Jaded expressions on Publishing was the one title that came to my mind. (I love bouncing around titles) A writer I know, and no it's not me, after double digit years and 600+ rejections ,(yes hundreds), got a publishing contract. A result from a one-on-one pitch session at the Las Vegas Writers Conference. The moral to my story- don't give up. This person is a poster child for tenacity - or are they? The other moral to my story - there is a publisher for every writer. Is it jealously that people made comments about the publisher, 'well they are a mediocre publisher' - 'that company is not that great' . These comments make me very angry. This writer has achieved a life long dream. This writer did not give up and kept at it. Even after getting hundreds of rejections kept writing novels. I posted on my Writer's Daily blog how everyone comments on Stephanie Meyers, - 'she's not that great of a writer'. But she is published, with multiple book and movie deals. What did she do wrong? Not every writer is going to put out the most perfect grammatically correct literature on the planet. The brain does not function that way for all creatures. Perfection does not exist. It doesn't. Don't try to create it - you'll be lonely and unpublished. Another writer friend, has a memoir, submitted it to a small publisher with a strong marketing machine. They get their authors books out there and known - they set up book signings - ... give you an idea? Anyway, everyone commented on why did this author bother with submitting their work to a small publisher?? I don't get it. Am I missing something? I thought the purpose of this writing thing was to write and submit for publication. Is there some rule that I missed - Rule #1 for writer: the ego of the writing world will only allow you to submit to the largest and the best that their is - you have no other options. Hmm, well my ego must be very messed up - my brain does not function that way. I write because I love it, I write stories because they are stories I want to tell. I consume as much information on writing I can get my hands on, because I want to know about the world in which I work. I support my writing friends and colleagues for the accomplishments they succeed - because they took the action and did it. I do not discount going for the big guns, not in any way. If you go for the big guns and you are accepted - does that make you a better writer? - What was it that everyone says about Stephanie Meyers? Isn't she represented by a big agency? Oh yeah, that's right. Your ego may believe your work belongs there, however, they may not think your work belongs with them. Just write, you are not a writer to please everyone else. Your journey is your journey. Enjoy the ride.