Got some requests for a "how do I raise my ELO/MMR/Rank" guide. Instead of posting it in a new thread I thought I'd just add it here.
First, ELO hell isn't a specific number, it's a mindset. You think that your team is feeding, and that they suck, and you're the best player ever. This is false. You're on the same level as your team (ish), granted, sometimes your team is feeding, and doing other misc things to throw/lose the game.
I got to gold league in SC2 just by learning 1 or 2 decent builds for every race and then getting decent at them. Similar principles apply to something like DotA or LoL, where you can learn 3-4 heroes for every role and stay within your pool. The purpose of doing something like this is to increase your mechanical skill, not your overall skill. You can get to a pretty good rating just by having good mechanics. Mechanics should be the first thing you improve on your quest to get better. Know how many last hits you need by 10 minutes, how many items by 20, and/or whatever other things apply to your game.
The next thing you should be doing after you get your mechanical skill up is getting into the right mindset. Depending on who you are, you may want to do this in the other direction, mainly if you rage a lot. Don't go into games expecting to lose. Your team picks 4 carries? You haven't lost, you just have to make it to late game. You accidentally picked Zerg instead of Terran? Give it your best shot. Never call GG early. Stay relaxed, this helps you think clearly. Don't think that you're better than anyone.
Be polite. Instead of "Luna buy BKB noob" 'no' try "Luna, I think a BKB would be good this game" 'why is that?' "X, Y, and Z" 'Thanks!' NOTE: this doesn't work if the player you're trying to be polite to is an *******/doesn't speak english/whatever language. Don't be overly polite though, people will think that you're being sarcastic.
Take a 10 minute break between games. Take a dump, eat lunch, drink some water, or even just lay on your couch. Anything that helps you get out of the mindset of the previous game. If you win, you think you're a boss and can do anything and lose, if you lose you feel like **** and keep losing.
If you have any questions, just ask.
