Common themes in the lives of 13 famous novelists & poets who completed suicide during the 20th century were explored. Affective disorder & depression were found to be common among the writers. Alcohol abuse was present in about a third of the subjects. For 6 subjects, the possibility of being unable to continue to write productively played a role in their depression & eventual suicide. The challenges of being sensitive to criticism of one’s work & doubting one’s abilities are discussed.