Surely you have that favorite book that fascinates you so much that you never get bored of reading it over and over again. Or a film based on a book that you’re always happy to return to? The authors of these works are rare writers who managed to fight for their place under the sun and not only win but also turn into world-famous writers. Many spend their lives creating with the hope that their efforts will see ‘’the light of day’’, but only the most talented achieve the desired success.
Today, they’re often on the lists of the richest people in the world. Creating such a piece of art that’ll intrigue publishing houses and audiences around the world at the same time is definitely not an easy task. Those who succeeded in that deservedly later reaped the fruits of their creations.
They were often the inspiration for famous directors who turned those ideas into movies, which further contributed to their popularity. And yes, we do know that the
Did they teach you in school that writing is not the most lucrative business? And admit it, you don’t really see it as a full-time business? Just to make you change your mind, in the following examples, you’ll have the opportunity to see how talented people turned their gift for writing into a business that put them on the list of the wealthiest people of all time.
1. Dave Ramsey
The primary interests of this versatile American were finance and entrepreneurship. Now, that sounds like business, doesn’t it? At one time he was also involved in journalism and was a radio host, however, finances definitely seemed to be his major subject of interest, so he wrote about them.
The result? His first work was published in 1992 under the title ‘Financial Peace’, for which he became famous across the globe – not only in his country. He’s also known for his firm Christian beliefs, which he often emphasizes. “The Dave Ramsey Show” is broadcast in Canada and the United States, and, thanks to the published works, he earned 200.000.000 dollars, which definitely puts him in a pretty high position on this list.
2. James Patterson
Fiction writers made some serious engagement, as well. This American author, born in New Jersey in 1947, is considered one of the best bestseller writers. We could say that thriller tends to be his favorite genre which explains why so many of his novels are composed in that style primarily.
Patterson is known among the audience for the series Alex Cross, which was released in 1976, but some of his most prosperous works also include Maximum Ride, Witch and the Wizard, Michael Bennet and Women’s Murder Club. More than 300.000.000 copies of his books have been sold around the world, he’s the holder of the Guinness World Record, and all that makes him earn 90.000.000 million annually.
3. Paulo Coelho
Paulo Coelho was born in 1947 in Rio de Janeiro. This Brazilian writer, musician, and also theater director quickly gained the sympathy of many readers through his most famous works such as ‘The Alchemist’. He first tried his hand at law studies, and after realizing that he didn’t feel himself as a part of it, decided to travel the world.
Sounds more like an adventurous? Well, you’re not far from truth, however, this Nobel Prize winner’s works were and are sold in millions of copies, bringing him a whole fortune in the amount of 500.000.000 dollars so far. While progressing and positioning himself high on the starry literature sky, he even managed to make some drafts for TV series based on his books, which only confirmed his popularity.
4. John Grisham
Inspired by his primary work, this lawyer and later writer also drove readers crazy with his thrillers, often leaving them shamelessly on the edge of their seats. John was born in February 1955, and in addition to being a lawyer, he’s also a film producer and screenwriter. His books have also been sold in the form of hundreds of millions of copies across America and abroad, making him one of the wealthiest authors with a 300.000.000 dollar bank sum.
‘A Time to Kill’, his first novel, was published in 1988. and was later turned into a movie. Some of John’s works have also been the inspiration for films such as ‘The Pelican Brief’, ‘The Firm’ and ‘The Client’.
5. Jim Davis
Have you ever even thought about the possibility that a simple cat could get somebody hit a true jackpot, if we don’t count the emotional aspect?
I mean, not really a simple, ordinary cat – we all adored the naughty, chubby and above all lazy Garfield whose only hobbies were enjoying naps and eating lasagna. Well, maybe you should know that his ‘father’, Jim Davis, turned the pleasure of creating this comic masterpiece into a true source of material prosperity.
Thanks to this comic and later the film, Garfield gained immense popularity around the world, and Davis won numerous awards for the best animation program. ‘Garfield’ became his business, apart from his best and most appreciated work of art, and allegedly earned 800.000.000 dollars for him. Davis humanely spent a part of the money on opening a foundation for children’s literacy.
6. Nora Roberts
Fans of romantic novels most likely have a book by this author on the shelves. She turned her great love for this job into 209 novels that she published. Her era began in the late 1970s, and in 1985 her bestseller called ‘Playing the Odds’ came out.
Nora’s books were at first rejected by some publishing houses, but they soon found themselves on the list of best sellers made by the New York Times. From that moment on, her career flourished, which resulted in her earnings of 390.000.000 dollars.
7. Stephenie Meyer
This young American writer probably couldn’t have guessed what expansion her vampire love story would achieve. The author of Twilight Saga was initially rejected by 14 publishers, but in 2008, her book became one of the best-selling in the United States and beyond.
After the work gained additional popularity, three films were made, thanks to which she earned 180.000.000 dollars. She achieved all that when she was less than 30 years old and left a big mark in the history of cinematography and literary art.
8. Stephen King
Stephen King is known for his titles like “Carrie,” “The Shawshank Redemption,” and “It” and is a true legend of world’s literature. He’s a writer, actor, screenwriter, and musician by profession.
Stephen King’s books have sold 350.000.000 copies and there are various genres in which he excelled – suspenseful thrillers, horror, and science fiction. That’s probably why CoolThingsChicago, just like other online stores never throw a selection of his science fiction works out of their purchase top lists.
His career was marked by numerous awards and recognitions, but also by many films made based on books – and all that made him climb to the top of this list as he earned a total of 400.000.000 dollars.
9. J.K.Rowling
Surely there are many fans of the famous kid-wizard among you. So, basically, there’s a rule – whoever likes Harry, also adores its creator, JK Rowling, for what she made. She’s actually one of the highest-paid authors of all time and one of the richest people in the world – not only among writers.
Thanks to this story that won over audiences around the world, her bank account was blessed with more than 1 billion dollars. She got the idea for the book, as they say, while traveling by train, and from that moment she kept imagining this magical world around her. One thing is for sure – she probably had no idea how much popularity and wealth that current thought would bring her later. The book has been translated into 65 different languages.
Tips To Follow Your Favorite Author’s Footsteps
Aside from fame and fortune, being an author is a worthwhile career that can provide many benefits. Working as one will give you a sense of achievement, improve your writing skills, and allow you to express yourself through words.
If you want to achieve the same success that the same authors from this article have been getting, take note of the following tips:
- Write Every Single Day
No author became successful overnight, so you should spend every single day writing so you can improve your craft. Regardless of how experienced you are as a writer, you should still write and improve your writing every day.
- Join A Writers’ Group
You can never improve when you work alone, which is why it’s vital that you find and join a writers’ group. Doing so will allow you to have access to some of the best writers in the industry and learn tips from them. Joining a writers’ group is also a great way to find motivation as you’ll be surrounded by individuals who understand your struggles.
- Read Constantly
Before you click here and find photocopiers to reproduce your material, make it a habit to read constantly. Before publishing a book, read the material several times and determine which areas need improvement. Reading constantly will allow you to determine errors in your book and correct them before printing.
- Find A Mentor
There are countless aspiring authors who want to make it big in the industry today. For you to stand out from the competition, make sure that you find and work with a mentor to help you out. Ideally, you should work with someone who has years of experience in the writing industry as they can help you build your career as an author.
- Build An Online Presence
Even if you still don’t have any idea when you’re going to publish your first book, it’s important that you start to build an online presence. Having an online presence will make it easier for you to market your books once you’re able to produce one.
In Conclusion
Did you find your favorite author on our list? That’s what we thought! Some became famous thanks to the current thought that came to their mind, some thanks to the inspiration they received from their life experience, but each in some way found the right path to the hearts of viewers and readers, making a whole new business out of their pleasure and way of life.
