Quote by William Styron, interview, Write
The good writing of any age has always been the product of someone's neurosis, and we'd have a mighty dull literature if all the writers that came along were a bunch of happy chuckleheads.
Summary
This quote suggests that exceptional writing throughout history has often sprung from the neurotic tendencies of the authors. It implies that a certain level of inner turmoil, rather than happiness or lightheartedness, fuels creativity and produces more compelling literature. It implies that if all writers were content and carefree, the quality of literature would suffer greatly, lacking depth and complexity.