How to become a better photographer

The other day a friend of mine asked me if I thought it was a good idea to take classes on photography.  Absolutely! There are several things I would do to become a better photographer.  Here is a short list:
1. Look at photos- If you want to get better, look at and study photos that you like. Try to copy them and figure out how they were taken.  Snoop around Flickr.com .
2. Read blogs and find information on the internet.
3. Books are great. Go get a few books and read them(don't just look at the photos).
4. Take a class or seminar on the type of shooting you are wanting to do.
5. Join or start a photo group.
6. Most important,  get out and shoot.
7. Be patient and persistant, great photographers are not born overnight.
8. Try new things, stretch you boundaries.
9. Have fun!!
These are just a few of the things you can do to get better. If you can think of some more let me know.
Hope these ideas help.

This photo below was my first photostitch.  I took three photos and merged them into this one.  It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience for me.