The first mistake that we talked about was the idea that you had to write “the most beautiful prose in order to write a story that holds the reader’s attention.” The reality is that by the time you purchase or borrow from the library any book, it has been through the hands and efforts of many professional editors. So, just get your story down; remember that the first draft is just a first draft. Once you have your ideas on paper, you can polish them to your heart’s content, and your editor’s heart’s content.