There is a lot I could say, but whatever you do....keep hoping. More importantly, keep writing. If writing is really who you are, then do you really have a choice but to keep doing it? Like your characters...which can be an analogy you can keep drawing on to keep you plodding onward...you will struggle. Life guarantees us this. You will face terrible struggles and like your characters, you can become better for it. You can become a better writer.
Remember this when you get discouraged. It might help you and it might keep you from becoming defeated. I see so many teachers, instructors, friends, colleagues, and editors and agents would apply to this too.....but I see so much negativity coming from the very people that should be encouraging you. As writers, we can use that negative energy to make us better. Negativity is pretty obvious, so be prepared for it and when it comes, turn it around and use it to fuel your writing. Writing is such an emotional investment and negativity can really fuel this process.
It's too late for me not to sound like Tony Robbins here, but the flip side is that we all have to keep ourselves grounded. We can't give up our proverbial "day jobs" but we are writers. We breath, therefore we write. The two are the same for us. Just be prepared to play emotional judo with all the negativity you receive and always have a back-up plan that allows you to pay the bills.
GOOD LUCK and in the immortal words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us--every one!" :-)