Depends on the person and their process. I do a lot of pantsing and that works great for getting me first drafts. Editing is a lot more difficult for me though.

Some people write more detailed first drafts and some people write bare bones first drafts. Each are going to make editing different and easier or harder.

It’s good you find editing easier but these things are usually personal

Always be kind to yourself when writing. Just make your work something you feel good about. There’s enough critics in the world.

As others have said, I tend to write the world as I go. Maybe, I’ll have one defining characteristic in mind when I start but usually nothing more than that.

The story and characters are the way in to the world for the readers and they have to be interesting and developed for anyone to care about the world.

Yup, this is just the rationalization that anyone who makes it has about themselves. It’s all about something they did, not all the luck and support they got along the way.

I’m sure there are a million actors that worked just as hard as him and didn’t make it.