[Mr Anderson]

In many ways writing is like many art forms. When I was learning to play the guitar I played all my favorite guitarists songs, note for note, over and over again. As the member Michael Chui pointed out this is copying, but it helped give me some of my musical vocabulary. And that is one of the main points in writing, to find your own voice Elvis Costello said that every musician was a thief and a magpie. He meant that we may not write something that is completely original, but the way we interpret someone's music or in this case writings, can help us find our own style,cadence,etc. The thoughts, feelings and questions that we have now are pretty much the same as the people that were here thousands of years ago; purpose, love, fulfillment etc. The way you write it is what make it distinctly your own.
So as others have said i agree that you should write as much as you can, and as in music, read things that will help you to grow as a writer.