Being an aspiring author is great, but you don't want to be one forever. Find out what not to do if you're planning to pen a novel.

2. Many of us are aspiring authors who dream of writing the next classic novel. We
don't just desire commercial success but also want our work to mean more than
the money it makes and the copies it sells. We want to transcend, to write a book
that is years ahead of its time, that might not be appreciated by modern
audiences but will most certainly be studied for centuries by more enlightened
minds. We want future readers to pore over our biographical details, hoping to
gain more insight into our particular brand of literary genius. Yes, we know what
we want. We are dreamers, after all, and we love getting lost in our fantasies.

3. Being an aspiring author is almost as wonderful—no, better, in fact—than
actually being a published writer. Because doesn't publishing a book end the
dream? And what if our work, by some unspeakable horror or mistake of the
cosmos, is never successful?
No, there is certainly no place in the publishing world for dreamers like us.
Luckily, there is no reason why we can't keep the dream alive forever by
following these four simple steps.

5. Outlines aren't for creative thinkers or committed aspiring authors like
us; they're for analytical fools who are set on completing their projects.
How dare someone suggest that you stifle your creative process by tying
yourself down with a preplanned plot? Would an architect draw a
blueprint before picking up her tools? Would an actor learn his lines
before delivering his performance? The absurdity of it all!

7. People will tell you that writing is a process. They will say that part of this process
is allowing others to read your work. They might even tell you that you should
put your work into the hands of an editor, trusting him or her to improve the
story and the quality of the language. But those people don't know you. They
don't realize that, unlike some of these published writers, you are the only
person who knows what is best for your story. Editors, with their red pens and
their "constructive" commentary, are evil. They will destroy your art, if not your
dream. Avoid them at all costs.

9. Forcing yourself to write is like forcing your children to complete their
homework. What do they get out of the experience if it's pushed on
them? Wouldn't they learn better if they were to study when they
wanted to? Don't make a schedule to follow when it comes to your
writing. Work at your own pace, and work only when you feel inspired to
do so. As a committed aspiring author, you're in no rush.

11. Plot-driven thrillers, books with romantic subplots, or anything driven primarily
by the action of the story should hold no interest for you. Because you are a
literary genius, you are too good to read the books that others can't put down.
Stay away from these books. If you dare to read them, their obvious inferiority
may rub off on you. Sure, Stephen King may be a millionaire with one of the
biggest and most diverse fan bases an author has ever had, but you, you’re an
artist. That's why you're sticking with your role as an aspiring author, right?

12. If you're an aspiring author, and you're good at being an aspiring author, why on
earth would you do anything differently? Stick with the guidelines above, and you'll
have no problem being an aspiring author forever. If, however, you decide to turn
your back on all these very important aspects of the aspiring author's static and
solitary life, consider checking out the manuscript editing services offered by
Scribendi.com. If you're going to change your game, you'll have to play by some
new rules, and I've heard that the editors at Scribendi.com don't bite nearly as
hard as the others.
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