throughout), you should really pick a friend or someone close who'll let you talk like you know what you're doing, even if you don't. It's important to get that confidence down - and sometimes to give you little realizations that there are some things you don't know. But, you'll learn better that way, and you won't feel embarrassed or anything if it's someone close - if they love you anyway, embarrass yourself in front of them as much as you need to. Rude awakenings are very important to keep egos and naitivite down, so you might as well do it in front of someone who doesn't care how much of an idiot you sound like. Just talk to my "advisor" Alpha - she'll tell you some embarrassing things about me you'll never believe. ^_^ Your "publisher" better be close - writing can become the time when you're most vulnerable. It happens to me all the time. ^_^ As you start writing, think humbly but highly of it, then keep up with your reading and see if you can make your writing have the same "professional" mood of books. And talk to experienced writers if you can...after a while, all the experience and "professionalism" to writing that everyone tried to tell you you didn't have will suddenly start appearing as you write, and you'll start realizing you *really* know what you're doing. Experience in writing isn't something you necessarily have to aim for - just write, and read, and discuss with your "advisor" and hopefully to some writers, and even if you didn't intend to, all the experience you didn't think you needed will suddenly be there. Believe me - it's really cool when it happens. ^_^ Let yourself as a writer happen - you don't have to look for it, at least not once you get basic mechanics and sentence formation down. It's the creativity and the experience that suddenly hits you and gives you the confidence you need to make yourself great - but it's once you realize you're becoming a writer that you have to start taking classes and going to writing conferences to make yourself the best you can be. But, don't worry about that. Don't think about that boring stuff until later. ^_^ The most important thing is to go through with it. Don't think about all the experience you'll need or all the time you'll need to spend - just jump right in. Read, write, discuss - and feel good about it. Humility is always important, but so is self-esteem. Let yourself believe you're a writer, even a humble one, because, after a time, you'll suddenly realize it's true. And talk to other accomplished fanfic authors that've been writing for a half-year or more - they're probably more accustomed to all the emotions and experiences regarding early writing in general than almost anybody. Listen to them, but also, listen to yourself. If you've read a lot and even just tried writing, you probably know more than you think. Your gut can be a very dependable resource. Don't be too ashamed to listen to it. Because, after all, the most important thing in writing, above all else, is to believe.

Love to you all
-Lianne