Howz yer writin'?

What can I say? I can't argue. He's right. Some people say the story's the thing, and you do need a compelling story. However, if have a great story but tell it poorly, you have a dud on your hands. Finding the perfect word to depict the action, describing the scene so well that people can recreate what you see in their own minds, building the action to a point that the reader cannot stop reading -- that makes a great story. So, find a story to tell, then take great care in the way "atcha write it."