Re: Getting into Writing
James,
Read George Orwells Collected Essays. Specifically, 'Why I write', 'The Prevention of Literature', 'Politics and the English Language', and 'Politics versus Literature'. They can all be found in the one volume.
Any would-be writer who hasn't read these doesn't know his craft and is just a pretender.
Writing is a lonely business. At the end of the day you have to just sit down and write. Find what works for you, every writer is different. Find one person whose opinion you greatly respect and get occasional feedback off them. Show nobody else your work - you will be deflecting from the main issue which is writing.
Write for yourself. Do not write for acclaim or praise, you will be writing for the wrong reasons and it will show in your work.
Treat your reader with intelligence. Leave things unsaid but implied. Don't ram everything through their skulls with a four by two alla Dan Brown. Hemingway and Greene were masters at this.
Write short sentences. Persevere.
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