Note: I am a novice level writer. Everything I say should be taken with a grain of salt or disregarded as I bumble my way around.

I would like to think we all started as readers and then felt the desire to write our own characters, worlds, or continuations (the birth of fanficiton?).

In school, we were taught a few basics:

• Everything has a beginning, middle, and end.
• A story generally has 3 Acts in structure. 
• Make sure your thesis statement in those essays have the main points you want to make.
• Watch your grammar. 
• Start with something interesting or eye-catching.

Those more passionate about literature would then move on to more advanced studies in college and even psychology to understand what drives a human mind. With so much information on the internet shared by all, even those that rebuff a continuing education can also gain the level of knowledge they wish. In many of the books I've read, writers look to past examples of their favorite books and stories for guidance. 

Some writers have what I consider a "great gut" and instinct for writing, able to compile everything about a story in their mind every time they sit down to work on a chapter. Some writers are more "organized" and have everything from webs, charts, images, and miscellaneous data sorted out in several files like the many tabs on a webpage (or the tabs in a physical binder or filing cabinet). Some writers are "chaotic at best" letting the chips fall wherever they may as they hope to tie up as many loose ends as they can in the end. 

Then, there's everyone in between that have adapted hybrid or mixed methods to suit their needs. 

Even firm readers that don't have the drive to write their own work can sense whenever a story feels "off." If a story lacks enough conflict, or if the conflict drags out for too long, there's a sense of imbalance. If a character is too sheltered from suffering, or if a character is too deeply in the throes of incessant angst with no relief in sight, there's a sense of imbalance. If the pacing fluctuates too little or too much, there's a sense of imbalance. 

While certain writing techniques can address imbalance, such as plotting ahead, sorting out key backstory elements, and hammering out rocky transitions...a second set of eyes, or even several sets of eyes can help pinpoint those imbalances. Just like how in the past, when a story was passed by word of mouth from one person to the next, each person added or changed something for the better. Not everyone in the audience can be reached, but with a few different perspectives, more people can resonate with what's being told (though, in the spirit of balance, even too many eyes on a project can result in a dud).

I found a plethora of blogs to help beginners in the Writing Tips section of Writing World (click on the underlined "Writing Tips" in this sentence to follow the link), mostly because I was searching for this information for myself. @Comicality provided quite the robust map/field guide if you take the time to search for all of them. Some of the ones I found that were important for beginners were (and there is more on Theme and Tone at the very end of this blog):

That being said, there are plenty more in the Writing Tips blogs to look over. The ones I handpicked above are great for either the new writers or great reminders for writers that might have stalled on whatever they were working on. I saw something that was mentioned in many of the blogs that I thought I had a vague idea about, but it turned out I knew nothing like Jon Snow. So, I wrote down what I found below:

Tone vs. Theme

Tone: Expresses the writer’s feelings/attitude/point of view toward the topic/subject.

Theme: The main idea or the central message of the story.

Tone is expressed through word choice or the writing style the writer uses to express his views on the topic/subject.

Theme can be felt or uncovered through concrete/important events as the story unfolds.

Scope of the tone: How did the author convey/articulate/express the message of the story?    

Scope of the theme: What is the story about? What is the moral or message of the story?

Nature of the tone: Can be suspenseful, cheerful, sarcastic, funny, melancholic, and etc.    

Nature of the theme: Can be a powerful message ("moral of the story") or a conclusion that’s drawn from the author’s written work.

Examples of Tone:

Somber, dark, serious, gloomy: A speech at a funeral, a murder mystery, a novel about someone's struggles with depression, Book with dark tone: Lord of the Flies

Humorous, witty, goofy: A stand-up comedy routine, a TV show like Seinfeld or Friends, Book with humorous tone: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 

Examples of Theme:

Good vs. Evil: Marvel movies, Star Wars, Harry Potter

Power and Corruption: Wall Street, The Black Book, The Godfather 

Coming of Age: The Breakfast Club, The Catcher in the Rye, Emma

Love and Sacrifice: My Sister's Keeper, Gravity, Titanic

Redemption and Forgiveness: It's a Wonderful Life, Schindler's List, Les Misérables

Nature and Environment: Avatar, Okja, The Lorax

Identity and Belonging: Zootopia, Hidden Figures, Percy Jackson

Survival: Cast Away, The Hunger Games, The Grapes of Wrath

Theme and Tone: The Lord of the Rings series has a Good Vs. Evil theme told in a mournful tone. Pride and Prejudice's theme is in the title told in critical, ironic, and sarcastic tones. Charlotte's Web's theme is friendship told in a tone of innocence, gentleness, and whimsy (though it has moments of joy, sorrow, love, and friendship). The Great Gatsby's theme is the decline of the American Dream, the hollowness of upper class, and the corruption of wealth and love told in a scornful and sympathetic tone.