Writing is still considered as a part-time thing in many parts of the world. A layman will not hesitate from asking a Writer “What do you do for bread & butter?”
But surprisingly things have changed lately. There are many prominent Writers who became Millionaires.
According to a list released by Forbes, Authors have earned as much as $95 Million.
Yeah! you read it right. World’s highest-paid author of 2016 – James Patterson – popularly known for novels about fictional psychologist Alex Cross, ranked on top of the list with gross earnings of $95 Million for 12 months.
The second-placed Jeff Kinney, author of the Wimpy Kid children’s books, earned $19.5m, way lesser than the top. Harry Potter author JK Rowling secured the third place for estimated earnings of $19m.
Former financial journalist Paula Hawkins known for her award-winning Girl on the Train joined the league of the world’s highest-paid authors, beating Game of Thrones bestseller George RR Martin to book a spot in Forbes’s annual ranking of the richest authors in the world.
See full list of highest-paid authors 2016 (in US dollars) released by Forbes
1. James Patterson – $95 million
2. Jeff Kinney – $19.5 million
3. JK Rowling – $19 million
4. John Grisham – $18 million
5. Stephen King – $15 million
5. Danielle Steel – $15 million
5. Nora Roberts – $15 million
8. EL James – $14 million
9. Veronica Roth – $10 million
9. John Green – $10 million
9. Paula Hawkins – $10 million
12. George RR Martin – $9.5 million
12. Dan Brown – $9.5 million
12. Rick Riordan – $9.5 million
Forbes compiled the list using official book sales figures and analysis from experts. If we combine the total amount earned by the bestselling authors above, it heaps up almost to $270 million. Now that’s HUGE! And guess who has spent all those dollars on the books… WE, the readers.
Apart from everything else, these figures has definitely inspired me to write. What are you waiting for?? Take a pen and start writing that story you wanted to write since childhood!
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These HAVE to be skewed figures. Stephen King was making around $40 million last I looked, now he’s down to $15???? No Dean Koontz, even though last I looked he was making $25 million? And Patterson from $50 million to 95???
Sorry, I don’t buy into these figures at all.
No offense, but I think you and vowelor both are correct at some point because valuation change time by time. I believe the data is bit old but not incorrect. ?
Howdy Alex! Nice to know that readers like you care so much about the authors. But, sorry for your disappointment. These statistics are latest and taken from Forbes. Check it here: http://goo.gl/QhmWns
Where do you get all such info.
Howdy Ankit!
The data has been taken from the Forbes list of highest earning authors for 2016. Check it here : http://goo.gl/QhmWns