Top 50 Richest Authors of All Time

These writers have created some of the most popular books ever published and made a lot of money.

All it takes is an idea. Many successful authors started their careers by putting pen to paper and writing down their thoughts, dreams, viewpoints or expertise before becoming a high-paid writer.

Most people don’t become a best-selling author with their first book, but it’s the best place to start. Often what you think are one-hit wonders aren’t. Writing takes practice like any other art, and most writers already have written several manuscripts prior to the one that becomes a bestseller.

Do it enough times, and you become rich. These are the richest authors of all time.

50. Harlan Coben

Harlan Coben signs copies of his book “Hold Tight” at the 2009 Paris Book Fair. Christophe Ena / AP Photo

Born: Jan. 4, 1962, in Newark, New Jersey

Age: 58

Books published: 32

Copies sold: 70 million

Best seller: Tell No One

Net worth: $25 million

Quote: “I never bought the excuse of not having time to write. If you really want to do it, you’re either going to find those hours or eventually decide not to be a writer.”

Bottom line: By his senior year in college, Harlan Coben had set his sights on writing. Now, he’s an award-winning author of mystery novels.

Coben doesn’t outline his thrillers and usually knows what the ending will be before he starts. The rest of the story is up in the air. He’s been both creator and executive producer of three Netflix series based on his books, “Safe,” “The Five,” and “The Stranger.”

He doesn’t read reviews of his books, nor does he read comments about them. A steady plotline he uses is having a character disappear.

49. Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks’ books have been published in more than 50 languages. nicholassparks / Instagram

Born: Dec. 31, 1965, in Omaha, Nebraska

Age: 54

Books published: 23

Copies sold: 115 million

Bestseller: The Notebook

Net worth: $30 million

Quote: “I read over a hundred books a year and have done so since I was 15 years old, and every book I’ve read has taught me something.”

Bottom line: Nicholas Sparks graduated from Notre Dame with honors and completed his first novel in 1985, but it wasn’t published.

He wrote “The Notebook” while selling pharmaceuticals full-time. That title became a New York Times bestseller the first week it was out.

Eleven of his books have been made into movies. In his non-writing hours, he spends time with his five children, runs, lifts weights and practices tae kwon do, in which he has a black belt.

48. Rick Riordan

Author Rick Riordan signs copies of his books at the Book Expo America in New York in 2011. Charles Sykes / AP Photo

Born: June 5, 1964, in San Antonio, Texas

Age: 56

Books published: 34

Copies sold: 86 million

Bestseller: Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

Net worth: $35 million

Quote: “For me, writing for kids is harder because they’re a more discriminating audience. While adults might stay with you, if you lose your pacing or if you have pages of extraneous description, a kid’s not going to do that. They will drop the book.”

Bottom line: While teaching English and social studies at a San Francisco High School, Rick Riordan discovered success with one of his series, “Tres Navarre,” the one he wrote for adults. Then, he took to writing full-time.

Mostly, he writes in the young adult genre, which he first started penning after his son asked him to tell him bedtime stories about Greek gods.

That eventually spurred the creation of Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy with ADHD and dyslexia who has been declared a demigod.

47. Cormac McCarthy

Cormac McCarthy is one of America’s greatest writers. Cormac McCarthy / Facebook

Born: July 20, 1933, in Providence, Rhode Island

Age: 87

Books published: 10

Copies sold: N/A

Bestseller: The Road (received the Pulitzer Prize in 2007)

Net worth: $35 million

Quote: “I felt early on I wasn’t going to be a respectable citizen.”

Bottom line: Cormac McCarthy wrote his first novel while working as an auto mechanic. After that, fellowships and grants kept him in the game.

With the money from one fellowship, he travelled on the ocean liner, Sylvania, to visit Ireland, home of his ancestors. There, he met Anne, who would become his first wife. She entertained cruise passengers with her singing and dancing.

McCarthy rarely signed his books, making autographed copies highly collectable. His typewriter was auctioned for a quarter of a million dollars.

46. David Baldacci

David Baldacci, with his wife, Michelle, in 1994. Greg Gibson / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 5, 1960, in Richmond, Virginia

Age: 60

Books published: 47

Copies sold: 130 million

Bestseller: Absolute Power

Net worth: $45 million

Quote: “Fiction is sort of a way to set the record straight, and let people at least believe that justice can be achieved and the right outcomes can occur.”

Bottom line: David Baldacci attained his law degree at the University of Virginia and then practiced law in Washington, D.C. for nine years before. In 1994, he sold his first novel, “Absolute Power,” a political thriller, for $2 million to Warner Books, and his career as a writer began.

In his youth, he wrote short stories and plays so his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write his stories and keep him out of her hair. He releases a new book almost every year and has written series for both adults and young adults.

Together with his wife, Michelle, Baldacci supports his family’s Wish You Well Foundation that focuses on literacy for all ages.

45. Eric Carle

Eric Carle signs a book for a young fan during a promotional stop for “Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do you See?” in San Marino, California, in 2003. Rene Macura / AP Photo

Born: June 25, 1929, in Syracuse, New York

Age: 91

Books published: 70+

Copies sold: 125 million

Bestseller: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Net worth: $60 million

Quote: “We have eyes, and we’re looking at stuff all the time, all day long. And I just think that whatever our eyes touch should be beautiful, tasteful, appealing, and important.”

Bottom line: Eric Carle worked for The New York Times as a graphic designer before he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. In the military, he was a mail clerk.

After collaborating on a successful picture book, Carle started writing and illustrating his own stories. Then, he came up with unique ideas to make his books more interesting to children like holes eaten through the pages, twinkling lights and sound mechanisms.

In 2002, Carle and his wife opened the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts.

44. Anne Rice

Anne Rice at her home in San Diego, California, in 2005. Lenny Ignelzi / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 4, 1941, in New Orleans, Louisiana

Age: 78

Books published: 37

Copies sold: 100 million

Bestseller: The Vampire Chronicles series

Net worth: $60 million

Quote: “To write something, you have to risk making a fool of yourself.”

Bottom line: Anne Rice wrote her first novel “Interview with the Vampire” in only five weeks, which turned into the first book in the “Vampire Chronicles.” Vampires were used as a way to study her own perspectives on life, religion, good and bad.

She went on to create many other fantasy fiction titles. For her erotica, she used the pen name Anne Rampling. Later, she changed to writing religious books.

Christopher Rice, her son, is also a successful author.

43. Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle speaks English, German and Spanish. eckharttolle / Instagram

Born: Feb. 16, 1948, in Lunen, Germany

Age: 72

Books published: 11

Copies sold: 25 million

Bestseller: The Power of Now

Net worth: $70 million

Quote: “Discontent, blaming, complaining, self-pity cannot serve as a foundation for a good future, no matter how much effort you make.”

Bottom line: Considered one of the popular spiritual leaders of our time, Eckhart Tolle underwent a transformation while pursuing a master’s degree at Cambridge University.

He claimed to have been depressed for most of his life, until at age 29 (in 1979), he suffered a nervous breakdown of sorts. That subsequently left him with an inner calm.

He changed his name from Ulrich to Eckhart and spent two years just savoring peacefulness. Fast-forward to now, and he has a career as a counselor and spiritual teacher.

42. Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney at his office in Boston in 2011. Gretchen Ertl / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 19, 1971, in Fort Washington, Maryland

Age: 49

Books published: 16

Copies sold: 200 million

Bestseller: Diary of a Wimpy Kid series

Net worth: $70 million

Quote: “I think if everyone would write down the funny stories from their own childhoods, the world would be a better place.”

Bottom line: Game designer, cartoonist and children’s author Jeff Kinney always wanted to draw comics. While attending the University of Maryland, he created the comic strip “Igdoof.” Although popular with Kinney’s classmates, he didn’t have any luck getting it syndicated by a newspaper.

Then, he worked on his idea for “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” for almost eight years before a publisher bought it. Now, the “Wimpy Kid” series is immensely popular.

He also created the website “Poptropica” where the characters from the series hang out.

41. Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)

Theodor Seuss Geisel, known as Dr. Seuss, talks to some children with his book “You’re Only Old Once!” at a book store in New York in 1986. Michael J. Pennacchia / AP Photo

Born: March 2, 1904, in Springfield, Massachusetts

Died: Sept. 24, 1991, in La Jolla, California (age 87)

Books published: 60+

Copies sold: 650 million

Bestsellers: The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham

Net worth: $75 million

Quote: “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child.”

Bottom line: Theodor Geisel changed his name to “Seuss” after getting caught drinking in college. When he received an honorary doctorate from Dartmouth, he added the “Dr.” to his name.

His first attempt at a rhyming children’s book, “And to Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street” was rejected 27 times before it was published in 1937.

In 1954, the director of education at Houghton Mifflin asked Seuss to write a book for children using only 250 preselected words. That resulted in “The Cat in the Hat.”

40. George R. R. Martin

George R.R. Martin at a book signing for “A Dance with Dragons” in 2011. Charles Sykes / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey

Age: 72

Books published: 12

Copies sold: 90 million

Bestseller: A Song of Ice and Fire series

Net worth: $80 million

Quote: “I work for two years on a book, and it comes out, and two days later, I’ve got my first email: When is the next one coming out?”

Bottom line: While enrolled at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he received both a B.S. and M.S. in Journalism, George R.R, Martin experienced an exceptional snowstorm.

For weeks, he and his fellow students walked through trenches with snow and ice high above their heads. This transformed world made it into some of his novels.

His real claim to fame is his book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” that spurred the popular TV show “Game of Thrones.”

39. Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins in New York in 2010. Victoria Will / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 10, 1962, in Hartford, Connecticut

Age: 58

Books published: 12

Copies sold: 100 million

Bestseller: The Hunger Games trilogy

Net worth: $80 million

Quote: “Telling a story in a futuristic world gives you this freedom to explore things that bother you in contemporary times.”

Bottom line: Suzanne Collins began writing for television in 1991 and proceeded to work on various Nickelodeon shows. Another children’s author and illustrator, James Proimos, encouraged her to start writing children’s books.

“Alice in Wonderland” got her thinking about a fantasy of living things who survived in the sewer, and that was the impetus for her “Underland Chronicles.”

Then came “The Hunger Games” and a favorite heroine, Katniss Everdeen. The film adaptation broke several box-office records.

38. Bill O’Reilly

Bill O’Reilly in 2016. Andy Kropa / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 10, 1949, in Manhattan, New York

Age: 71

Books published: 20

Copies sold: N/A

Bestseller: Culture Warrior

Net worth: $85 million

Quote: “The measure of a decent human being is how he or she treats the defenseless.”

Bottom line: Bill O’Reilly appeared on the TV show, “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox from 1996 to 2017. Then a group of sexual harassment lawsuits led to his firing.

O’Reilly’s departure from Fox hasn’t appeared to affect his book sales though. He cowrote his popular “Killing” series with Martin Dugard.

O’Reilly also penned titles for younger readers that were often adapted from his other books.

37. Jack Higgins

Jack Higgins is a master of thrillers and espionage novels. Jack Higgins / Facebook

Born: July 27, 1929, in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, United Kingdom

Age: 91

Books published: 85

Copies sold: 250 million

Bestseller: The Eagle has Landed

Net worth: $86 million

Quote: “Anyone who expects fairness in this life is seriously misinformed.”

Bottom line: A highly successful author of thrillers and espionage, Jack Higgins was born Henry Patterson. He began supplementing his job as a lecturer at Leeds College with writing thrillers in his spare time.

When he made a million dollars on “The Eagle has Landed,” Higgins quickly moved to Jersey to avoid the devastating taxes in England.

Many of his early works were written in a cigar-smoke cloud, while drinking champagne and not sleeping.

36. Tim Ferriss

Tim Ferriss relaxes in Portland, Oregon, in 2008. Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

Born: July 20, 1977, in East Hampton, New York

Age: 42

Books published: 5

Copies sold: 5 million+

Bestseller: The 4-Hour Workweek

Net worth: $100 million

Quote: “There are certain things I will automate, but when it comes to quality control, I want to keep a very close eye.”

Bottom line: Dubbed this “generation’s self-help guru, Tim Ferriss has been named one of Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Business People.”

He has been invited to present in front of many innovative organizations. Those include Google, MIT, Nike, Facebook and the CIA.

He speaks five languages and is also an angel investor. On the “Live with Regis and Kelly” show, he broke the “Guinness World Record Book” for the most consecutive tango spins in one minute.

35. Andy Puddicombe

Andy Puddicombe leads a moment of mindfulness in London in 2011. Edmond Terakopian / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 23, 1972, in London, England, United Kingdom

Age: 47

Books published: 3

Copies sold: N/A

Bestseller: The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness

Net worth: $100 million

Quote: “The kind of happiness that I’m talking about is the ability to feel comfortable no matter what emotion arises.”

Bottom line: At the age of 22, Andy Puddicombe saw two of his friends killed by a drunk driver, then his stepsister died in a cycling accident, and an ex-girlfriend passed away during surgery.

All that devastation caused him to travel to the Himalayas to study to be a Buddhist monk. He remained a monk for the next 10 years, which took him all around the world and sometimes he meditated as much as 16 hours a day.

After that, he returned to the United Kingdom to organize a meditation business. Now, he runs Headspace with co-founder Richard Pierson.

34. John le Carré

John le Carré’s real name is David Cornwell, and he worked for British intelligence agencies in the 1950s and ’60s. Alastair Grant / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 19, 1931, in Pool, Dorset, England, United Kingdom

Age: 88

Books published: 25

Copies sold: 3.55 million

Bestseller: The Constant Gardener

Net worth: $100 million

Quote: “Once you’ve lived the inside-out world of espionage, you never shed it. It’s a mentality, a double standard of existence.”

Bottom line: Born David John Moore Cornwell, he adopted the pen name John le Carré for his espionage novels. He injects his personal experience working for the British Security Service and the Secret Intelligence Service into the stories he tells.

While employed by the British embassy, he published his first two novels “Call for the Dead” in 1961 and “A Murder of Quality” in 1963. That’s when he came up with his pseudonym because members of the Foreign Office couldn’t publish under their real names.

33. Ian Fleming

Ian Lancaster Fleming, in 1962, created the fictional character of secret agent James Bond. AP Photo

Born: May 28, 1908, in Mayfair, London, England, United Kingdom

Died: Aug.12, 1964 (age 56)

Books published: 17

Copies sold: 60 million+

Bestseller: Moonraker

Net worth: $100 million

Quote: “Never say ‘no’ to adventures. Always say, ‘Yes.’ Otherwise, you’ll lead a very dull life.”

Bottom line: During World War II, Ian Fleming worked as a British naval intelligence officer. In 1953, his first James Bond novel, “Casino Royale” was published and was an immediate success.

He wrote 13 other Bond books before his death along with two nonfiction titles and the beloved children’s book “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” We’re still seeing film adaptations starring James Bond. New “007” titles are being penned by other authors as we speak. “A martini, shaken, not stirred.”

Now, that’s staying power.

32. Paul McKenna

Paul McKenna is a popular TV and radio broadcaster and author of self-help books. iampaulmckenna / Instagram

Born: Nov. 8, 1963, Enfield, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Age: 56

Books published: 22

Copies sold: 7 million

Bestseller: “I Can Make You Thin”

Net worth: $100 million

Quote: “Diets are essentially training courses in how to feel fat and feel like a failure.”

Bottom line: Known for his hypnotic and self-help skills, Paul McKenna worked in radio starting when he was 16 years old. During his radio career, a guest on one of the shows spurred his interest in hypnotism.

He delved into it and eventually found success helping Ellen DeGeneres quit smoking and also as a stage performer.

Now he’s considered one of the most successful nonfiction authors in England. He also produces CDs and DVDs.

31. Herman Melville

Herman Melville became more famous after his death in 1891. Library of Congress

Born: Aug. 1, 1819, in New York City, New York

Died: Sept. 28, 1891, in New York City (age 72)

Books published: 15

Copies sold: 45 million+

Bestseller: Moby-Dick

Net worth: $117 million

Quote: “A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.”

Bottom line: Herman Melville studied surveying so he might sign on to the Erie Canal project, but that didn’t happen. So he went to sea as a cabin boy, ending up deserting the ship and living on the Marquesas Islands among cannibals. He said they treated him well.

His seafaring experiences became fodder for the books he wrote. “Moby-Dick” wasn’t successful until after Melville’s death.

Now it’s considered his signature work.

30. Clive Cussler

Adventure writer Clive Cussler at his home in Telluride, Colorado, in 1997. Ron Semrod / AP Photo

Born: July 15, 1931, in Aurora, Illinois

Died: Feb. 24, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona (age 88)

Books published: 80+

Copies sold: 100 million

Bestseller: Raise the Titanic

Net worth: $120 million

Quote: “I like snappy dialogue and short descriptions and lots of actions.”

Bottom line: After doing a stint in the Air Force as a flight engineer and aircraft mechanic, Clive Cussler settled on becoming a copywriter and, after that, the creative director for two different ad agencies.

He started writing books in 1965 and published his first novel starring his recurring character, Dirk Pitt, in 1973.

An adventure novelist, he liked to focus on shipwrecks. That led to him founding the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA), a nonprofit geared to American maritime and naval history.

29. Mary Higgins Clark

Mary Higgins Clark looks through one of her writing notebooks at her home in Saddle River, New Jersey, in 2004. Mike Derer / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 24, 1927, in Bronx, New York

Died: Jan. 31, 2020, in Naples, Florida (age 92)

Books published: 51

Copies sold: 100 million

Bestseller: A Stranger is Watching

Net worth: $140 million

Quote: “The first four months of writing the book, my mental image is scratching with my hands through granite. My other image is pushing a train up the mountain, and it’s icy and I’m in bare feet.”

Bottom line: After high school, Mary Higgins Clark attended secretarial school and secured a job at an ad agency. Then she succumbed to her wanderlust and became a stewardess for Pan Am Airlines.

After marrying William Clark in 1949, she began penning short stories and radio scripts. Then, a mentor suggested books. Michael Korda, editor-in-chief emeritus of Simon & Schuster, Clark’s publisher, said she always knew exactly what her readers wanted and didn’t want, but still managed to surprise them.

Two of Clark’s novels were made into feature films, “Where Are the Children?” and “A Stranger Is Watching.” Some of her other works were made into television films.

28. Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich holds one of her mystery novels in 2002. Sabina Louise Pierce / AP Photo

Born: April 22, 1943, South River, New Jersey

Age: 77

Books published: 40

Copies sold: 200 million

Bestseller: Stephanie Plum series

Net worth: $120 million

Quote: “I don’t want my readers slowed down by long passages of narrative.”

Bottom line: After giving birth to two children, Janet Evanovich began writing stories, some erotica, others romantic. She sent her work to publishers but had no luck. After 10 years, she finally had one of her romance novels accepted by Berkley Books.

Several published romances later, she tried her hand at mysteries. After watching a movie about bounty hunters, “Midnight Run” with Robert De Niro, her Stephanie Plum character began to emerge.

Each of the Plum books has a number in the title. The 27th title in the series, “Fortune & Glory Tantalizing Twenty-Seven,” was published in 2020.

27. Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer signs copies of her book, “Life and Death,” in 2015. David Edwards / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 24, 1973, in Hartford, Connecticut

Age: 46

Books published: 6

Copies sold: 250 million+

Bestseller: Twilight Saga series

Net worth: $125 million

Quote: “It’s easier to come up with new stories than it is to finish the ones you already have. I think every author would feel that way.”

Bottom line: Authors get ideas from everywhere. The vampire-filled “Twilight” books started with a dream Meyer had. She wrote the first book, submitted it to agents and almost immediately got a three-book deal for $750,000.

Meyer’s original title for the book, “Forks” didn’t fly with the publisher. Forks is the town in Washington state where the book is set.

As you probably know, each of the four “Twilight” books (the third book had to be split into two parts) became a motion picture.

26. Dean Koontz

Dean Koontz has written over 100 novels. deankoontzofficial / Instagram

Born: July 9, 1945, in Everett, Pennsylvania

Age: 75

Books published: 131

Copies sold: 500 million

Bestseller: Watchers

Net worth: $145 million

Quote: “When I’m working on a novel, I work 70-hour weeks.”

Bottom line: While in college, Dean Koontz won an Atlanta Monthly fiction competition, which made him think writing might be a good profession.

His wife, Gerda, whom he dated in high school, offered to support him for five years while he wrote to see if he could make it a successful career.

He was abused as a youth by his alcoholic father and that occasionally makes its way into his storylines. Koontz’s thrillers are labeled scary, but worthwhile reading.

25. E. L. James

E. L. James with her book “Fifty Shades of Grey” at a book signing at Comic-Con in 2012. Denis Poroy / AP Photo

Born: March 7, 1963, in London, England, United Kingdom

Age: 57

Books published: 6

Copies sold: 150 million

Bestseller: Fifty Shades of Grey

Net worth: $150 million

Quote: “Women basically want the same thing – a good passionate story, a great fantasy – and for our partners to do the laundry and washing up.”

Bottom line: Explicit sex, bondage, steamy romance. If that’s what you want in a book, choose the titles authored by E. L. James. E. L. stands for Erika Leonard.

At first, she wrote stories based on the “Twilight” characters created by Stephenie Meyer. Edward Cullen eventually became Christian Grey, and Bella morphed into Anastasia Steele.

The three “Shades of Grey” books became almost instant bestsellers and were all made into films.

24. David Oyedepo

David Oyedepo is a Nigerian preacher. davidoyedepomin / Instagram

Born: Sept. 27, 1954, in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria

Age: 66

Books published: 110

Copies sold: 10 million

Bestseller: Fifteen Success Habits of Pastor David Oyedepo

Net worth: $150 million

Quote: “What you will become in life must first be seen in your mind.”

Bottom line: A Nigerian pastor and author, David Oyedepo founded the David Oyedepo Ministries International. Oyedepo claims to have not made any money from his books, many of which were self-published through the publishing arm of his ministry, Dominion Publishing House.

His books, “Pillars of Faith,” “Born to Win,” and “Possessing your Possession” were all bestsellers.

All four of his children are involved in ministry. He is one of the wealthiest pastors in the world with investments both inside and outside Nigeria.

23. Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra during an interview at the Chopra Center and Spa in New York in 2008. Diane Bondareff / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 22, 1947, in New Delhi, India

Age: 72

Books published: 90

Copies sold: 20 million

Bestseller: Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

Net worth: $150 million

Quote: “The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers.”

Bottom line: An Indian-American doctor, Deepak Chopra has taught Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson and Madonna how to meditate.

Chopra traveled to the United States in 1970 with only $25 in his pocket and the promise of a residency. Even though he was moving up in his career, he became disenchanted with Western medicine, smoked and drank heavily.

Eventually, he turned to alternative medicine. Now, he gets up at 4 a.m., meditates, practices yoga and eats a big salad in the afternoon.

22. Michael Crichton

Michael Crichton received an M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1969. AP Photo

Born: Oct. 23, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois

Died: Nov. 4, 2008, in Los Angeles (age 66)

Books published: 32

Copies sold: 200 million

Bestseller: Jurassic Park (two-book collection)

Net worth: $175 million

Quote: “I’d rather see artificial intelligence than no intelligence.”

Bottom line: Michael Crichton told tales about technology dangers, which he started writing about while he was in medical school at Harvard to help with his tuition.

He received his M.D. in 1969 but did not practice medicine and choose to focus on writing. His first novel under his own name (and sixth overall) was “The Andromedia Strain.” All his books, most of which deal with medical and scientific topics, were carefully researched.

When he was in the process of writing a book or script, Crichton always ate the same thing for lunch to help with his concentration. For “Jurassic Park,” it was egg salad sandwiches with lots of pepper.

21. Dan Brown

Dan Brown in his hometown of Exeter, New Hampshire, in 2003. Tim Boyd / AP Photo

Born: June 22, 1964, in Exeter, New Hampshire

Age: 56

Books published: 8

Copies sold: 200 million

Bestseller: The Da Vinci Code

Net worth: $160 million

Quote: “My interest in secret societies is the product of many experiences, some I can discuss, others I cannot.”

Bottom line: Dan Brown taught English and writing at the Phillips Exeter Academy prep school, his alma mater. On a Tahiti vacation, he read a Sydney Sheldon novel that made him want to create thrillers. Now, he teaches a MasterClass for students on how to write thrillers.

His day begins at 4 a.m. with a spinach smoothie and coffee, then he works 6-9 hours contingent on his vitality.

In 2005, Time Magazine named him one of the most influential people in the world.

20. Jackie Collins

Jackie Collins, at her apartment in Victoria, London, in 1968, with her first novel. Bob Dear / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 4, 1937, in London, England, United Kingdom

Died: Sept. 9, 2015, in Beverly Hills, California (age 77)

Books published: 32

Copies sold: 500 million

Bestseller: The World Is Full of Married Men

Net worth: $180 million

Quote: “I really fall in love with my characters, even the bad ones. I love getting together with them. They tell me what to do. They take me on a wild and wonderful trip.”

Bottom line: Before Jackie Collins fictionalized the scandalous lives of celebrities, she was expelled from high school for truancy, smoking, and selling a book she wrote full of dirty limericks.

Her books told the tales of real people she disguised. She said the truth would have been more bizarre. Many of her books have been made into movies.

She also dabbled in acting, an industry in which her younger sister, Joan, became famous.

19. Allison DuBois

Allison Dubois, right, speaks to the media in 2005 with NBC’s “Medium” executive producer Glen Gordon Caron, left, and actress Patricia Arquette. Nick Ut / AP Photo

Born: Jan. 24, 1972, in Phoenix, Arizona

Age: 48

Books published: 5

Copies sold: 250 million

Bestseller: Don’t Kiss Them Goodbye

Net worth: $200 million

Quote: “Figuring out our gifts in life is part of our journey to becoming enlightened human beings.”

Bottom line: Even though Allison DuBois dropped out of high school, she studied and attained her GED at age 16. She went on to become a medium and profiler and doesn’t consider herself a psychic.

The TV show “Medium” is based on DuBois. She claims to have helped law enforcement solve crimes and that she can communicate with departed souls.

“Buckle up. This is going to be an interesting year (2020),” Dubois said in a video about predictions on her website.

18. R. L. Stine

R. L. Stine is known as the “Stephen King of children’s literature.” rl_stine1 / Instagram

Born: Oct. 8, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio

Age: 76

Books published: 330

Copies sold: 400 million

Bestseller: Goosebump series

Net worth: $200 million

Quote: “I love theme parks, but I’m a real chicken on rides. I’d rather invent scary rides for my books than go on them for real.”

Bottom line: In his early writing career, R. L. Stine wrote school magazines for Scholastic and joke books for kids. His “Goosebump” books, which he began creating in 1992, are one of the bestselling children’s series in history.

To create the right atmosphere for writing them, he keeps a mask, skeleton, and three-foot-long cockroach in his writing office.

Although Stine thrives on scaring his readers, he has a phobia of jumping into water. He has to slowly wade in.

17. Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey talks at a seminar in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2003. John Russell / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 3, 1960, in Antioch, Tennessee

Age: 60

Books published: 15

Copies sold: 11 million

Bestseller: The Total Money Makeover

Net worth: $200 million

Quote: “You’ve got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.”

Bottom line: Dave Ramsey bills himself as a personal finance expert who incorporates biblical principles into his recommendations. He’s the founder of the Financial Peace University, a radio program, podcast and author of several books on money management.

At the age of 28, he was bringing home $250,000 a year as a real estate investor. Then he lost it all when the bank called in his loans.

He shares the knowledge he gained rebuilding his financial life with others.

16. Jeffrey Archer

Jeffrey Archer holds one of his books in Mumbai, India, in 2009. Rajanish Kakade / AP Photo

Born: April 15, 1940, in London, England, United Kingdom

Age: 80

Books published: 34

Copies sold: 275 million

Bestseller: Kane and Abel

Net worth: $200 million

Quote: “I feel I have had an interesting life, but I am rather hoping there is still more to come. I still haven’t captained the cricket team or sung at Carnegie Hall.”

Bottom line: Jeffrey Archer writes fiction, nonfiction, plays, children’s books and short stories. And he handwrites every word of every book he pens.

He believes the secret to his success is simplicity. He told the Times of India that people like a simple story with a beginning, middle and end.

Archer can spin a good yarn, but he has to hone his craftsmanship in order to give it to his readers in book form.

15. Eiichiro Oda

Eiichiro Oda is a Japanese manga artist. eiichiro.oda / Instagram

Born: Jan. 1, 1975, in Kumamoto, Japan

Age: 45

Books published: 95

Copies sold: 462 million

Bestseller: One Piece (a manga series)

Net worth: $200 million

Quote: “Surpass the best to be the best.”

Bottom line: At the ripe old age of 4, Eiichiro Oda knew he wanted to be a manga artist. Manga, or Japanese comic book, is considered a graphic novel or a book with pictures.

Oda is both author and illustrator of his books. At 17, he started a career with manga. Now, Oda has created the bestselling manga series to date.

You’ll find each of his stories either has one or a group of characters with odd behaviors or habits. That’s Oda’s trademark.

14. Kenneth Copeland

Kenneth Copeland, left, and his wife, Gloria, at The Pat Boone 80th Birthday Celebrity Roast. JMA / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 6, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas

Age: 83

Books published: 30

Copies sold: N/A

Bestseller: The Blessing of the Lord: Makes Rich and He Adds No Sorrow with It

Net worth: $300 million

Quote: “Dream big, talk big, and turn your faith loose!”

Bottom line: An author and American televangelist, Kenneth Copeland is often the focus of controversy for his lavish lifestyle funded by his church.

This includes his $6.3 million lakeside parsonage and three private jets, which he uses to travel on business and to fly to his vacation homes.

He admits to being wealthy in an article in the Christian Post but says all his money didn’t come from just church offerings. He also profits from his books and DVDs.

13. Barbara Taylor Bradford

Barbara Taylor Bradford’s debut novel, “A Woman of Substance,” was published in 1979. btbnovelist / Instagram

Born: May 5, 1933, in Upper Armley, Leeds, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom

Age: 87

Books published: 35

Copies sold: 92 million

Bestseller: A Woman of Substance

Net worth: $300 million

Quote: “I work eight hours a day, but I’m not writing all that time. I’m thinking, editing, looking something up. Thinking is what I do a lot of.”

Bottom line: Barbara Taylor Bradford sold her first story to a children’s magazine when she was 10 years old. After graduating high school, Bradford disappointed her parents by taking a job at a newspaper instead of pursuing higher education.

Then Bradford moved to London and worked as a fashion editor and a “Fleet Street” columnist. Her first published works were children’s books and books about decorating.

Her first novel, “A Woman of Substance,” stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for 43 weeks.

12. Tom Clancy

Tom Clancy does research on his next book in 1985 by using a book telling about combat fleets of the world. Bill Smith / AP Photo

Born: April 12, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland

Died: Oct. 1, 2013, in Baltimore (age 66)

Books published: 41

Copies sold: 50 million

Bestseller: The Hunt for Red October

Net worth: $300 million

Quote: “I’ve made up stuff that’s turned out to be real. That’s the spooky part.”

Bottom line: Before publishing his first novel, Tom Clancy worked as an insurance agent. He wrote in many genres, including espionage, military science, and techno-thrillers.

Five feature films were based on his books, and the Jack Ryan series about a fictional CIA agent became a popular TV show. President Ronald Reagan said that “The Hunt for Red October” was “the perfect yarn,” which skyrocketed the book onto The New York Times bestseller list.

His books were so authentic that some of them were required reading at various U.S. military academies.

11. Danielle Steel

Author Danielle Steel after an appearance on the NBC “Today” television show in New York, in 2008. Richard Drew / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 14, 1947, in New York City, New York

Age: 73

Books published: 179

Copies sold: 650 million

Bestseller: The Gift

Net worth: $385 million

Quote: “A book begins with an image or character or situation that I care about deeply.”

Bottom line: Danielle Steel writes romance novels and has had at least one of her titles on The New York Times bestseller list for 390 consecutive weeks.

People in 69 different countries read her books. And they have many novels to choose from as Steel produces seven a year.

Some of them are written on an Olympia standard typewriter, and she says her best work develops while she’s wearing a cashmere nightgown.

10. John Grisham

John Grisham signs copies of his book “The Innocent Man” at Doubleday offices in New York, in 2006. Tina Fineberg / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 8, 1955, in Jonesboro, Arkansas

Age: 65

Books published: 40+

Copies sold: 275 million

Bestseller: The Firm

Net worth: $350 million

Quote: “One thing you really have to watch as a writer is getting on a soapbox or pulpit about anything. You don’t want to alienate readers.”

Bottom line: John Grisham practiced law for almost 10 years, so it was natural that he turned to writing legal thrillers for his bread and butter.

Since 1991, he has produced a novel a year. Those books have been translated into 40 languages.

In his youth, he wanted to play professional baseball but didn’t have the right stuff. Now, he’s a local Little League commissioner, and he’s built six ballfields on his property.

9. Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts at her home in Keedysville, Maryland, in 2006. Timothy Jacobsen / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 10, 1950, in Silver Springs, Maryland

Age: 69

Books published: 200+

Copies sold: 500 million

Bestseller: The Montana Sky

Net worth: $390 million

Quote: “Every single book is a challenge.”

Bottom line: In her youth, Nora Roberts was always reading and making up stories, but she didn’t write then.

Later, when a snowstorm kept her two sons home from school, and she was going a little stir crazy, she penned her first book.

Now, she’s considered a prolific author because she releases several novels each year. Some of those are written under pseudonyms that include J.D. Robb, Jill March and Sarah Hardesty.

8. Stephen King

Stephen King reads during The New Yorker Festival in New York in 2000. Ron Frehm / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine

Age: 73

Books published: 63

Copies sold: 350 million

Bestseller: It

Net worth: $400 million

Quote: “You can’t deny laughter. When it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as it wants.”

Bottom line: Before becoming synonymous with the horror fiction genre, Stephen King taught high school English and wrote in his free time.

To this day, he aims to write 2,000 words a day. He’s passionate about the Boston Red Sox and wrote “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” to honor a former Red Sox pitcher and made a cameo in the movie “Fever Pitch.”

He also played rhythm guitar in a band made up of several successful authors, called “The Rock Bottom Remainders.”

7. Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is best known for “The Alchemist.” paulocoelho / Instagram

Born: Aug. 24, 1947, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Age: 73

Books published: 30+

Copies sold: 350 million

Bestseller: The Alchemist

Net worth: $500 million

Quote: “When a person really wants something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Bottom line: Paulo Coelho’s parents committed him to an asylum three times because he wanted to be a writer. If they’d known he’d write “The Alchemist,” which sold 35 million copies, they might have had second thoughts.

“The Alchemist” chronicles the story of a shepherd in search of his treasure and has been translated into 80 languages, setting a Guinness World Record as the most translated book in the world by a living author.

According to an interview with HuffPost, Coelho wrote the book in two weeks.

6. J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien, author of “The Lord of the Rings,” in 1967 AP Photo

Born: Jan. 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa

Died: Sept. 2, 1973, in Bournemouth, England (age 81)

Books published: 29+

Copies sold: 200 million

Bestseller: The Lord of the Rings

Net worth: $500 million

Quote: “Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.”

Bottom line: J.R.R. Tolkien loved myths and legends, and that drove his creation of “Middle Earth,” the fictional setting for his legends.

Considered an English scholar, he spent a short time working for “The Oxford English Dictionary.” He also taught English at both Leeds and Oxford.

Tolkien didn’t fit the stodgy professor role. He went to parties dressed as a polar bear and often gave shopkeepers his false teeth as payment for goods.

5. Agatha Christie

Mystery author Agatha Christie at a restaurant in London in 1957. DH / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 15, 1890, in Torquay, Devon, England

Died: Jan. 12, 1976, in Winterbrook, Oxfordshire, England (age 85)

Books published: 66 crime novels, 14 volumes of short stories

Copies sold: 2 billion

Bestseller: And Then There Were None

Net worth: $600 million (estimated)

Quote: “The best time to plan a book is while you’re doing the dishes.”

Bottom line: Agatha Christie’s mother didn’t allow her to go to school because she thought it would harm her mind. However, her mother did encourage Agatha to write.

Her first book was published in 1920, a murder mystery introducing the character Hercule Poirot, who appeared in many of Christie’s books. She also created a series featuring an amateur spinster detective, Miss Marple.

Christie took an oath promising to never keep vital clues from her readers and never to use invented poisons as a crutch.

4. Robert Ludlum

Robert Ludlum in New York in 1986. G. Paul Burnett / AP Photo

Born: May 25, 1927, in New York, New York

Died: March 12, 2001, in Naples, Florida (age 73)

Books published: 25

Copies sold: 200 million-300 million

Bestseller: The Bourne Identity

Net worth: $750 million

Quote: “Greater economic power will be in the hand of too few.”

Bottom line: Robert Ludlum first tried his hand at acting for both theater and TV, but couldn’t get used to how little control the actors had.

He then started writing — up at 4:30 a.m. every morning and turning out 2,000 words each day — all written by hand. He studied the military and intelligence to ensure his thrillers were accurate.

Each novel used the same template for the title: “The” followed by a proper noun and a noun. For example: “The Chancellor Manuscript,” “The Icarus Agenda,” and “The Sigma Protocol.”

3. James Patterson

James Patterson in his study at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2003. Steve Mitchell / AP Photo

Born: March 22, 1947, in Newburgh, New York

Age: 72

Books published: 147

Copies sold: 350 million

Bestseller: Along Came a Spider

Net worth: $800 million

Quote: “You’re lucky if you find something you like to do, and it’s a miracle if you find somebody who will pay you to do it.”

Bottom line: James Patterson’s first career saw him climbing the ladder at an ad agency, while writing fiction in his off-hours. His first published work, “The Thomas Berryman Number” came out in 1976 and won a coveted Edgar Award (for mystery writers.)

After the success of “Along Came a Spider,” he devoted all his attention to writing. Now 13 or 14 of his books are released each year.

He’s able to do that because he employs cowriters.

2. J. K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling holds a copy of her book “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” at Edinburgh Castle in Scotland in 2005. Matt Dunham / AP Photo

Born: July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire, England

Age: 55

Books published: 12

Copies sold: 503 million

Bestseller: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Net worth: $1 billion

Quote: “You sort of start thinking anything’s possible if you have enough nerve.”

Bottom line: Her first name is Joanne. Her publisher asked her to use initials because he didn’t think boys would like a book written by a female.

Rowling dreamed up the boy who was “Harry Potter” while being delayed on a train for four hours. It took her six years to write that first HP book. She sent “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” to two agents and one publisher. After several rejections, Bloomsbury agreed to publish it.

Fun fact: Rowling writes most of her books in cursive.

1. Elisabeth Badinter

Elisabeth Badinter in 2017. Francois Mori / AP Photo

Born: March 5, 1944, in Boulogne-Billancourt, Seine, France

Age: 76

Books published: 24

Copies sold: N /A

Bestseller: The Conflict: How Modern Motherhood Undermines the Status of Women

Net worth: $1.7 billion

Quote: “For a majority of women, it remains difficult to reconcile increasingly burdensome maternal responsibilities with personal fulfillment.”

Bottom line: A French author, philosopher, and historian, Elisabeth Badinter writes about feminism. Her parents declared both sexes were equal, and that prompted Badinter to become a feminist in her teens.

Although not so much in the U.S., she’s a household name in France. Her exceptional wealth didn’t all come from her published books.

She also inherited 19 million shares of Publicis Groupe, a public relations company.