Why Do So Many Writers Say Writing Torments Them?

There's a quote by Flannery O'Connor currently making the rounds on Facebook: "Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I'm always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality and it's very shocking to the system."



I see her point that writing isn't an escape from reality: It's an attempt to make something out of reality. But "terrible experience"? Give me a break.



Being stu...