I don't see how we are competing with each other. It comes down to quality. Your stuff is either good or no damn good. Doesn't matter about anyone else's stuff.
Now if we were ALL churning out great stuff, then yes, we would be competing for slots, but we are not ALL churning out great stuff. Most of the stuff posted here is not great---promising, perhaps, showing ambition & spark, maybe---but not great, not even close.
Remember: There are variables involved: Timing & Luck. You can write great stuff, send it in, but if it lands on the desk on Tuesday when Julie is the reader who opens the envelopes and she doesn't like sketches about child-stand-up comedians...but had it landed on the desk on Thursday when Dan is the reader and likes material about child-stand-up comedians...
No, I don't feel like I'm competing with anyone. I don't care what kind of success anyone has because I know for a fact that it all ends in tears. I've no illusions about my own success: I will still suffer disappointments and setbacks and surprise diseases and injuries and betrayals no matter where I live or who I know or how much money I have in the bank.
Do I feel like I've missed the train to Paradise when I hear about someone else's work being accepted and produced? Yea, sure I do, but I don't feel bitter towards those who caught the train. I just raise my fist at Fate and channel the disappointment into the next project.
Have you seen the film Rocky Balboa? It was surprisingly quite moving and good. Had alot of heart. The line that stuck with me (and I'm paraphrasing) was:
It's not how hard you can hit, it's how long you can take the hard hits and keep going for your goals.
Another person's success has nothing to do with your failure. You failed because you quit or didn't give 100%.
