Who are the richest authors in the world?
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Some of the most popular authors in the world are worth more than a billion dollars! We’ve decided to compile a list of the 20 richest authors worldwide, along with their current net worth, and a short bio.
Before you start reading this article, can you guess who will appear on the list?
Table of Contents
The 20 Richest Authors in the World
Below are the 20 richest authors of all time, as of 2022. We’ve used figures from Celebrity Net Worth, Forbes and The Richest to create this compilation.
20. Suzanne Collins
Net Worth: $80 Million
Suzanne Collin has generated most of her wealth through the sales of her novels and also writing screenplays for numerous TV shows. Collins began her career in 1991 and has ever since remained a popular author icon.
As of May 2023, Suzanne Collins’ net worth is estimated to be roughly $80 million.
19. Janet Evanovich
Net Worth: $80 Million
Janet Evanovich is a best-selling author and has earned dozens of award-winning novels. She began writing romance novels in the 1980s and eventually she switched genres to focus more on the suspenseful side of reading. Evanocih shot to stardom and fame with her Stephanie Plum franchise.
Janet Evanovich’s net worth is estimated to be $80 Million, making her the 19th richest author in the world.
18. Deepak Chopra
Net Worth:$80 Million
Deepak Chopra is a new age guru and a medical practitioner who has spoken about the umbilical connection between the mind and the body. Chopra has provided answers to many modern lifestyle conditions that have slowly eroded the core of spiritualism in western societies in particular.
As of May 2023, Deepak Chopra’s net worth is$80 million.
17. Jack Higgins
Net Worth:$86 Million
Jack Higgins is a bestselling multi-millionaire novelist. Higgins was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is one of the most popular authors in the world.
As of May 2023, Jack Higgins’ net worth is approximate$86 Million, making him the 17th richest author on the list.
16. Christopher Little
Net Worth: $86 Million
Christopher Little “Christopher Little Literary Agency” is a firm of literary agents based in London. The agency has managed Harry Potter author J.K Rowling from 1996 to 2011. He has been described as “the luckiest agent ever” who was half of “the most commercially successful relationship in literary history”.
As of May 2023, Christoper Little’s net worth is roughly $86 Milliondollar.
15. Paul McKenna
Net Worth: $100 Million
Paul McKenna is an English hypnotist and writer. He left school with just two O-levels and an A-level in art and worked as a DJ on Topshop’s in-store radio in Oxford Street. McKenna later joined Capital Radio, where he met a hypnotist who was a guest on his show and has since then trained himself to never look back.
Paul McKenna’s net worth is estimated to be roughly $100 Million, making him the 15th richest author in the world.
14. Stephenie Meyer
Net Worth: $125 Million
Stephenie Meyer is a young author who never had the idea for a vampire love story novel. Meyer later wrote Twilight in 2003, when she only was 29 years old. The three Twilight films have grossed $1.8 billion at the global box office.
As of May 2023, Stephenie Meyer’s net worth is approximately $125 million.
13. Dean Koontz
Net Worth: $145 Million
Dean Koontz is an American author who has been compared to the likes of Stephen King based on his style of writing. Koontz suspense thrillers, science fiction, and horror novels have set him up for millions of fans all over the world.
Dean Koontz’ net worth is roughly $145 million.
12. David Oyedepo
Net Worth: $150 Million
David Oyedepo is a Nigerian pastor who today is considered to be Nigeria’s richest pastor. Oyedepo currently serves as president and preacher of Living Faith Chruch World Wide which is best recognized as Winners Chapel.
As of May 2023, David Oyedepo’s net worth is estimated to be $150 million, making him the 12th richest author in the world.
11. Dan Brown
Net Worth: $178 Million
Dan Brown is an American author who is best known for his novel “The Da Cinci Code”. Brown is the highest-paid author in the world, and his bestselling books “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” is considered to be two of the popular movies in the world.
Dan Brown’s net worth is approximately$178 million.
10. Jeffrey Archer
Net Worth: $195 Million
Jeffrey Archer is an English novelist and former politician. Archer was a Member of Parliament before he began his career as an author. Archer revived his fortunes as a best-selling novelist; his books have sold around 330 million copies worldwide.
As of May 2023, Jeffrey Archer’s net worth is roughly$195 million.
9. John Grisham
Net Worth: $220 Million
John Grisham is an internationally well-known American writer who while he was practicing the law served on the House of Representatives for Mississippi.
As of May 2023, John Grisham’s net worth is roughly $220 million, making him the 9th richest author on the list.
8. Nigel Blackwell
Net Worth:$292.5 Million
Nigel Blackwell is a handover to the staff at Blackwell. Blackwell Publishing was sold in 2006 for 572m Euros. Toby and his nephew Nigel netted a big part of that.
Nigel Blackwell’s net worth is estimated to be roughly$292.5 million.
7. Barbara Taylor Bradford
Net Worth: $300 Million
Barbara Taylor Bradford is a best-selling English novelist. Her books have sold more than 80 million copies in 90 countries. A Women of Substance was published in 1979 and in 2007, Queen Elizabeth II awarded the OBE for her contributions to literature.
As of May 2023, Barbara Taylor Bradford’s net worth is estimated to be $300 million, making her the 7th richest author in the world.
6. Danielle Steel
Net Worth: $310 Million
Danielle Steele is an American novelist who according to Forbes is the world’s best-selling living author who has more than 800 million copies of her books sold. That makes Steel the fourth best-selling author of all time.
Danielle Steel‘s net worth is estimated to be roughly $310 million.
5. Nora Roberts
Net Worth: $390 Million
Nora Roberts is a bestselling American author with more than 200 romance novels. Roberts began her writing in the late 70s and went on to score her bestseller with “Playing the Odds” in 1985.
As of May 2023, Nora Roberts net worth is approximately $390 million, making her the 5th richest author in the world.
4. Stephen King
Net Worth: $400 Million
Stephen King is an acclaimed author of contemporary suspense, fantasy, horror, and science fiction. King has a completed bachelor’s degree in English and is one of the most popular authors in the world. Many of his books have been shown on the TV screens as “IT” and “The Shining”.
As of May 2023, Stephen King’s net worth is estimated to be $400 million.
3. James Patterson
Net Worth:$560 Million
James Patterson is an American author who writes thriller novels. Patterson knows exactly what will fly off shelves, as his 20 bestsellers in 2010.
James Patterson’s net worth is roughly $560 Million, making him the 3rd richest author on the list.
2. J.K. Rowling
Net Worth: $1 Billion
J.K. Rowling “Joanne Kathleen Rowling” is a British author who is the 2nd richest author. Rowling is best known as the brain behind the commercially successful Harry Potter. The Harry Potter franchise is the highest-grossing film series of all-time.
As of May 2023, J.K. Rowling’s net worth is estimated to be$1 Billion.
1. Elisabeth Badinter
Net Worth:$1.3 Billion
Elisabeth Badinter, is a French philosopher, author, and historian. Badinter is best known for her philosophical treatises on feminism and women’s role in society. A 2010 Marianna news magazine poll named her “France’s most influential intellectual”.
Elisabeth Badinter’s net worth is approximately$1.3 Billion, making her the richest author in the world of all time.
Summary
Here’s a quick recap of the top 20 richest authors in the world:
- Elisabeth Badinter
- J.K. Rowling
- James Patterson
- Stephen King
- Nora Roberts
- Danielle Steel
- Barbara Taylor Bradford
- Nigel Blackwell
- John Grisham
- Jeffrey Archer
- Dan Brown
- David Oyedepo
- Dean Koontz
- Stephanie Meyer
- Paul McKenna
- Christopher Little
- Jack Higgins
- Deepak Chopra
- Janet Evanovich
- Suzanne Collins
How many of these authors did you expect to appear on this list of the richest authors in the world? Leave a comment below.
FAQs
Who is the world's richest author? ›
1. J.K. Rowling. British author Joanne Rowling, also known as J.K. Rowling, is the richest author in the world with a net worth of $1 billion. Rowling is the author of the hit children's fantasy series "Harry Potter." The seven-volume series sold over 600 million copies and has been translated into 84 languages.
Who is richer Stephen King or James Patterson? ›With a net worth of roughly US$1.3 Billion, Élisabeth Badinter is the richest author in the world, followed by J.K. Rowling (No. 2, US$1 billion), James Patterson (No. 3, US$560 million); and Stephen King (No. 4, US$400 million).
How much does Stephen King make per book? ›How much does Stephen King make per book? It is not known exactly how much Stephen King makes per book or has been paid as advances for publishing his books. It has been estimated that King earns between $1 and $3 for each of his book copies that are sold.
Who made the most money from a book? ›- James Patterson : $836 million.
- J. K. Rowling : $546 million.
- Stephen King : $259 million.
- Danielle Steel : $231 million.
- John Grisham : $192 million.
- Jeff Kinney : $165 million.
- E. L. James (Tie) : $153 million.
| # | Author | Estimated sales |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Shakespeare | 2 billion – 4 billion |
| 2 | Agatha Christie | 2 billion – 4 billion |
| 3 | Danielle Steel | 900 million+ |
| 4 | Harold Robbins | 750 million – 750 million |
The pen name J.K. Rowling belongs to the first billionaire author, Joanne Kathleen Rowling, a British novelist, who created the award-winning Harry Potter series that has sold over 400 million copies around the world.
Who is the richest in all of fiction? ›| Character | Source | Net Worth |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Carlisle Cullen | Compund Interest | $34.1 billion |
| 2. Scrooge McDuck | Mining | $33.5 billion |
| 3. Richie Rich | Inheritance | $11.5 billion |
| 4. Tony Stark | Defense | $8.8 billion |
Persian literature (ادبیات فارسی ) is one of the world's oldest and richest literary traditions. It spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost.
Which billionaire reads the most? ›Warren Buffet
The Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the top three richest man in the world said that he spends about 5 to 6 hours a day reading at least 5 newspapers and also read through pages and pages of financial documents every single day.
What is Stephen King's scariest novel? ›
Pretty much everyone names Pet Sematary as King's scariest (including the author himself). Part of it is the primal nature of the scares, centered on loved ones coming back from death wrong.
What book series has made the most money? ›Having sold more than 600 million copies worldwide, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling is the best-selling book series in history.
What is the most read book of all time? ›The most read book in the world is the Bible. Writer James Chapman created a list of the most read books in the world based on the number of copies each book sold over the last 50 years.
What is the most read book in the world? ›The Bible. Easily the most read book in the world is the Bible for obvious reasons. It is estimated to have sold over 40 million copies in the last 60 years. You can even find it at most hotels.
Who is the best selling American author of all time? ›| Author | Min. estimated sales | Genre and/or major works |
|---|---|---|
| J. K. Rowling | 600 million | young adult, fantasy, crime fiction, including the Harry Potter series |
| Enid Blyton | Children's literature, Noddy, The Famous Five, The Secret Seven | |
| Sidney Sheldon | 370 million | Suspense |
| Eiichiro Oda | 516.5 million | Manga, One Piece |
Brazilian author Ryoki Inoue holds the Guinness World Record for being the most prolific author, with 1,075 books published under many pseudonyms. Inoue would write all day and all night until he finished a book.
Who is the youngest ever best selling author? ›Christopher Paolini was 18 years old when Eragon was published. Although other children have become published authors at younger ages, the Guinness World Records recognizes Paolini as the “youngest author of a bestselling book,” with his book selling more than 33 million copies.
Who is the world's youngest best selling author? ›The Guinness World Records recognized Christopher Paolini as the "youngest author of a bestselling book series" on January 5, 2011.
Who is the first author to be worth a billion dollars? ›The author of Harry Potter books, JK Rowling made history in 2004 when she became the first billion-dollar author.
Who was the first person to reach $1 billion dollars? ›The American business magazine Forbes produces a global list of known U.S. dollar billionaires every year and updates an Internet version of this list in real-time. The American oil magnate John D. Rockefeller became the world's first confirmed U.S. dollar billionaire in 1916.
Who was the first author to earn $1 billion? ›
According to Official Guinness Records, J.K. Rowling (UK) is one of only five self-made female billionaires, and the first billion-dollar author. The seven Harry Potter books have sold a total of 400 million copies around the world and are published in 55 languages, including Latin and Ancient Greek.
Who become billionaire by reading books? ›Jeff Bezos
It is known that Bezos initially started Amazon by selling books online, and the rest as they say is history. Bezos is quite an avid reader and some books that he had read and recommended are: 'Built To Last', 'Rework', 'Creation', among others.
1. Mom, Futurama: $15.7 Billion. The main antagonist of the Futurama series, Carol Miller, better known as Mom, has an estimated net worth of $15.7 billion, placing her as the richest female fictional character on our list.
What is Santa's net worth? ›Santa Claus and Tannenbaum escorted GOBankingRates out of the North Pole. On the way out, Santa Claus' net worth of $51,600,160,268 was mentioned to the gentlemen. It was unanticipated that the figure didn't exceed Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' net worth when Claus has magic on his side.
What is the biggest book prize? ›One of the Most Prestigious Book Awards: The Nobel Prize in Literature. This is the oldest literary award bestowed since 1901.
Which author became richer than the Queen? ›(London) April 28, 2003 - The creator of Harry Potter, author JK Rowling, is even richer than the Queen of England. According to a survey of Britain's wealthiest people in the Sunday Times newspaper, Rowling's conjured up a fortune of 280 million pounds.
How many books do billionaires read? ›The billionaire book club
Musk was bullied a lot as a child in South Africa. He found comfort in fantasy and science-fiction books, which inspired him to leave a legacy in the world. Bill Gates, the richest man in the world and a lifelong bookworm, reads about 50 books a year, but strictly nonfiction ones.
- JAMIE DIMON CEO OF $483.45+ BILLION BANK. JAMIE DIMON. ...
- Jack: Straight from the Gut. ...
- Sam Walton: Made in America. ...
- Life is What You Make It. ...
- Security Analysis. ...
- The Intelligent Investor.
Self-made millionaire Barbara Corcoran was called “the 'dumb kid' in school,” she told CNBC Make It in November, as she struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia. “I was labeled the 'dumb kid' that couldn't read or write, coming all through to when I was graduating in high school,” Corcoran told CNBC Make It.
What do rich people read everyday? ›They're reading self-improvement books, biographies, books about successful people, things like that, says Tom Corley. “I can tell you why I succeeded,” Leland Stanford once said. “One word — Lots of reading.” Stanford wasn't the only successful person who recognized the importance of reading.
What's Stephen King's longest book? ›
In 1990, an unabridged edition of The Stand was published, billed as The Complete and Uncut Edition. Published in hardcover by Doubleday in May 1990, this became the longest book published by King at 1,152 pages.
What is the best selling book genre of all time? ›The bestselling book genre is romance and the most profitable fiction book genre. Religious & inspirational books are the most popular non-fiction genre, whilst thrillers are the most popular audiobooks.
Who has the best selling book? ›Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is one of the most sold books in the world and the book that begins the most sold book series of all time. This wizarding journey of light and dark, and life and death, has inspired hope in readers of all ages.
- Essential Tales and Poems (Barnes & Noble Signature Editions) eBook $2.99. ...
- House of Leaves: The Remastered Full-Color Edition. Paperback $23.40 $26.00. ...
- Rosemary's Baby. ...
- The Haunting of Hill House. ...
- Lord of the Flies. ...
- We Need to Talk about Kevin. ...
- Night Film. ...
- Ring (Ring Series #1)
While perhaps The Shining and Shawshank Redemption are more critically acclaimed and iconic films, and other films like IT are certainly more popular, The Mist remains arguably the darkest Stephen King adaptation ever made.
Which holy book is scientifically proven? ›The Quran, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago, mentioned facts only recently discovered or proven by scientists. These are just some of the many scientific facts found in the Quran.
Which country has read the most books? ›India – Ranking at number one, India spends approximately 10 hours and 42 minutes reading per week.
What is the oldest book still in print? ›A Buddhist holy text, the Diamond Sūtra is considered to be the oldest surviving dated printed book in the world. Found in a walled up cave in China along with other printed materials, the book is made up of Chinese characters printed on a scroll of grey printed paper, wrapped along a wooden pole.
Which is the least read book in the world? ›THE English Bible is the bestselling book – but it is also the least read book.
Who has written the most books in the world? ›According to Guinness World Records, L. Ron Hubbard is the most prolific writer of all time. In addition to founding the controversial religion Scientology, the sci-fi author published 1084 works between 1934 and 2006. Of those works, more than 250 were fiction.
Who is the most favorite author? ›
- William Shakespeare — 11.
- William Faulkner — 6.
- Henry James — 6.
- Jane Austen — 5.
- Charles Dickens — 5.
- Fyodor Dostoevsky — 5.
- Ernest Hemingway — 5.
- Franz Kafka — 5.
The most published works by one author is 1,084 by L. Ron Hubbard (USA) whose first work was published in February 1934 and the last in March 2006.
Which author holds the record for most best sellers? ›With 31 hardcover novels reaching number one and 45 total books on the list, author James Patterson has earned the Guinness World Record for the “Most Entries on The New York Times Best-Seller List.”
Who is the only person to earn $1 billion as an author? ›According to Forbes, Rowling has grossed over $1 billion (£627 million) for her novels and from related earnings.
Can an author be a millionaire? ›Be prepared to work long and hard
Consider the example of Stephen King, who is certainly a millionaire writer. He is also one of the most hardworking writers, and has published scores of best-selling books. It will usually take several books for a good writer to hit the first million.
In 2004, Forbes named Rowling "the first billion-dollar author".
Who has become the first person to hit a net worth of $200 billion? ›Elon Musk was the second person ever to amass a personal fortune of more than $200 billion, breaching that threshold in January 2021, months after Jeff Bezos.
Who is the millionaire that can't read or write? ›Self-made millionaire Barbara Corcoran was called “the 'dumb kid' in school,” she told CNBC Make It in November, as she struggled with undiagnosed dyslexia. “I was labeled the 'dumb kid' that couldn't read or write, coming all through to when I was graduating in high school,” Corcoran told CNBC Make It.
Who was the first person to own a billion dollars? ›The American business magazine Forbes produces a global list of known U.S. dollar billionaires every year and updates an Internet version of this list in real-time. The American oil magnate John D. Rockefeller became the world's first confirmed U.S. dollar billionaire in 1916.
How many books does an author need to sell to make a living? ›Most self-published authors sell 250 books or less, regardless of how many different books they write. Traditionally published books sell around 3,000 copies on average, with only 250 of those sales in the first year. It's rare that books sell over 100,000 copies and even rarer to sell more than a million.
How much does a best selling author make per book? ›
How much do authors make for a bestseller? The amount bestselling authors make depends on their royalty rate for their books and the amount of books they sell. Traditionally published bestselling authors usually earn a 10% royalty rate, whereas self-published bestselling authors make a 60% royalty rate.
Can you get rich publishing a book? ›Yes, traditional publishing brings in more money for authors overall. But look: how much does an author make per book? According to this recent report, traditional authors earn $1.79 per book, while self-published authors earn $5.74 (a whopping 221% difference!)
What book genre makes the most money? ›The bestselling book genre is romance and the most profitable fiction book genre.
Who wrote the most books ever? ›According to Guinness World Records, L. Ron Hubbard is the most prolific writer of all time. In addition to founding the controversial religion Scientology, the sci-fi author published 1084 works between 1934 and 2006. Of those works, more than 250 were fiction.
Who wrote the oldest book in the world? ›The earliest surviving written literature is from ancient Mesopotamia. The Epic of Gilgamesh is often cited as the first great composition, although some shorter compositions have survived that are even earlier (notably the “Kesh Temple Hymn” and “The Instructions of Shuruppak”).