Harsh Words

This is going to come across as very harsh but I'm going to get it out and say it: some of my friends want to be writers.
I don't mean to be harsh about this but I've spent the last couple of years not really planning any stories/novels/whatever, because I've been researching. Reading tips for writing, reading other people's stuff, generally getting a feel for how to craft something as intricate as a novel. Because they are intricate. They're woven masses of awesome creativity and take a lot of time, planning, tears, and late nights to complete.
I just have the feeling none of my friends who want to be writers have the faintest first idea of how to actually write something like that. They want to be writers - not just journalists, but novelists. I get they want to write something from their imagination. But do they realize that it's incredibly hard and rare to be as breakthrough as J.K. Rowling?
I know a lot of awful crap has been published recently - see Twilight, Fifty Shades of Grey etc. but that's besides the point. That stuff is popular because it appeals to tween girls who don't know what good writing is. And even Harry Potter isn't that polished. If I had a pound for every time I've heard someone criticise J.K. Rowling for not editing well enough, I'd have a nice jingle in my step by now.
But yeah. Ok if they're going to university to study creative writing that's FINE but I hope they learn how to actually prepare a novel, plan, scenes, character development, realistic writing, etc... all that stuff I think writers need to and should know before they even begin contemplating writing a novel. Your story has to hang together! I feel like I'm a little up my own arse saying things like this, but it's not just because I'm irritated that they feel they can do it and it's also something I want to pursue at some stage as a career. I've wanted to be a writer since I was nine years old. I've planned stuff out since then too, becoming more thorough with it.
I just... yeah.
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Coherant argument is coherant.