1. You need years of experience to become a freelance writer.
2. A blog can’t help you get a real writing job.
3. It’s possible to write a good book on the first try.
4. It’s possible to write a perfect book, ever.
5. You have to have an agent to succeed and make money as a writer.
6. Self-publishing doesn’t count as a real publishing credit.
7. Writers struggle financially throughout the entire span of their careers.
8. If you write, your audience will discover you instantly.
9. Your ideas aren’t unique or special enough.
10. You can’t write that book/article/script because someone else has already written something similar.
11. Your family and friends will always be your biggest supporters.
12. Self-promotion is frowned upon online.
13. As long as you’re good at marketing, you can sell anything you write and it will be well-received.
14. You have to do everything yourself — including designing your own book covers, website, and more.
15. You have to write every day, or you’ll never make it.
16. You shouldn’t apply for writing jobs that seem “too big.”
17. The writing process is a total solitary experience — no one is involved but you.
18. Every aspiring writer should join a critique group, taking writing classes, and get a writing-specific degree.
19. Agents, editors, publishers, and potential employers only want to hear about what you’ve already done.
20. One successful writer’s expert advice is law.
21. Your opinions and ideas don’t matter because you’re not “successful enough” to matter yet.
22. Slow progress means you’re doing something wrong.
23. Bad writing is a waste of time.
24. It’s too late/You’re too old/You’re too young/You’re not ready.
25. Others’ opinions of and responses to your work are the most important thing in the world.
Meg is the creator of Novelty Revisions, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words. She is a staff writer with The Cheat Sheet, a freelance editor and writer, and a nine-time NaNoWriMo winner. Follow Meg on Twitter for tweets about writing, food and nerdy things.
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