It's not just BS. A link between madness and creativity has long been suspected and was discussed even by the ancient Greeks. There is a lot current research on the topic. A good scholarly read on the subject is "Touched by Fire" by Kay Redfeld Jamison. Not all authors & artists have problems - but they seem to have more than fair share.
-- Need to have an alt lifestyle to be creative? Not necessarily. (O'dog anecdotal evidence here) Some of the people I work with and went to school wear boring shirts with buttons (O'dog included). Some really have that alt/bohemian thing going. And some are just posers (too bad it doesn't help their work).
O'dog (Who has an art degree, works in a creative field, and showers every day).
"My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand." Thich Nhat Hanh
