They're the authors whose work millions of us devour before going to sleep, on holiday or on the daily commute.
From romance to horror, they are the writers 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 Amazon co-founder MacKenzie Scott ($36 billion) and entrepreneur Grant Cardone ($600 million) do not appear.
With that being said, here are the top 11 richest authors in the world in 2024, according to CelebrityNetWorth.
Add in lucrative television and film adaptations and authors can become exceedingly wealthy.