There is a recurring argument in fantasy writing circles that seems to be split down the middle between those who understand the need for research and those who pooh-pooh the very idea.
I like to think I do a good job proof-reading for others, but when it comes to my own work, I need other pairs of eyes for that important final step. My final manuscript is never as polished as I think it is.
There comes a time in every writer’s life when we look at something we wrote years ago, and we can’t help but cringe and shudder. “Omg, what is that? Did I write that? How could I possibly have written/published that? It’s *expletive* awful! What do I do now??”