New Rule: You can't say "can't"!

Many of the posts in the various Goodreads discussion groups offer excuses why the person posting the comment can't do something or why their books don't sell well.

Sample comments (paraphrased):

It's not my fault that my books have so many misspelled words and instances of poor grammar; it's because I can't afford a professional copy editor or proofreader.

The books have so many misspelled words and grammatical errors because of the lack of time and effort expended upon learning and then utilizing correct technical writing skills. There are dozens of books available in the local library that focus upon such disciplines.

I'm still in college, but have already written and self-published five novels. Unfortunately, none have sold well, no matter what I do. Any advice or explanation for why I can't attract a following?

The reason the books don't sell well may be that you have written five novels while still in college. Assuming that you are doing the things a college student does - attend classes, study, participate in extracurricular activities, etc. - you don't have enough time or energy to focus upon writing five novels of sufficient quality to generate sales.

I can't understand why people who give me bad reviews can't just focus upon the story and characters instead of criticizing technical writing mistakes.

The poor reviews may reflect the resentment of the readers, who felt that the author had too little respect for their expectations to expend the time and effort to offer them a well-written story. The poor reviews may also be a wake-up call to encourage the author to have more confidence in his/her ability to learn and continuously improve upon their craft.

I am sure that the opinions expressed in this posting will upset those who do not agree and they will express their displeasure, outrage, and disdain for the criticism. Some people just can't help themselves.