Luck

Luck.

If you're a writer that's what you need in spades. Not talent. Forget talent. There are, as Carl Sagan used to say about stars--Billions and Billions of talented writers in this universe. Talent is around in abundance. Always will be.

No. You don't need talent to be a successful writer. If you write, or if you're an avid reader, you can list author after author who have a minimal level of talent. But are unbelievably successful as an author.

But luck, pilgrim; luck is something that is fickle. A mistress of deceit. A gambler who plays the game with his (or her?) own set of rules. And you, the writer, have no say in the matter whatsoever. None. Nada. Nyet. Zipola.

Do I sound bitter? Frustrated? Yes Stanley, by god I think you're right.