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Top ten list - highest paid authors

I wouldn't lose any sleep over how much writers like Rushdie, García Márquez, Ian McEwan or Margaret Atwood are making these days. I'm pretty sure their books sell enough copies all over the world to allow them to live pretty comfortable lives.
As for the 10 writers on the highest paid authors list, good for them! The way I see it, if they can get people away from a screen long enough to read what they wrote, then they deserve every penny they get and then some. That said, I do take offense when people tell me they enjoy reading "serious" literature and then proceed to list every single Paulo Coelho book ever published...
 
Since that link is from 2008, I wonder if the woman who wrote the Twilight books has broke into the top 10 yet. Those books are everywhere it seems.

Middle of the night here, a few too many glasses of wine, and I found myself in this thread of successful authors.

Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia about Stephanie Meyer, (author of the Twilight series):

Entertainment Weekly has hailed Meyer as "the world's most popular vampire novelist since Anne Rice",[57] while The Guardian described her as an "imaginative storyteller, a prolific author and a newly powerful figure in the publishing market."[58] Wayne Janes of Toronto Sun agreed, saying, "Meyer's success points up another trend — the virtual domination of the best-seller lists the last few years by what would normally be classified as young adult fiction," and noted, "In the absence of a new Harry Potter adventure, teens, fantasy enthusiasts and women (sales are mostly to females) who swoon at the idea of a virginal James Dean-ish vampire made Meyer the go-to gal for chaste love."[59] Tymon Smith of The Times has described her as the "superstar of young adult fiction".[60]

Meyer was named USA Today's "Author of the Year" in 2008,[61] and one of MSN Lifestyle's "Most Influential Women of 2008" where she was described as a "literary luminary".[62] She was also ranked #49 on Time magazine's list of the "100 Most Influential People in 2008",[9] and was included in their list of "People Who Mattered", with Lev Grossman noting, "Maybe Americans aren't ready for a Mormon presidential nominee yet. But they're more than ready to anoint a Mormon as the best-selling novelist of the year."[63] As well, Meyer was included in The Arizona Republic's "Valley's Most Fascinating People" in December 2008.[64]

Novelist Orson Scott Card said, "[Stephenie Meyer] writes with luminous clarity, never standing between the reader and the dream they share. She's the real thing".[65] Scott also went on to describe Meyer as an "amazing phenomenon".[66] In an interview with Newsweek, author Jodi Picoult said, "Stephenie Meyer has gotten people hooked on books, and that's good for all of us."[67]

Meyer was ranked #5 on Forbes' list of "Hollywood's Top-Earning Women", the only author on the list, and it was noted that the "Twilight series of young-adult vampire books have taken the publishing and film worlds by storm."[68] She was also ranked #82 on Vanity Fair's list of the "Top 100 Information Age Powers" of 2009.[69] The same year, Meyer was featured in an issue of the biographical comic Female Force, a Bluewater Productions title which celebrates influential women in society and pop culture.[52] The comic has previously published biographies of women such as Oprah Winfrey and Princess Diana.[52]

Meyer was the second bestselling author of the decade, according to a list published by Amazon, beaten only by JK Rowling.[70]
 
maybe if i wrote more and drank less I would be on that list. If I joined the chorus of counter-culturists who claim, (in a self-decieving manner), that they hate the successful, maybe I wouldn't care. the truth is that these authors have reached out and touched the soul of millions of people.

If I don't get up tommorrow, hangover and all, and write at least ten pages then I'm no better than the book snobs who despise the success of these authors. Time for me to walk my talk. put up or shut the **** up.
 
From the BBC, October 3, 2008: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Rowling 'makes £5 every second'

1. JK Rowling - $300M
2. James Patterson - $50M (notice the HUGE difference between 1 & 2)
3. Stephen King - $45M
4. Tom Clancy - $35M
5. Danielle Steel - $30M
6. TIE - Grisham and Koontz - $25M
7. Ken Follet - $20M
8. Janet Evanovich - $17M
9. Nicholas Sparks - $16M

I guess it's safe to say none of these authors are living on peanut butter and ramen.

Let's get busy people, there's still a fortune to be made out there.
Rowling was beating King? And I agree with the others,most of the writers on this list are crap. I use to be a fan of JP,but not anymore. I've never liked Sparks or Rowling.
 
I've read one or more books by each of the authors on that list -- sometimes many more than one -- and I certainly don't begrudge J.K.Rowling her fame and fortune. The two of hers that I bought and read were certainly enjoyable and much 'better' than I expected. In fact, I had no complaints.

Which again raises the isuue of what's 'better?'

Lately I have been reading 'good' books, and also reading 'enjoyable' books. And the two are far from always the same. I have begun to wonder how many 'classic' and 'worthy' books are truly enjoyable and, conversely, how many books are enjoyable, whether or not they are destined to become 'classics.' Call it a matter of taste, or perhaps I am not yet sophisticated enough for the two categories to have merged into one. But the authors who can tap into what people like to read have earned their money.
 
I've read one or more books by each of the authors on that list -- sometimes many more than one -- and I certainly don't begrudge J.K.Rowling her fame and fortune. The two of hers that I bought and read were certainly enjoyable and much 'better' than I expected. In fact, I had no complaints.

Which again raises the isuue of what's 'better?'

Lately I have been reading 'good' books, and also reading 'enjoyable' books. And the two are far from always the same. I have begun to wonder how many 'classic' and 'worthy' books are truly enjoyable and, conversely, how many books are enjoyable, whether or not they are destined to become 'classics.' Call it a matter of taste, or perhaps I am not yet sophisticated enough for the two categories to have merged into one. But the authors who can tap into what people like to read have earned their money.
Even Nick Sparks :whistling:?
 
Yes, even Nicholas Sparks. The Notebook is a very readable love story with a wonderfully tear-jerking ending. Overall a highly enjoyable investment of my time and imagination.

And I haven't read any others of his, but do see divided and very scornful reactions.

So I remain happy with the one I have read. :flowers:

Perhaps, however, we might agree unanimously on Paolo Coelho. :D
 
From the BBC, October 3, 2008: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Rowling 'makes £5 every second'

1. JK Rowling - $300M
2. James Patterson - $50M (notice the HUGE difference between 1 & 2)
3. Stephen King - $45M
4. Tom Clancy - $35M
5. Danielle Steel - $30M
6. TIE - Grisham and Koontz - $25M
7. Ken Follet - $20M
8. Janet Evanovich - $17M
9. Nicholas Sparks - $16M

I guess it's safe to say none of these authors are living on peanut butter and ramen.

Let's get busy people, there's still a fortune to be made out there.

I've read all but one of those authors, Janet Evanovich, and enjoyed them at the time. Not everything they've written, not by a long shot, but some. Like many other authors, they vary.

For my taste, Ken Follet's Eye of the Needle was one of the best spy/thriller stories written, and while I've only read the last Harry Potter and not particularly cared for it, how can I judge until I read at least some of the first six? Can't, not fairly at any rate.

If they can demand and receive large sums of money, why should I care? More power to them. Large salaries don't make their work "crap".
 
I guess I'm with the great unwashed as I like J.K. Rowling and James Patterson and may others most I guess would be considered low brow authors. People have different tastes and so back to some escapist fiction.<G>
 
The discussion between 'low brow' and 'high brow' novels has been raging since novels became acceptable fare in the 19th century. Now like then no one could agree upon what was 'low' and what was 'high' and especially what they were worth.

< snip >

So if we want to have the books by writers in that wonderful list with MOrrison and Atwood et.al. we must leave room for the airplane or summer reading tomes.

I also believe that everyone needs a break from 'their' literature and a popular novel or a less intense one is good for teh soul.
I agree with this.
 
I tried to read 'Dolores Claiborne' by King and couldn't get past page 2 of his prose.
I wouldn't use DC to gauge King's prose. DC is a unique novel in King's repertoire that reads like a transcript. That being said, it is a satisfying read. I, too, thought about putting it down in the first several pages, but if you stick with it, it's worth the read. Only took me two nights to read it, a first for a King novel. Usually takes me at least several days to get through his stuff.
 
ArtYou mentioned that these are drug store books. I don't understand the relevance. :confused:
As long a book can entertain, strike the emotions, be it laughter or tears, and keeps the pages turning, it doesn't really matter. People are reading, that's the main thing.
 
maybe if i wrote more and drank less I would be on that list.
Haha.
I wouldn't worry about drinking hampering you too much. I bet we can all name at least five writers (even the high brow ones) who were drinkers. King was an alcoholic and can't even remember writing some of his stuff (so he says in his bio On Writing,) and he's on the list!
The high brow/ low brow arguments quite frankly bore me to tears. The amount of times people have looked down on me and others for enjoying Rowling or King is just absurd. They write good stories. I'm taken away for a while, and really, what more could you ask for.
Even worse is the assumption a King reader has never read Orwell, or Steinbeck, Byron or John Updike or Barbara Kingsolver. That is annoying.
 
Nora Roberts is not on that list, and I find her books absolutely brilliant, the only one of the 10 that I have read quite a few books of is Danielle Steel, and she is very good also. At the moment I cannot stop reading Nora Roberts books, some of them I find also very emotional, and reduced to tears.
 
I just wanted to share something. One of my dearest pals (and a beloved of many an ex-member of this very forum) Gem once mentioned in a podcast we do together that Nora Roberts is rubbish. Or something of the sort. It was sorta an offhand comment while she was making a point about taste in literature (I think - it was quite long ago).

She got a letter that read as follows:
Nora Roberts is very respected writer the comments about romance books on your podcast was insulting to readers and for this their should be an apology. You are not expert on the subject and should keep your opinions to yourself I was disapointed that both the women were so judging and as women you should know better and especialy not to say things like that just to play up to the guys.
It will only help you to be more women friendly.

After that got a hearty laugh from the group, Gem recorded a very short and sweet response which I will not repeat here. Unfortunately that response got lost when the site was flushed by a mistake from the web host.

Completely off topic, sorry, but Nora Roberts has a special place in my heart precisely because of that episode. :)

Carry on. :)
 
Just to be clear, I'm not knocking Nora Roberts, having not read her books. I'm saying there are so many people out there with different tastes that it's impossible not to talk to someone in the wider internet who doesn't share your likes, just as likely it is to find someone who does.

Just enjoy the conversation and other good stuff with the ones who share your likes, and take the opinions from the ones who don't with a pinch of salt (or your favourite condiment) and move on.
 
From the BBC, October 3, 2008: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Rowling 'makes £5 every second'

1. JK Rowling - $300M
2. James Patterson - $50M (notice the HUGE difference between 1 & 2)
3. Stephen King - $45M
4. Tom Clancy - $35M
5. Danielle Steel - $30M
6. TIE - Grisham and Koontz - $25M
7. Ken Follet - $20M
8. Janet Evanovich - $17M
9. Nicholas Sparks - $16M

I guess it's safe to say none of these authors are living on peanut butter and ramen.

Let's get busy people, there's still a fortune to be made out there.

But JK Rowling on the strength of the films or just book sales ??
 
I don't think I'll be giving JK Rowling a run for her money any time soon...or any other published author, lol.
 
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