Have you ever received a rejection letter that says, “Thank you for submitting your work. Keep writing,” which means that you need to further polish your craft? Similarly, you may have heard of famous authors telling literary hopefuls to “keep writing.”

Others have a way of rephrasing it like “Don’t give up,” or “write more.” It appears that the only way to become better at writing is to sit and put your thoughts on paper or into the word processor.

For writers who have been writing away for quite some time, it sounds easy enough. But from a critical standpoint, do writers get better by just writing? Writing as an art may be subjective, but aren’t there any rules or guidelines that must be followed?

A writer has to consider many factors to hone his craft, and to just keep writing is like going on a long drive without a particular destination. Yes, keep writing. But how can a writer arrive at an epiphany that his writing has matured or gained more insight?

If you are self-critical about your writing, even if others are happy with what you create, how can you be assured that people are not merely feeding your ego? This could be hurtful especially if your writing is formulaic. 

Does the question then become how far you can keep writing? Human beings are designed to reach their limits. Persistence is a great virtue, but a little reality check will tell you that if you have been laboring on your passion for years without any considerable results, you are likely to quit and pursue other venues. 

Keep writing will no longer cut it. As a writer, you have to do some extra leg work. Do a little research. See how other writers are doing it. Read everything you can get your hands on. Even the bad books will teach you something valuable--that is how not to suck as a writer. Your eye for analysis, on the other hand, will show you that the good books will teach you structure, character, and plotting.

References on the craft will prove handy. One such reference is The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers by John Gardner. If you are serious about writing then you should read this. If you do not have access to it, a host of online resources can also help you on your journey to better writing. However, note that theory and practice are two different things. Make it a habit to incorporate whatever techniques you learn from your references into your writing.

Blog. Yes, blog. Writers nowadays must have an online presence and must consistently exhibit their writing in the most accessible form. Writing draws the attention of editors, other writers, companies, and publishers. Another intangible benefit of blogging is that you will be able to trace the development of your writing style.

Do you think five or ten pages of writing a day will make you become a better writer? Maybe, maybe not. If you’ve been cracking at it for quite some time and still get rejected, try to reassess your approach. Even if Neil Gaiman emphasizes that you will always be rejected and that’s a good thing, it is easy for him to say because he has made it.

Keep yourself up to date with the latest trends and know what type of writing editors and publishers are looking for. In the past, “stream of consciousness” was all the rave. Nowadays, fast-paced, action-based plots are hooking readers. Reading taste changes over time.

So better advice should be “Keep learning the things that will make you a better writer, and keep writing.”