I often get email asking how to be published writer. I have a standard letter I send back. It’s good advice! Practical! Encouraging! But I rarely hear back after I send it. I think what most people want to hear is, “Ooh, I’ll introduce you to my agent!” Being told instead, “Here are some tips for doing the boring, hard work … and I’ll tell you how to get used to rejection as soon as I’ve managed that myself” is an Epic Fail.

From Boxing the Octopus, a delightful blog about writing:

Whenever I hear that old “everyone has a book in them” axe, I can’t help but point out: Everyone has a spleen in them, too, but it takes a particular skill set to get it out, and only in rare circumstances is it a good idea to display it on a shelf.