I think it depends. Personally, I find my best first drafts come when I’m feeling bothered about something. There’s a sort of focus you get in the (mildly) depressive state. The trick is to remember to revise it later so it’s readable.

It’s interesting, though. It seems like every great artist I’ve ever heard of has been plagued by depression at one time or another, so that it’s beginning to seem that depression is almost a prerequisite for creating great work. As bizarre as that sounds. Van Gogh, Sylvia Plath, Hemingway, Poe, Vonnegut, Kerouac…and so on. But the thing about them is that I’m always surprised to hear they suffered from depression, because it’s not immediately evident in their work in most cases.

Depression as writing tool…?

Back when I was in college, I attended a creative writing class where someone brought in a published statistic that thirty percent of all fiction writers struggled with depression. The class considered this, then unanimously decided that those numbers where way too low. I think artists, especially authors, have problems with depression because they spend so much time thinking. Thinking about conflict, confrontation, hurts, heartbreak…

The only time depression has been helpful was when I was writing stressed, unhappy, hysterical characters, and even then the bout was self-induced. The same way I’ll hold my breath if I want to remind myself what it feels like to suffocate, or heft a broom in my hands and imagine a staff instead, fingers on painted wood grain, choking up my grip, settling into stance. Real depression? Real depression is good for collapsing on your bed, wallowing in some unknown unhappiness, and not sleeping. It rather sucks.

I think depression makes a writer good because he or she is more sensitive to everything. I’m not talking about any depression, but that which results from the awareness that life is intrinsically tragic because, as James Baldwin put it, one day, for each of us, the sun will go down for the last, last time. When Hemingway was asked what makes someone a good writer, he responded that the necessary thing is to have had an unhappy childhood. Perhaps, ironically, it is the profoundly depressed who appreciate humor and happiness more deeply than everyone else.

does this have anything to do with your recent blog? harumph. hope not.

regardless, Newton’s enjoyment of employing a warped mental state as a legitimate writing mechanism is in and of itself a pretty esoteric point of view. i only say this because it reminds me of the numerous, pretentious jazz heads i’ve had heated yet altogether moot debates with who are convinced that Miles Davis, Charlie Parker…any number of iconic figures of the bebop movement…wouldn’t have been nearly as influential or innovative if they weren’t the tremendous dope-fiends they had simultaneously gained recognition as being. it’s always been aggravating that the peripheral (but most times pervasive) addictions or illnesses of past and modern artists’ somehow gain some sort of connotation of being their quintessential muse and shaping their career, when on the whole it usually stymied their work AND – ultimately – their lifespan.

…the f*ck am i going with this?

..oh right!

granted, while i’d wager that it takes an damn talented artist to portray the products such peripheral influences (depression, drugs, etc.) to the public audience in an approachable way, i’d also agree with you that unless that audience is sympathetic to said influence or state of mind, it will just seem like self-serving/indulgent drivel. nothing to champion or shed any positive light on. “humbug!” i say to you, Margaret and Maude.

I agree that sometimes depression is a way for writer’s to hide from writing. I do it all the time. I rationalize in my head that Ia m too depressed to write and I should just sit down and eat that gallon of ice cream…because THAT will help.
Also, I notice that when it gets colder out, I tend to write more. I used to say it was because the depression was worse in the winter. Now I just think I am conditioned to write in the fall and winter because that was when I went to school and I learned to do my work at that time.
Depression is indeed a horrific illness that pits one against one’s self. Our mind tells us all types of crazy irrational lies.
But can depression be a motivator? I think it is a hindrance more than anything. The only motivators that work for me is setting up deadlines and working towards them.
Maybe it depends on the type of writer and maybe some people can only write in times of great sadness as a way to deal with the sadness.
A lot of writer’s have depression, but I don’t think I would say that is what makes them great or able to write.
This was a great post and thank you for sharing it.

My most prolific creative period was in the midst of a year long intense depression, but my art then was my only way of escaping my head. And prolific does not equate with good.
Other times depression kept me in bed, unable to even motivate to journal.
I agree that some people are depressed due to thinking too much. Some of the most interesting research of the last few years is all about using yoga/meditation to get people out of their heads and to interrupt the recurring thoughts that keep us pinned in by depression.
While writing and creating can definitely pull you out of yourself and back into reality, I don’t think being depressed is a prerequisite for creating great art.