Some more tips for all of us writers in the making out here. These tips are shocking, hilarious and yet manage to strike a chord as far as good writing is concerned. You can read the entire article on Amy Bayliss, which has a lot of such articles to help bring out the writer in you.
1. Don't write like a teacher - Do not be dry, nobody enjoys a dictation unless they're looking for a sure shot remedy for insomnia. Avoid long monologues and try to engage the reader by adopting a more conversational approach in your writing.
2. Don't write like a preacher: Let's just say that writing religious truths and condemning people for all their actions and or inactions isn't going to win you too many admirers unless they're a part of your congregation. Instead try encouraging people to overcome their shortcomings in a more demonstrative manner.
3. Don't write like a dead person: Do not try to duplicate the writings of people from the bygone era. Charles Dickons and O'Henry are long gone and so are the audience that they catered to. Just be you and write for an audience of this century, addressing the modern man's thoughts, concerns and lifestyle.
* These tips are extremely generalized and are definitely not applicable for so many genres of writings. However, I'm guess they'll prove to be a good starting point for fresh writers, and if nothing else I hope they'll make for an interesting read in the least.