Computers and the internet have opened up the tools of writing to a wider audience than ever before. This means that where a publisher used to have a steady stream of manuscripts showing up from unknowns, then now have a veritable tsunami. If nothing else, the physical process of typing up (and copying) your manuscript before paying postage to get it into the editor's hands used to keep the flow of new stuff down to a reasonable level.
These days, everyone has a printer and FedEx office nearby, and e-mail costs almost nothing. So you not only have to compete with the current economic conditions (the downturn in general, and the changing world of publishing), you also have to compete with every other person out there who can now write their novel and get it to the door.
In short, you can get published, but the sheer volume of competition is staggering. If you really want it, keep writing, keep submitting — and make sure you follow any relevant guidelines!
