The February 2009 issue of ASIMOV"S has a great "Reflections" essay by Robert Silverberg called, "It Wasn’t All That Easy", in which he talks about the the time when he was a young, would-be writer, seeing all of his heroes sell stories and become famous, while he collected rejection after rejection.  He wondered if he’d ever make it, ever become like them.  I know how he feels, and that made the essay all the more meaningful.  You should check it out, if you are so-inclined.