Does writing alot improve your writing?

No not really. You have to read in order to know how to write well. Think about it; if a man is given bricks to build a house but not given the layout plans, he isn't going to do a good job building it.

You can write all you want, but the bottom line is it will never be good unless you read as well. But if you really don't like reading then don't worry, just read short stories, all you really need to do is learn how to use Grammar and Punctuation; short stories can teach you that.

To my knowledge there has only ever been one author who claims to never read books, and that is James Ellroy, and personally I think he was trying to be sensationalistic and shocking, I don't believe it.

I have the opposite problem. I am a fiction writer who is finding it difficult acclimating into an analytical writer of essays for my English degree. For your problem I would suggest that you not give up the classics, but do pick up a modern novel of some sort. Read a modern short story collection (there are many out there). This will give you an inkling of how modern writers operate. While the classics are important, I've found that whatever I read I tend to imitate grammatically in my writing. I would suggest that you digest some modern prose so that your frame of mind is more contemporary and geared toward the modern reader. Writing like Henry James will get you nowhere, I'm afraid. Really and truly, the best way to improve your writing is to read. I wouldn't suggest any other method, actually.

Of course. When you write more, you try out more styles and experiment more on what writing sounds better and improve very quickly, but reading as well will speed this up. I find it difficult to write when I haven't read, because I forget the way of writing well if that makes sense.

Do both if possible.

Yes, writers get better with practice, but just writing in isolation will not improve one's writing; it will merely ingrain and reinforce any bad writing habits.

As you mentioned, one needs to also read widely, from a range of authors and genres. While one should read good work, one can also look at mediocre and poor writing to analyse where those authors went wrong (and avoid making the same mistakes). As someone else answered, one also needs to seek helpful critique on one's writing, otherwise there is small chance of improving.

Of course it does.

Writing a lot means improvement and practice.Day after day, you will see your writing changing and improving.It's an escalation.You first begin as a starter, with a lot of mistakes in your first drafts. Then, as your chapters grow longer and longer, you start getting used to what you are doing, you start writing more, and this process helps you find the "little writing secrets" which are needed to make your stories better and much more qualitative ...

Just keep on writing and writing and writing, you'll see why ...

Yes. I have read my work years ago and know that I have improved. I also opened up a story I wrote last year and found more mistakes that I can spot now but not then. So if you're always reading and writing, you're always improving.

"A lot" is two words. "Alot" is not a word.

And yes, writing a lot does improve your style. I think that people tend to go through a certain stage where they stop reading and just run with their writing for a while, then go back to both reading and writing. It helps you develop your own style and voice.

But in the end, reading is a goldmine. You learn grammar, spelling, sentence structuring and you get inspiration, all balled up into one nice package. It's great!

Writing yourself helps you to express yourself by words. To develop your ability to artistically describe the scene, emotions, appearance. But only by writing a lot, you're closed in your own world. Reading others' work allows you to experience other ways or describing, expressing. Greatest classics, they became acknowledged because they CAN write. And you can improve your own writing skills by following their examples, trying to find out why is the story so catchy, why is it so easy and pleasant to read? Then try to apply it to your story, improve by this way.

It should do. It has for me, but I would say no. Especially in fanfiction. There are lots of "writer" who won't listen to other people (in review etc.), mostly because there are a lot of douches out there praising their bad writing. However, there are just as many people who do improve, and listen to advice.

If you follow the "Writing Process" carefully it certainly will! But reading is essential. Also, there is no such word as "alot." People make that mistake a lot.