Why Not Me?

On a pretty regular basis, I find myself reading an article about the Twilight phenomenon and wonder "Why Not Me?"

How did Stephenie Meyer manage to get those books published when her writing is - in my humble opinion - not all  that great?  And why can't I?

I'll usually sit and bemoan the fact for a while, complaining loudly about the flaws in her style and how the story isn't even all that good (or original).  Until this most recent time when it finally occurred to me.

It doesn't bloody well matter.  She had an idea (no matter how cliche and trite it may seem now to us), and she rolled with it.  She sat herself down and she wrote.  She saw something she wanted and she went after it.

After realising that, can I really sit here and complain that I haven't managed to get any of my short stories published?  Have I any right at all to fling negative comments around about the Twilight books?  Well, yes, but that's a whole other blog post.

But the important point here - there is one, I promise! - is that she did it.  Unless I can honestly say to myself that I have put 110% effort into my writing, I have no right to moan about not being published.  If Ms. Meyer can do it, so the hell can I!