Just a couple of links to what I thought were more than the usual pat answers to the how-to on writing:
At The Writers’ Group, Amy answers the "who do you write for?" question very well, giving an example as well of how a story unravels itself and demands to be told in a certain way.
At Eudaemonia, Lisa’s post on workshop notes brings out the basics in a concise form. It also includes one of the best pieces of advice I’ve read (in the comment section) that I’d like to highlight here:
Taken from: Annie Dillard, The Writing Life, pg. 78
"One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book. or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water. Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes."
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
Right on… right on.
I have done the “save for later” thing and just about every time I either forget it totally or whatever I finally do write doesn’t seem to have nearly the impact as it did in its original form.
The first part of your post could have a different answer depending on the day. The audience question came up in a discussion Steve and I had yesterday, and I think I will post at least that part of it to my weblog.
But in response to Amy, the best writing advice I was given was to write first for yourself. Because if you don’t like the story, then no one else certainly will.
I think the “write for yourself” idea works because whatever it is that you enjoy reading, you’ll enjoy writing and your inspiration will come from your own sense of drama and passion.