Writing a good story honestly takes effort. And I mean more than just sitting down and typing it out and then sending it off to an editor without a second glance.
I know I sound like your English/Literature teacher when I say this, but it really, really, really pays off to simply just go back over what you’ve written and self-edit. Yeah, editors are there to take care of those pesky grammar and spelling mistakes, but that doesn’t mean you can just go haphazard and get lazy. No, I’m not calling you lazy; I’m saying that it lets your writing get sloppy.
Imagine you being able to write without the need of an editor! Sure, it’s always nice to have a second opinion as well as a reviser, but they shouldn’t have to do all the work for you- especially when your plot lacks.
Plan ahead. Think about what the point of your story is before you just start writing things down. No, I don’t plan out chapter by chapter- but if this helps you, then do it! All I’m saying is that you should at least think about what your major turning point and ending of the story will be, and definitely the point of it as well. Are you trying to make a heart-touching romance story, or a mundane, thrilling murder mystery? Writer’s block often comes from stories that aren’t thought through. Sure, you may have an excellent idea, but you have to have plot and points to pull it through. After all, most ideas come as a single event in a story, rather than a timeline.
Do research. If you’re getting complex in the story, or touching on subjects that aren’t common knowledge, please do back it up with research. Google it. I know a lot of writers that simply put biological or technological things in their stories without second thought as if it is even accurate or not. Seriously, it never hurts to just do a bit of scanning over Wikipedia (it IS reliable, no matter what your teachers tell you- they hire people to make sure the info is accurate, for Pete’s sake!) or other articles just to make sure you’re somewhat accurate.
Knowledge never hurts, and if you’re challenged on something, you can prove it with your research! It’s just to make you be a more proficient writer and to make you smarter.