Writing for a Living - an oxymoron?

Ever since I've been writing books, I've wondered what it would be like to be subsidised by one of those nice big writing awards or book grants from Creative New Zealand. There seems to be a never-ending list of winners announced in the Authors' Society newsletters and a bucketful of grants made to struggling writers every year by CNZ. But there's always been one big difference between them and me - the winners are writers of literary merit. I've never even had a foot in the literary camp. Actually, there are two differences - I've never applied for anything. It's a bit like Lotto - you have to take a ticket to win - so I can't expect to win an award if I never apply.
But the time has come to make a change. I've decided to apply for an Authors' Society mid-career writer's grant. I should fit the bill: I've had more than three books published, I've been publishing for at least five years and I've not received another grant from the society this year - or any year for that matter. But uh-oh, here's the rub: "Applicants must have made what the judges consider to be a significant contribution to New Zealand literature". 
How on earth do they decide that? One woman's literary contribution is another's pulp fiction. Some of us have read what is supposed to be "New Zealand literature" and found it incomprehensible.
Even to apply you would have to be significantly up yourself to think, even in your most self-deluded moment, that your feeble efforts could have made a significant contribution to New Zealand literature.
The application form compounds the necessary hubris: "How will your project contribute to NZ literature?" it asks. Good grief. 
Looks like the writer's grant gravy train has left my station and my "literary" earnings will just be from the sale of books. That should be sufficient to fund a nice weekend away - in Ashburton. 
Meanwhile, my latest book has just hit the shelves of a few select Paper Plus stores. Must be time for a book launch party.