How to use your camera for the best pictures?

I just upgraded from a little digital camera to a Nikon 1 J1.Im am on my yearbook staff in high school and thats what got me into taking pictures. I want to be able to take really good pictures. Any tips or advice or how to's on this camera would be amazing. I'm a total beginner but I hope to get really good someday.

The best photos have all to do with your skills both using the camera and you skills at composing your shots to make then compelling.

Spend some time looking at magazines and how the photographers use light and composition to make the amazing photos. Learn how to emulate them as much as possible and you will have a good start

Being able to photography brilliant images is something that takes years to accomplish, so do not get frustrated if you are not producing amazing images in just a few weeks of practice

I'm just saying but all of the yearbook staff at my school sucks its basically a big joke I mean this years yearbook was pink and had a lot of blurry pictures in it. Also the photoshop job on the sports teams looked like it was done by a 12 year old. Please do make let your yearbook get like this. I'm a semi pro photographer so I notice all of these things.
I'm not an expert on mirrors less cameras but I know general things about them. The first thing you got to do is when you take pictures make sure the pictures are in focused. To start off with use the auto setting and use auto focus and you will learn everything else down the road.
Photography is a skill that if practiced enough and use the principles of design right you will get awesome pictures. The last thing is you need to learn about the rule of thirds. It's a real basic concept that makes you pictures look good.

Http://keerok-photography.blogspot.com/2012/10/learn-photography.html

There are three concepts in photography; composition, lighting, and exposure. Learn about all three and you will become a better photographer.

Composition - how a photo appeals to the eye.
Lighting - how light direction, shadows and harsh/soft light affect the photo.
Exposure - how to properly expose a photo.

You can search on-line about these topics, buy a book (I recommend Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure"), or take a class.