Okay, so in my experience with writing, i've picked up several tips by several different people. I have formed my own writing technique that has worked very well for me so far. Hopefully these tips can help you improve your writing as well!
1. Don't be too Cliché!
I mean, come on! Who wants to sit around and listen to practically the same story plot every single freaking time?
Examples of Cliché plots:
-Nice monsters (stuff like dragons giving little girls roses and singing them to sleep kind of nice.)
-Evil parents (almost every single story I read has this, don't lie, you've noticed this, too.)
-Vampire/human pairings that are just too twilight-y. I mean COME ON. (No offense to twilight fans, but i've seen this way too much. It's fine with Human/Vampire, but just cool it a little, Mkay?)
2. Use proper Spelling/Grammar.
Seriously, is it that hard to correct your spelling mistakes? I don't see how you can't just sweep back through the story and look for errors! I would much rather read
"The gentle pitter patter of the raindrops falling on the roof soothed me, almost as if it were a lullaby to an infant."
than
"the reindrops flel on the roof and sothed me liek it was a lullaby"
3. Details!
You have to spice it up a little! Don't be so BOLD. Be at LEAST a little descriptive.
Example: "I got in my car and drove off" Vs. "I got in my red Toyota and drove off to my job." See the difference?
4. Start on a new line every time another person says something.
This makes it a lot less confusing.
Example:
"Kellin! Where's the garlic salt" Vic asked. "Top shelf."
Vs.
"Kellin! Where's the garlic salt?" Vic asked.
"Top shelf."
It just makes it easier. (Also, if you get the band references, you're awesome.)
5. Don't take someone's story and change some stuff, then call it your own.
I think that's considered Plagiarism, and it's a no-no. Be original!
6. Use paragraphs!
Guys, you should have learned this in 5th grade! Every few sentences, start another paragraph (4-8 is usually the ideal amount of sentences before crossing over to another paragraph.)
7. Indent.
It makes your story look a lot better.
8. Try foreshadowing!
Hint your readers in on what's yet to come, but not too much. For example, if it's scary, make it kind of a DUN DUN DUN moment. If you don't know what i'm talking about, here's an example.
Shelby just thought that she had opened a book, what she didn't know, though, is that she had just changed her life for the worse, forever.
DUN DUN DUN.
Okay guys, that's all I got at the moment. I hope I helped. I may post some more tips later on!