"A novelist who writes nothing for 10 years finds his reputation rising. Because I keep on producing books they say there must be something wrong with this fellow"

This quote by J. B. Priestley is a commentary on the perception of success in the literary world. It suggests that the general public's perception of an effective novelist is based upon their output instead of the quality of their work. The quote suggests that if an author does not produce any work for an extended period of time, their reputation will increase, as people will presume that there need to be something wrong with them if they are not producing any work. This is an ironic declaration, as it implies that the general public's perception of success is based upon amount instead of quality. Priestley is recommending that the general public's perception of success is misdirected, and that an author's reputation need to be based upon the quality of their work, not the quantity.