We aren't suggesting that mental instability or unhappiness makes one a better poet, or a poet at all; and contrary to the romantic notion of the artist suffering for his or her work, we think these writers achieved brilliance in spite of their suffering, not because of it.

Dorianne Laux
About This Quote

The idea that people can be great despite their unhappiness or mental instability is a popular idea today. One of the most famous quotes that shows that these great writers were not depressed is: "We aren't suggesting that mental instability or unhappiness makes one a better poet, or a poet at all; and contrary to the romantic notion of the artist suffering for his or her work, we think these writers achieved brilliance in spite of their suffering, not because of it."

Source: The Poets Companion: A Guide To The Pleasures Of Writing Poetry

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