What is the purpose of "How to Become a Writer"?

Francie, the speaker of Moore’s "How to Become a Writer,"
comments a number of times about how she has been told, by teachers and fellow students,
that the plots of her stories are weak. Superficially, the same comment might be made
about "How to Become a Writer." Therefore it is important to note that the story does
indeed have a plot. One may perceive that the time lapse may be as much as seven or
eight or more years, from high school to the period after college graduation. The period
is that of the Vietnam War (1965–1975), for Francie describes a brother who has served
in Vietnam, has been wounded, and has returned home. Despite the episodic nature of "How
to Become a Writer," and despite its lack of direct narrative presentation, the story
also dramatizes a conflict. On the one hand, Francie adheres to the view that writing is
an irresistible outgrowth of either nature or affliction (writing is "a lot like having
polio" [paragraph 41])—the idea being that a writer is born, not made (poeta nascitur,
non fit). On the other hand, the "how to" title seems committed to the opposing view
that writing is a learned skill or science.