If there is one thing that irritates me more about other writers, or those who think of themselves as other writers, is how wrapped up in their own self-importance they can be.  This comes out particularly among those writers who have things published and have not really achieved much in the way of success despite this.  You might think, well, that describes you to a T, Alaspa, here you are giving writing advice and I don't see one damn book you've written on anyone's best-seller list.  This is true, but at least I admit that I would LOVE to have a book, several if possible, on the best-seller list.  No, what really annoys me are the writers who think that success is a bad thing. 

I recently saw that John Grisham was on one of the NBC shows and worrying about the state of publishing today.  This is a legit worry and should concern all writers.  As books slowly  make the move, much like music has, towards digital downloads to things like eBook readers, the way in which success and how writers get paid may have to change.  Also, his worry was that some online stores were now selling brand new hard cover books for ridiculously low prices.  Again, for any writer who hopes to achieve any kind of success, this is a worry.

Well, someone left a comment that was something like, "Oh boo hoo, you'll still make millions from the book.  Oh gee, maybe you'll have to work for a living like the rest of us writers!"  OK, sounds like a very bitter writer who hasn't had much success getting their stuff published, eh?  Tell me that that writer wouldn't change his or her tune if he or she had a book on the New York Time Bestseller list?  Suddenly he or she would be worrying about the exact same thing and if their next book would suddenly be sold at ridiculous discount prices. 

It was the same thing when the Harry Potter books were coming out.  I saw more writers complaining about how the people who read the books were "sheep" and that the books were terrible.  I wrote a long article saying that just because something is popular doesn't mean it's crap!  Those books are damn good stories with strong and memorable characters, exciting action sequences and great villains.  What I detected were writers at the bottom of the literary ladder who were frustrated at the fact that JK Rowling was making billions from her books.  So what? She wrote them!  She should reap the rewards.

So, whatever you do, don't hate those who have achieved the success you know you secretly crave.  Admire them and try to learn from them.  What did they do?  Who did they talk to and at what point in their career to get that initial success?  What about their story can you learn and apply to your own?

Otherwise you just come across as petty and juvenile and, most importantly, as a hypocrite.