Fantastic advice for we struggling writers from one of the contemporary masters of the craft:
To sum up:
- Write
- Finish things
- Read outside your chosen genre
- Tell your story
(I can attest to third thing on the list; the idea for the novel I’m currently writing came from watching an opera and an old movie.)
kickingthepants.wordpress.com 
Great advice.
I just wish I could get past the second item on the list.
Look! Squirrel!