A Follow Up on Simon & Howard's Posts

Simon & Howard's thought provoking posts got me thinking about how subjective this industry is.  I think that's one of the hardest things about being a writer—there are no clearly defined roads to walk down, no schools you can attend and get a diploma that labels you a "writer" and thus deserving of an agent or publisher.

I've had friends who wrote for ten years before landing an agent, friends who have had to fire their agents (or been let go by the agency), folks who wrote their first...