The Wisdom Of The Crowd! (Plus, We Have A Winner!)

So today is the big day that I announce a winner in my Shatter Me giveaway.  But first, let me share all the great advice for young (or new!) writers I collected in the comments of that post!

Advice for young writers: Persist. Don't assume overnight success, but write and learn and keep growing, and don't let anyone dissuade you from following your dream. Not particularly original advice, but I think it's good.
--Colin D. Smith

I would tell young writers to readreadread, of course, and also to find friends, mentors, and challenges that help them keep writing and striving.
--Jillian Schmidt

My advice comes from Stephen King--write first drafts with the door closed! Start out by writing purely for yourself; it takes away any external pressure and helps creativity thrive.
--Rebecca Behrens

Hmm, I think my one piece of advice is simply this: Read, read, and read some more. Reading will take you to writing in the most natural way. At least, that's how I got to writing in the first place. :)
--Cherie

Definitely read!!! You can never read enough. It helps exponentially. When I read, the ideas just keep on churning.  Also, be sure to take breaks. I've noticed that if I take some time away, it really helps to align my thoughts.
--Vivien

Since I'm a teen who writes I would tell other teen writers that it's important to read and read some more. And then once you read A LOT, it's important to write often even if it's one word a day or a thousand. Just write.
--Raven

Thanks for your great advice, everyone!  (Also:  What a great list of bloggers!  If you don't know them yet, check them out!)

And finally--congratulations to VIVIEN!!!  She's the winner of a signed copy of Shatter Me, some NaNo swag, and a gift card to Donors Choose!