[Hickfang]

> She was gay, an alcoholic, suffered from lifelong clinical depression and had a tough upbringing, not really a combination that will produce an easy person given her times. But she gave us Tom Ripley and, incredibly, made us root for him somehow. That's a rare talent.

Isn't how that how most works of art are inspired?

[zabzonk]

I don't think anyone knows how any works of art are inspired. Certainly, it doesn't seem obvious that gay, alcoholic, depressed people produce more than any other demographic.

[mpalmer]

I do think you'll find the latter two in a decent number of successful writers.

[mulmen]

Are depression and alcoholism constants of great writers? Are depressed alcoholics good writers?