Are you suffering for your art? Maybe you're doing it wrong.

I read an article yesterday about the benefits of writing. Apparently studies have shown that people who write, even in small snippets, heal faster. People also experience emotional well-being through writing. It doesn't matter the quantity, quality or genre. So that got me thinking: 1) Maybe that's why I'm so happy at the moment despite that my big goals (book published, migraine free etc.) are still pending. I write about 1000 words a day in addition to maintaining three blogs, a website and a twitter account. Perhaps it's paying off in well-being. And 2) if writing's supposed to be so good for you, maybe those serious authors, who struggle with their writing and feel miserable about it, just aren't doing it right. The benefits of writing, because it's a medium of self-expression and creativity, should apply to all of the arts. So I say: enjoy creating whichever art form suits you. If it's not enjoyable because you're forcing it or the bills are your taskmaster, then fix the problem and get back to creating for enjoyment's sake.