Author James Patterson Is One of the Highest-Paid Authors, but What Is His Net Worth?

Chances are if you've picked up a thriller or a science-fiction novel in the past few decades, James Patterson is the author. The prolific writer has authored more than 200 novels since 1976 and even recently collaborated with pop culture figures such as Dolly Parton and Bill Clinton. For all of James' success, fans are curious about his net worth, especially after he was named one of Forbes's highest-grossing authors in 2016.

So, what is James Patterson's net worth? Read on for everything we know about the author.

James, like many authors, began writing at an early age. After graduating from Manhattan College, he became a Ph.D. candidate at Vanderbilt but spent his working hours at an advertising job. James later became an executive at J. Walter Thompson but retired from advertising in 1996 to pursue a career in writing full-time.

James published his first novel in 1976, titled, The Thomas Berryman Number. The book later became a series starring forensics analyst Alex Cross, formerly of the FBI, now a consultant. Stories about Alex Cross are some of James' top-earning novels to this day and currently hold the New York Times record for most #1 bestsellers by an author.

Although James devotes much of his time to writing, he frequently includes co-writers and said once to Abe Books that having co-writers often brings new and interesting ideas to his stories. In 2009, USA Today reported Patterson signed a deal to write or co-write 11 books for adults and 6 for young adults by the end of 2012. Some of his most popular teen and children's books include the Maximum Ride series, which was adapted for film in 2016.

In the past, James has been criticized for prioritizing his output rather than the craft of his novels, especially by rival author Stephen King. Patterson, when asked about the drama, told the Wall Street Journal, "He's taken shots at me for years. It's fine, but my approach is to do the opposite with him – to heap praise."

Per Celebrity Net Worth, James Patterson's estimated net worth is a whopping $800 million. Currently, he is the third wealthiest author in the world, according to Wealthy Gorilla, right behind J.K. Rowling and Elizabeth Badinter. It seems as though all the hours he's spent (or not spent, per Stephen King) writing have paid off largely, and his books continue to be a hit with readers everywhere.

Recently, James has embarked on a press tour with legendary songstress Dolly Parton for their book Run, Rose, Run, which coincides with Dolly's album of the same name.