They're the genius wordsmiths whose work millions of us devour before going to sleep, on holiday or on the daily commute.
From romance and mystery to crime and horror, they are the authors that dominate the bestseller charts week after week over decades.
Add in lucrative television and film adaptations and authors can become exceedingly wealthy.
We've taken a look at those who have banked the most bucks out of the publishing industry.
For the purposes of this list we've chosen people who are predominantly known for being authors, rather than those who happen to write books alongside other successful careers - meaning the likes of entrepreneurs Grant Cardone and Tony Robbins ($600 million each) do not appear.
With that being said, here are the top 12 richest living authors in the world in 2026, according to CelebrityNetWorth.
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5. Stephen King - $500 million
Being the master of horror pays a scary amount of money. Stephen King has made roughly $500 million out of his library of terrifying tales - many of which have been turned into Hollywood movies. Last year alone saw 'The Monkey', 'The Long Walk' and 'The Running Man' hit the big screen. | Getty Images
6. John Grisham - $400 million
Legal thriller specialist John Grisham has made his estimated fortune of $400 million by writing a remarkable 37 consecutive number-one bestsellers, including the likes of The Firm, The Client and The Pelican Brief. | Getty Images
7. Nora Roberts - $400 million
American romantic fiction writer Nora Roberts has written well over 200 novels under the pen names J.D. Robb, Jill March and Sarah Hardesty. They've earned her in the region of $400 million. | Getty Images
8. Dean Koontz - $200 million
Spanning the genres of horror, fantasty, science fiction and mystery, American author Dean Koontz has published over 105 novels, selling in excess of 450 million copies and earning himself around $200 million. | Getty Images