Top Ten Writers' Mistakes

Everyone seems to have a top ten list, and a holiday/wish list. Mine are combined into the top ten mistakes new writers make that I wish they would get over:

not sending out material
waiting until one piece is rejected before sending out more
ignoring writers' guidelines
not reading a publication/guidelines before submitting
ignoring my advice
not using a checklist of common errors until memorized
fearing someone will steal their ideas/work
not querying when it's required (OTT submissions)
confusing opinion with fact
thinking editors take care of proofreading errors

More seriously, Pat Holt, a venerable editor, has a good article about this topic on her website, Holt Uncensored.

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