dreamsandashes:

Sylvia Plath was a wonderful poet. But just as Hemingway and Bukowski (literary merits aside) have inspired many young writers, myself included, into romanticizing heavy drinking, so too has Plath inspired many young women (and men) into believing that depression is desirable.

No. Plath was beautiful, but her depression was not. It was tragic and regrettable. So, on her birthday, I think it is a good time to recommend to all my followers not to blindly worship our heroes, to not fall into the dangerous trap of idealizing mental illness. Respect their strength, their beauty, their work. But keep in mind that depression does not make you a deeper person. No “trait” of a writer makes you a writer, other than writing itself.

Never reject help because you fear it compromises your work. Take care of your soul. The writing will come, regardless, and it can be beautiful and inspired as long as you are inspired by the beauty around and in you. And you are all beautiful human beings.