My Journey to Becoming A Better Author

In Dolmage and Ruszkiewicz's, "How To Write Anything", discusses many different topics to become a better writer. While reading chapters 19-24, I discovered many different techniques of writing, how to work well in groups, how to overcome writer's block, and so forth and so on.
Chapter 19 discusses brainstorming. Brainstorming is a conference technique of solving specific problems, amassing information, stimulating creative thinking, developing new ideas, etc., by unrestrained and spontaneous participation in a project or discussion. Brainstorming is the first step of the writing process. It helps you determine a plot and/or a main idea. It gradually leads you to other ideas, questions, or similar topics which creates a full paper.
In the following chapter, brainstorming with others is discussed. Brainstorming with other has common interests as just brainstorming. What differs the two from one another is self explanatory. Brainstorming with other demonstrates how to work well with groups on activities. When brainstorming with others you have to first pick a leader. Make sure it is someone who is not timid, who can really take control of the situation. Then you will proceed to follow the necessary steps to working well with others. Set goals and create an agenda, set time limits, encourage everyone to participate, only give constructive but yet encouraging criticism, test all ideas, keep records, and last but not least agree on one topic!
The next several chapters discusses: Smart reading, critical thinking, experts, and writer's block.
These are very  brief subjects. Smart reading is used to broaden your horizon, expand your vernacular, and increase you knowledge (whether it increases your knowledge on a topic you are familiar with or if it teaches you something new.) Next, you have critical thinking. Critical thinking helps you acknowledge claims and reasoning. During critical reading, you are able to determine clear objections and it also helps depict logical fallacies. The chapter on Experts, is demonstrating different ways to use your resources around your environment, such as: asking your instructor, using the writing center, discovering local experts, asking a friend, or asking a librarian. Finally, something everyone is familiar with, writer's block. Writer's block hasn't been diagnosed as a medical condition yet, but it is usually a temporary condition in which a writer finds it impossible to proceed with their writing topics or discussions. It is discussed in the chapter many ways to handle it, for example: limiting distractions, writing a zero draft, and determining the parts you are interested in first. Those ways are all beneficial but I believe if you follow chapters19-23 leading up into chapter 24, those are great solutions as well.