They say that everyone has a novel in them, and for most people, that’s where it should stay.

Get the whole writing gig right, though, and there is serious cash to be made.

The same can be said for the world’s highest-paid TV actors, musicians, and TV hosts.

Forbes has released their list of the world’s highest-paid authors who, when combined, sold a total of 24,5 million print books during their scoring period.

I’ll be honest, I wish some of the authors on this list had kept that novel to themselves, but here we are.

All earnings were estimates, calculated from June 1, 2017, through June 1, 2018. Figures are pretax, and fees for agents, managers and lawyers are not deducted.

So, without further ado, here are the authors that made serious cash in 2018:

10. E.L James (tie)

Earnings: $10,5 million

Yes, people are still buying ‘Fifty Shades of Kak’ – the comprehensive guide to getting yourself killed during BDSM play.

10. Rick Riordan (tie)

Earnings: $10,5 million

8. Nora Roberts (tie)

Earnings: $12 million

8. Danielle Steel (tie)

Earnings: $12 million

The original ‘Fifty Shades’ with more horses and slightly better storylines.

7. Michael Wolff

Earnings: $13 million

“Once a day, I cast my eyes heavenward and say, ‘Thank you for Donald Trump,’” Michael Wolff said last spring, and he has a good reason.

His book, Fire and Fury, caused such a stir that Trump felt compelled to call Wolff a ‘loser’ on Twitter.

The book sold 1,7 million copies across hardcover, e-book and audio formats in its first three weeks.

5. Dan Brown (tie)

Earnings: $18,5 million

He wrote the same book five times and people still read him. The mind boggles.

5. Jeff Kinney (tie)

Earnings: $18,5 million

4. John Grisham

Earnings: $21 million

3. Stephen King

Earnings: $27 million

The king of horror sold 2,7 million books, boosted by the success of the film adaptation of It.

King nearly doubled his earnings by collecting an eight-figure paycheck from the film, which grossed $700 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. The clown-centric movie became the highest-grossing R-rated horror movie at the domestic box office, and the sequel, planned for next fall, could break that record again.

Great, another creepy clown film set to traumatise a generation.

2. J.K. Rowling

Earnings: $54 million

Despite not releasing any new novels, Rowling is still raking it in.

The Harry Potter scribe’s book sales plummeted without a new book about The Boy Who Lived, but Rowling earned plenty from back-catalog sales—Rowling sold 2.9 million copies in the U.S.—as well as theme parks and the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child productions on Broadway and in London’s West End.

The latest Fantastic Beasts film hasn’t been very well received, but there’s hope that the franchise will pick up again.

1. James Patterson

Earnings: $86 million

This is the 10th time that Patterson has topped the list. He was briefly unseated by Rowling last year.

Patterson’s secret to his success is persistence; 31 publishers turned down his first book, but he refused to give up. “Don’t take ‘no’ when your gut tells you ‘yes,’” Patterson told Forbes last year.

Patterson’s earnings are likely to surge next year thanks to The President Is Missing, which was released just after Forbes closed their scoring period, and has already sold 660 000 copies.

Guys, last thing – do yourselves a favour and read something that isn’t trash. E.L James should not still be on this list.

E.L James should never have been on this list.

[source:forbes]