Writing: More than syntax and mechanics

The importance of quality writing is not a value adequately conveyed in high schools. It is a skill downplayed in importance, called on casually. In reality, there are few things used so ubiquitously as language, and if the fundamentals for good writing are present, other valuable skills such as oration are naturally improved. Like most learned skills, development can be divided into phases of artistic growth.

 The first of these phases would be building an artistic pallate to begin working with: sampling and absorbing vocabulary, syntax, and ways of expressing basic ideas. The second would be emulation of style seen within writings of others. And the third might be seen as the end to borrowing and the creation of new original literary devices. This often includes adoption of a well-defined personal style. In truth, these developmental "phases" are more like interlinked and unending cycles, which must be consistently employed and maintained. 

With a multitude of skills, advances in capability appear to come in specific cycles.  There is movement between bright points of advancement, where new capabilities are discovered and made usable, contrasted with droughts from visible advancement, where practice feels ineffective or begins wandering. On reflection, my own writing hasn't advanced beyond the second phase earlier mentioned.These days I feel as though I'm in a wandering cycle, where practice makes invisible gains in progress. To advance from where I stand I need an inside look at the evaluation process, so that I can figure my own methodologies for self-evaluation.

If you would, let me know what kinds of practice best advances your progression as a writer.