What's a writer to do?

There's much discussion going on among my various writer's groups regarding the current state of publishing. It seems we who have chosen to go the ebook route are still being treated as the "red headed stepchild". We can't join PAN, submitting to RITA is next to impossible, RWA doesn't respect us, etc., etc., etc....

Here's the deal. In order to be a published writer you need to get published. In order to be published you need to be accepted by a publisher/editor. They tell you you need to be published in order for them to consider you. They suggest you get an agent. You query agents. They mostly want writers that have already proven their worth by being published. They suggest you attend conferences and meet other writers, editors, and agents. They suggest you attend classes and learn the craft. Join a critique group. You spend lots and lots of money. You do all of the above and you still can't get published by any of the BIG GUYS. You write your books. Revise your books. Give your books to friends and family to read. Of course they all love them. So, the ebook world opens up and it looks like there's a whole new ball game out there. You submit your previously rejected, many times revised works and Woo Hoo! They accept them and you're now a published author! You promote, promote, promote. It's hard to do and takes a lot of time, but you do it. You sell some books. BUT, you can't sell enough to get into PAN. Then someone tells you that you need to go back to square one. Change your pen name. Disconnect yourself from your ebooks that didn't sell enough to make you respectable. But don't stop writing! Keep on keeping on!

Okay, okay, so I sound a little bitter. It's all part of the "working through my writer's block" process, I guess. Really. I'm almost there. I do think I need to remove myself from my Yahoo groups. It's getting to be a real downer.

Oh yeah, the dog is Willie, my golden retriever and constant companion while I'm working at the computer. He's always right here by my side. Is he my muse?