I think one of the misunderstood elements of writing is the process itself. There is no cookie cutter method to writing a novel/story. People, (and I am referring to also my significant other), tells me that people who are writers are those who went to college to study how to write a book and be an author. That is not exactly true even though they do have the upper hand. I have been working hard to develop my writings skills and that also meant that I have been going back through the grammar books. There is no exact way to write a book. Everybody has different methods. Some need outlines, some don't. Some have to write 200000+ drafts (exaggerated number but it feels like it) to get an idea right. Some people are just gifted with words and others have to go back to basics. Everybody can write. It is a matter of how well can you write and if you can engage your audience
I'd recommend Stephen King's On Writing as both a fascinating read and a source of constant inspiration above any book that offers too much technical advice. But that's just me - I'm not one for planning and bewarned, it will give you 'adverb-phobia' which isn't a bad thing.
I think that the average person doesn't understand the hard work that goes into writing a novel. He/she reads a novel and assumes it's simply a matter of putting pen on paper (or fingers to keyboard). Part of the reason for this might be because the reader only gets to see the final product; the writer's drafts and notes are rarely seen by the reader. Speaking for myself here, I still underestimate the importance of discipline, which is a requirement for being a writer. As much as I like to hate on Dan Brown, Stephenie Meyer, et al., they all did something I could not: finish and publish a novel.
Don't hate on us authors! do something about it and finish and publish your work! I'm not that disciplined insofar as being able to make myself set aside time to write. I research and fact find to the n'th degree, even to the point of rechecking certain facts months later when I'm doing final editing and re-writing but I just can't set a writing schedule. Whenever I do, something always crops up. I do write every day and some days I write a chunk of around 2000 words but most days, it's smaller amounts or I concentrate on editing, changing parts or research. Saying that, when the muse hits, I can still be sat writing at 2am!
Classic conversation with relatives. 'Alright Mat, how's novel?' 'The short story collection actually. I've had great review in Myslexia.' 'Distemper, you say? Oy Rascal - get your nose off Matty's bollacks. You should talk to our Barbara at 47, she wrote book.' 'Did she, hmmm. Who's the publisher, Lulu, Amazon?' 'Penguin, I think.' 'Eww.'
LOL That just opens another debate about who's good and who's bad! The answer which, is subjective to whoever you're talking to at the time.
Which, of course, opens another debate about what's good writing and what's bad writing, which opens another debate about writing for market vs. writing for art, which opens... I think I'll have a lie down just now.