This is going to be a completely off-topic post, but here goes: I do theatre. It's fun, it's a hobby of mine that I've been involved in since before high school. I've learned a good number of things from theatre, so I'll attempt to list them here.
1. You can't practice if you don't know what you're practicing.
2. Just because it looks like chaos, doesn't mean it is.
3. Sometimes a little yelling is necessary.
Each of these can apply to writing. Ha! I got back on topic. Take that, ADD! Right, where was I? Anyway...
1. Take time to learn your craft. If you just write, yeah... Eventually you'll get better. But your efforts will be compounded if you read a some books on writing. A couple of good ones to start with would be 'Story' by Robert McKee and 'Plot versus Character' by Jeff Gerke. Those two books very much helped my writing, more so than just about any other book I've read.
2. When you're in the middle of things, it might feel a little messy. That's good. It means your characters have lives of their own. Keep that outline on hand and the end in sight, then when you step back, your 'chaos' will be a intricate tapestry of fiction.
3. Conflict. If there isn't conflict, you don't have a story. 'Nuff said.
It is disconcerting to hear of a doctor 'practicing' medicine. I would rather have one that doesn't need practice.
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