

Sep 09 2016

A Writer’s Life And Death


A Writer’s Life And Death


“The woman is perfected

Her dead,” wrote Sylvia Plath in 1960, in her final poem ‘Edge’ just before she committed suicide at the young age of 30.


“Death must be so beautiful.


To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow.


~ Sylvia Plath (The Bell Jar)


“I feel certain that I am going mad again… and I can’t recover this time” – so read the suicide note Virginia Woolf left for her husband.


“As for me, I am a watercolor.
I wash off.” ~ Anne Sexton 




A lot of writers, famous ones too, make and have made the choice of taking their own lives.

This is a fact and to deny the impact suicide has had on literature would be to deny a huge part of its history.

It is believed, based on research, that authors are twice as likely to commit suicide.

Writers, are sensitive. Most times, they are accused of being “too sensitive” as if it is a crime or some sort of appalling personality flaw. It certainly is a hazard though, personally, for the writer.

Heartache, heart break, personal tragedy, depression, delusional thinking, romanticizing life which takes them away from reality, dementia, unsuccessful careers, some sort of mental illness, alcoholism, are some of the reasons that have caused famous writers to either give up on life, attempt suicide or succeed at taking their own lives.

The pain of melancholy in a writer’s life, often leads them to the ultimate act of self-destruction.

So why do seemingly intelligent people end up grappling with their own lives? Do writers romanticize not only about life but also death? Is death considered a form of art? Or is it considered essential so as to stop writing after a certain point to avoid mediocre writing once they believe they have reached their saturation point? Is ‘death at will’ alluring to a writer?

There are writers who believe they cannot write without being ‘high’ on alcohol or some other form of substance abuse. Long term, this habit could certainly result in severe health complications, thereby resulting in depression, anxiety and then leading to suicide.

Writers are also solitary by nature. This does not mean they are anti-social. It simply means they tend to have a very low tolerance for what they define as stupidity, small talk and mindless banter. This attitude can result in isolation, very few friends, distance from group activities and sometimes lack of close friends, all of which can result in isolation and depression. Writers tend to feel misunderstood too.

Needless to say, writers think, a lot! It is yet another professional hazard. This can cause mental exhaustion and long-term it can result in insomnia, which can then spiral into various other mental ailments.

Yes, writers are sensitive, solitary, they think a lot, express out loud every facet of emotion and get blamed for it too by those who fail to understand or appreciate them. They lead very tough lives. On a daily basis they are either ridiculed, ignored, scoffed upon, thought of as deranged even, also told that they live in their imaginary world and don’t care about their family.

This only adds on to the heartache and further alienates the writer into walking his path in silence and alone.

Sensitive writers are constructed such, that they experience and respond to even small degrees of change in their environment. I feel there is an innate link between highly sensitive writers and pain. Most times, their muse is pain. Writers experience pain in a very intricate, personal and deep way and then express it in words that have the ability to awaken and stir emotions and touch hearts. Like death, writers also romance pain in the most excruciatingly exquisite way.

I find the connection between pain and superior writing very fascinating. Pain brings forth varying degrees of reactions and emotions in people. Writers can transform their pain into poetry and pour their hearts out, bleeding emotions into words. This is such an incredible quality. I only wish though that the ‘pain energy’ did not overpower them, over time, enough for them to succumb to it and take their own lives.

So my hope is this…

For all the sensitive writers out there…

Don’t give up.

You have this fantastic ability to convert pain energy into poetry, just like few can transform pain into various other forms of art such as painting, photography, designing, music and so on.

Don’t end your life in melancholy.

Let’s aim for an ending that spells a new beginning, one that kindles life, hope and love. One that breathes fulfillment and not desolation. There is poetry in this attitude. Beautiful poetry. Ballads even. Delicate prose too.

Come join the movement… “To Live While Alive” Don’t waste time waiting for ideal and perfect situations. They do not exist!

My email: writer.maulshri@gmail.com



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