Must a writer suffer for their art?

To answer the OP’s question, I can only speak for myself, but I do suffer for my art. I have to think about distressing topics that I’d really rather not have to think about (just read my poetry and you’ll know what those are), and I was burned out for a month back in the summer. Sometimes I’ll write poems of beauty or humor to get away from those, but as my friend puts it, the muse keeps calling me to write the hard stuff.

If my work leads one person to see the light and change his life for the better, it will be more than worth all the suffering.

Yet, sometimes I’ll hear about something that distresses me so much, I can’t even get sleepy until I write a poem about it. So I stay up late writing the darn thing and then I can finally sleep.

 

Hi,

It isn't me that suffers for my art - it's my characters. But sometimes I do feel sorry for them - before I go and drop yet another grand piano on their balls!

Cheers, Greg

 

Grand pianos are elegant, though hard to swing with any accurancy. Employing a banjo drops a dramatic ball smashing situation into the realm of comedy. (Full disclosure: I have a banjo but no grand piano.)

 

Hi,

Yeah but think of the heavy, thunderous chords playing as the MC gets hit by the grand piano versus the somewhat tinny (to my ears) sound of the banjo. Some days I just want to hear the violence not the comic relief!

Cheers, Greg.

 

Silly wolf, pianos are for dropping on people's heads from high apartment windows, not for crotch-busting! Or is that just a sterotype?

 

Despite the long ago claim of a certain male then in my life, I'm not an expert in ball busting. However, if forced to it, I'd wing a few baseballs in from a safe distance. I like the symbolism and no innocent pianos or banjos would be injured in the process.

 

The front paws of large friendly dogs are also powerful nut-busters. Had that happen a few days ago. It was like she ran at me, reared up, and deliberately punched me as hard as she could, and with stunning accuracy. No idea if my art inproved as a result, except maybe the art of dog-dodging.

 

Hi,

Animals can be mean - and I'm sure it's on purpose! I took my cat to the vet a few years back. She got out of her carrier on the way back. And then somehow I had a cat right in front of me as I was driving, standing up, her back legs, claws extended into my thighs, front paws on my cheek, also drawing blood, and yowling straight in my face. It made driving quite difficult! Staring into an angry cat's face when you're supposed to be watching the road! But my artistry at driving might have improved!

Cheers, Greg.

 

In my case it's just a big happy, goofy, clumsy and hyperactive dog trying to jump up on me from sheer friendliness and aiming her paw at the wrong place.

 

Hi,

That's what he wants you to think!

Cheers, Greg.

 

I did not in anyway ask to suffer and certainly would not choose to. I have suffered plenty in life still, not that I compare myself to others, with physical pains, abuse, injuries, having very valuable and valued things stolen from me multiple times in different circumstances, terrible hindrances, and problems to health that I did not see that I should have while I take care of myself for better health. And not to mention my grief at losing all those I cared for who are gone. Do those things make me a better writer? I don't see how as my writing being so fictional from my creativity is not about those things. I don't even think I am a better person for those things. Maybe I am much more aware. I still think I would be writing anyway, though circumstances had me focus yet more on writing and getting much more of it down that it can all be read.