The wealthiest authors in the world write a wide range of topics. From romance to financial management, these authors found a hungry audience and satisfied them with their words. Here are top 10 wealthiest authors in the world.
1. MacKenzie Bezos – $30 Billion
Author of “The Testing of Luther Albright” and “Traps,” she won an American Book Award in 2006. While she’s technically an author and quite wealthy, much of that wealth derives from her recent divorce settlement with ex-husband Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon.
2. JK Rowling – $1 Billion
Famous for writing the “Harry Potter” series, Rowling has garnered significant success and wealth since its publication. The film adaptations boosted the phenomena even more, earning roughly $7 billion dollars in box office numbers.
3. James Patterson – $800 Million
A titan of publishing in his own right, Patterson became well-known for his best-selling series with the protagonist Alex Cross. He’s written in several genres, including thrillers, mystery, and romance. Despite his success, many seasoned writers have frequently criticized him.
4. Jim Davis – $800 Million
Cartoonist and author of the widely successful comic strip “Garfield,” Davis has written and produced several film and television adaptations of the strip as well.
5. Stephen King – $400 Million
Horror, fantasy, and science fiction master, this author needs little introduction. He’s sold more than 350 million copies worldwide and is incredibly prolific in his own right. He’s won over 50 literary awards and many of his books have been made into films.
6. Danielle Steel – $385 Million
This author has written over 70 novels. She made the Guinness Book or having one of her novels stay on The New York Times best seller list for 381 consecutive weeks.
7. Nora Roberts – $390 Million
This author got her start publishing in the ’80s and saw her first success with the book, “Playing the Odds.” Since then, she’s become a massive author, writing several best-sellers and practically becoming her own publisher. She is incredibly prolific, writing all hours of the day.
8. John Grisham – $350 Million
Originally a lawyer, Grisham was inspired to write a novel in 1984. His first novel, “A Time To Kill” was rejected several times before finally being picked up, kicking off his career. Since then, he’s written several novels and has sold over 300 million copies in total.
9. Grant Cardone – $300 Million
Author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur, Cardone has written several books including, “If You’re Not First, You’re Last” which made #1 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. However, much of his wealth comes real estate and investments rather than book sales.
10. Jeffrey Archer – $200 Million
A once corrupt English politician imprisoned from 2001 to 2003, Archer later became a famous author. He based most of his books on his experiences in prison. To date, he has sold over 250 million copies worldwide.
