1. re writing onehunna said 2. re reading other writers When a tale captures my attention and imagination, I try to identify what made it so magical. For example, kleinbl00's recent story was great. In my comment I only focussed on why the last line appealed to me. Another thing I liked is that while the theme is large: humanity's love of ritual and the ease of creating a belief system out of absolutely nothing, the details are on a small human personal scale. That is what I want to do in a story and what I want a story to do. forwardslash - thxThen, after a bunch of reading, and millions of words written, you can start to find your own voice and try to put together a story with all of these lovely little elements.
This point is definitely key. After a bunch of reading and millions of words written, you begin to have confidence in your own voice and your own message. Then you record your real experiences in a fictional way and create fictional experiences that seem real. Ask for lots of feedback and, if you want others to read your work, welcome their comments.