The editor’s mandate. Discouraging and depressing. …
The stores run publishing now. Not news, I know. And the sales people at the publishing houses help decide who will be published.
…Where does a new writer go? How does he/she get an agent?
Sandra Scoppettone’s Writing Thoughts: No Place At The Table: A post on the regrettable realities of getting published.
Metaphor 
Yikes! my personal site is
http://www.jessyferguson.blogspot.com
Hi Kyle, I saw your comment on Sandra’s blog and you sound discouraged. You also sound like a Christian so let me say that God has plans for your writing. It’s your job to do the best you can to learn the craft and to glorify Him by making good use of your talents.
There are some great Christian writer’s groups that will teach you a lot:
http://www.acfw.com
That’s the American Christian Fiction Writers and we’re having a wonderful conference in a few weeks in Dallas.
If you’re interested in nonfiction then you might try the Christian Writers Fellowship International. Google it to find the website. Both of these are dues-paying groups, but there are many free online groups you can join.
If I can help, holler at me!
jess