Making Things, and "Doing the shit out of it".
John Gruber and Merlin Mann gave a talk at SxSW that centered on writing well and personal publishing, but it’s admittedly extensible beyond just blogging.
“…we’re going to assume that you make things, we’re going to assume that you care very much about certain issues or topics, to a point where you’re really verging on obsession. We’re going to assume that it’s important to you, whether you’re a writer, or a photographer, or an interpretive dance choreographer, that you want to get better at it.”
There’s a lot of good in the first fifteen minutes of their talk, but I recommend taking the time to listen through. Don’t worry, their talk is just as smart as their title is smart-ass.
SxSW ’09 - Gruber & Mann - HOWTO: 149 Surprising Ways to Turbocharge Your Blog With Credibility!