WikiLists
WikiLists
WikiLists
9,885
pages
in: Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Pages with TemplateStyles errors, Articles for deletion,
and 9 more

List of prolific writers

Sign in to edit

Some writers have had prolific careers with hundreds of their works being published. While some best-selling authors have written a small number of books that have sold millions of copies, others have had lengthy careers and maintained a high level of output year after year. Dame Agatha Christie, the most-published novelist in history, is estimated to have sold 4 billion books, having written 69 novels and 19 plays.[1] Her works were published between 1920 and 1976, equating to around three publications every two years. Dame Barbara Cartland has also sold millions of copies of her books but wrote many more than Christie. She spent 80 years as a novelist with 722 books published, averaging one book released every 40 days of her career.[2] While Cartland wrote a significant number of full-length novels, other authors have been published many more times but have specialised in short stories. Spanish author Corín Tellado wrote over 4,000 novellas, selling 400 million copies of her books.[3]

Not all authors work alone. Groups of writers, sometimes led by one central figure, have published under shared pseudonyms. The Stratemeyer Syndicate, started by Edward Stratemeyer in 1905, created numerous book series including 190 volumes of The Hardy Boys and 175 volumes of Nancy Drew. More than 1,300 books were published by the group, and although Edward L. Stratemeyer wrote several hundred, he also employed ghostwriters to keep up with the demand. These writers were given storylines and strict guidelines to follow to ensure a level of consistency within each series. Amongst the writing team was Howard R. Garis, who contributed several hundred books to the collection, one of the most active authors. Sales were estimated at over two hundred million copies before the syndicate was sold to Simon & Schuster in 1984.[4]

Prolific writers[]

Name Language Birth Death First publication Last publication Published works Notes
Tellado, CorínCorín Tellado Spanish Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1946 2006 Template:Ntsh4000+[3] She wrote over 4000 novellas and magazine's short stories. She was listed in the 1994 Guinness World Records as having sold the most books written in Spanish, and earlier in 1962 UNESCO declared her the most read Spanish writer after Miguel de Cervantes.
Murphy, WarrenWarren Murphy English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart Template:Ntsh107+[5] He co-authored (with Richard Sapir) wrote over 100 novels in "The Destroyer" Series. It centered on a US Secret Agency, called "The Cure" and their agent, a martial artist named Remo Williams. Most novels were social commentary. After Murphy and Sapir died, ghost writers continued the series. Over 150 novels were written, not including the movie script, entitled "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins".
Kalmuczak, RolfRolf Kalmuczak German Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart Template:Ntsh2900+[6] More than 100 pseudonyms[7]
Vega, Lope deLope de Vega Spanish Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart Template:Ntsh2200~[8] Playwright
François-Marie Arouet (Voltaire) French 21 November 1694 30 May 1778 1718 1778 Template:Ntsh2000+ Voltaire was a versatile and prolific writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets.
Iorga, NicolaeNicolae Iorga Romanian etc. Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1886~ 1940 &0000000000001359.0000001,359[9] Another count has "1300 volumes and 25000 articles"[10]
Shirazi, MohammadMohammad Shirazi Arabic and Persian 01928 1928 02001 2001 1953~ 2001 &0000000000001300.0000001,300[11] He made contributions in various fields ranging from jurisprudence and theology to politics, economics, law, sociology and human rights.
Hamilton, CharlesCharles Hamilton
(bibliography) 		English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1894 1961 &0000000000001200.0000001,200 Estimated to have written 100,000,000 words using around 20 pseudonyms, primarily for boys' weekly magazines, including public-school stories[12]
Hubbard, L. RonL. Ron Hubbard English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1934 1987 &0000000000001084.0000001,084 Science fiction, adventure, westerns, mystery, religion.
Inoue, RyokiRyoki Inoue Portuguese Template:Dts/hart Living 1986 Template:Ntsh1000+ Brazilian surgeon turned pulp novel author, acknowledged by Guinness as world's most prolific writer.[13] Wrote almost a thousand novels in 6 years, under his own name or 39 pseudonyms.[14]
Coelho, Manuel JacintoManuel Jacinto Coelho Portuguese Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1935 1991 &0000000000001000.0000001,000 Brazilian leader of a religion called Cultura Racional ("Rational Culture"). For 56 years, he wrote a one-thousand-volume encyclopedia called Universo em Desencanto ("Disenchanting Universe"), which covers a very wide range of subjects.
Ingraham, PrentissPrentiss Ingraham English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart &0000000000001000.0000001,000[15] Wrote around 600 novels and 400 novelettes
Vera Ramírez, AntonioAntonio Vera Ramírez Spanish Template:Dts/hart 1958 &0000000000001000.0000001,000 He wrote 500 novels in Brigitte Montford Series and other 500 novels by other genders.
Neusner, JacobJacob Neusner
(bibliography) 		English Template:Dts/hart 8 October 2016 1962 Template:Ntsh950+
Paine, LauranLauran Paine English Template:Dts/hart 1 December 2001 Template:Ntsh900+[16]
Lindsay, KathleenKathleen Lindsay English 01903 1903 01973 1973 Template:Ntsh900+[17] 11 pseudonyms[17]
Ahmed, IshtiaqIshtiaq Ahmed Urdu 01944 1944 Template:Dts/hart 1972 Continuous Template:Ntsh800+ Spy thriller crime series
Brooks, Edwy S.Edwy S. Brooks English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1907 1966 Template:Ntsh800+[18] Brooks published his first short story, in July 1907, when he was seventeen.
Template:Ill Spanish 1933 1952 1983 Template:Ntsh800+ He wrote over 800 novellas mainly under the pseudonym of Carlos de Santander.
Blyton, EnidEnid Blyton English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1922 1968 &0000000000000762.000000762 Children's literature, adventure, mystery, fantasy.
Nemere, IstvánIstván Nemere
 Hungarian Template:Dts/hart Living 1974 Template:Ntsh732[19] Science fiction, crime, historical, mystery, romance, and more.
Cartland, BarbaraBarbara Cartland
(bibliography) 		English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1923 &0000000000000722.000000722[2] Holds the Guinness World Record for the most novels (23) written in a single year
Little, PaulPaul Little English 01915 1915 01987 1987 Template:Ntsh700+[20] Many pseudonyms
Suyuti, JallaludinJallaludin Suyuti Arabic 01445 1445 01505 1505 &0000000000000700.000000700 Islamic Ideological Books, Fiqh, Sufism and Tafseer Works including a six volume Tafseer and a three volume tafseer
Creasey, JohnJohn Creasey English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart Template:Ntsh600+[21] More than 10 pseudonyms
Asimov, IsaacIsaac Asimov
(bibliography) 		English Template:Dts/harta Template:Dts/hart &0000000000000506.000000506[22] plus The Return of the Black Widowers / 513[23] Published in 9 of the 10 Dewey Decimal System categories[24]
Garis, Howard R.Howard R. Garis
 English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart Template:Ntsh500+[17] Member of the Stratemeyer Syndicate
Bloom, UrsulaUrsula Bloom English 01892 1892 01984 1984 1922 Template:Ntsh500+[25]
Simenon, GeorgesGeorges Simenon French Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1921 Template:Ntsh500+[17]
Xavier, ChicoChico Xavier Portuguese Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1932 Template:Ntsh500+ Brazilian spiritist medium whose works are attributed to be psychographies written by spirits. He wrote over 500 books in many different areas of knowledge.
Rob, SS Rob English Template:Dts/hart 02026 2013 &Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.Expression error: Unexpected / operator.0.000000500+ Mostly occultism, magick rituals books. The author of more occult books than anyone in history. Published by a range of publishers including Finbarr books, deamonic dreams, solar vision publishing etc...
Bakin, KyokuteiKyokutei Bakin Japanese Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart &0000000000000470.000000470[26]
Kraszewski, Józef IgnacyJózef Ignacy Kraszewski Polish Template:Dts/hart 1887 Template:Ntsh350+ 200+ novels and 150 novellas, short stories, and art reviews
Stine, R. L.R. L. Stine English Template:Dts/hart Living 1992 Template:Ntsh330+ [27] The best-selling children's author of all time as of 2004, Stine estimates that he has over 330 children's books,[27] including the Goosebumps and Fear Street series. At one time he produced one book a month for each of those series.[28] Stine has also written many books under the pseudonyms Jovial Bob Stine[29] and Eric Affabee.[30]
Meade, L. T.L. T. Meade English 01854 1854 01914 1914 Template:Ntsh300+
Goldish, MeishMeish Goldish English Unknown Living 1989? Template:Ntsh300+ Mostly books for schoolchildren
Dumas, AlexandreAlexandre Dumas French Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart &0000000000000277.000000277[2]
Pathak, Surender MohanSurender Mohan Pathak Hindi Template:Dts/hart Living 1959 Template:Ntsh250+[31] Wrote over 250 novellas in crime fiction in India. He is known as a Grand Master of Hindi crime fiction. He has been writing for almost 50 years; his first short story was published in 1959 at the age of 19.
Ibn ul Arabi, Muhammad MuhiyyudinMuhammad Muhiyyudin Ibn ul Arabi Arabic Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart &0000000000000240.000000240 Mystical Islamic Books e.g. A 7 volume Futuhat e Makkiya
Murray, AndrewAndrew Murray English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1907 1966 &0000000000000240.000000240[32] Mostly Christian devotional books.
Hohlbein, WolfgangWolfgang Hohlbein German Template:Dts/hart Living 1982 (Active) Template:Ntsh220+[33] Fantasy novels
Dicks, TerranceTerrance Dicks English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1974 &0000000000000223.000000223 Mainly children's books. Includes 75+ based on the television series Doctor Who, for which he was a former script editor.
Appel, Jacob M.Jacob M. Appel
 English Template:Dts/hart Living 1998 Template:Ntsh200+ Has also received 21,000 rejection letters.[34]
Swan, Annie ShepherdAnnie Shepherd Swan English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1878 1943 Template:Ntsh200+[35][36][37][38] Wrote novels, serials, short stories and other works of fiction
Roberts, NoraNora Roberts English Template:Dts/hart Living 1981 (Active) Template:Ntsh200+[39] Romance novels, published under at least four different names
Hamid Al Ghazali, AbuAbu Hamid Al Ghazali Arabic 01058 1058 01111 1111 &0000000000000200.000000200 Fiqh, Sufism and Tafseer
Angel Canann English Living Living 2016 170+ A bestselling ghostwriter of fiction and non-fiction in several genres including fantasy fiction, sci-fi, romance, supernatural, self-help, biographies, and more.

Only one book[40] has been published under the author's true name. All other books written by and for this author have been published under pseudonyms; the most well known being Dash Hoffman. The first Dash Hoffman book was written as the result of a viral meme. This author wrote the first 170+ novels within a six and a half year period and continues to write.

Garvice, CharlesCharles Garvice
 English Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart Template:Ntsh150+[41]
Dontsova, DaryaDarya Dontsova Russian Template:Dts/hart Living Template:Ntsh140+[42] A bestselling Russian author of detective novels and kitchen books.
N. Sharma, Dr. KrishnaDr. Krishna N. Sharma English and Hindi Template:Dts/hart Living 2005 (Active) &0000000000000132.000000132 as of 2017[43][44][45] He writes books on health, medical, music and literature.
Sadoveanu, MihailMihail Sadoveanu Romanian Template:Dts/hart Template:Dts/hart 1904 1952 &0000000000000120.000000120[46] The count covers novels and short story collections
Notes
  • Authors with more than 100 books are considered for inclusion.

^a  Asimov celebrated his birthday on 2 January but his true date of birth is unclear.

Other notable writers[]

  • John Neal is known by historians and was famous in his day for the speed with which he wrote: 6 novels published in 8 years (1817-1825) while engaged in law study, law practice, and making prolific contributions to various magazines, 4 of those novels being published within 2 years (1822-1823): 680 pages in 6–8 weeks, 685 pages in 36 days, 689 pages in 39 days, and 328 pages in 27 days.[47]
  • Augustine of Hippo wrote over five million words.[48]
  • Lin Ching-hsuan claimed that he wrote more than 170 books and had 298 publications.[49][50]
  • Ni Kuang has written over 300 Chinese-language wuxia and science fiction novels, and more than 400 film scripts.
  • Zhang Henshui published more than 100 novels in his 50 years of fiction writing.
  • Evelyn Everett-Green wrote about 350 books: more than 200 of them under her own name, and others using pen names.
  • Sophocles – wrote 123 plays of which only 7 survive today[2]
  • Leibniz about 15,000 letters to more than 1000 recipients plus more than 40,000 other items
  • Bertrand Russell over 30,000 letters, thousands of articles published in nearly 100 books
  • Robert Boyle no complete count, but an incomplete subset filled a huge 14 volume hardback bound compilation set in 2000
  • Elizabeth Linington at 80 books under 4 names, also considered a prolific writer
  • H.P. Lovecraft over 100,000 letters, some of them up to 70 pages in length.
  • Charles Wesley wrote over 6,000 hymns.[51]
  • H. G. Wells can be considered a prolific writer.
  • Noam Chomsky is the author of over 100 books on many topics.
  • Gene Wolfe is a prolific short-story writer and novelist.
  • Napoléon I, Emperor of the French, wrote more than 40 000 letters; published from 2004 to 2018 in 15 volumes.[52]

See also[]

  • Book series
  • List of best-selling fiction authors

References[]

  1. ↑ Fleming, Michael. Agatha Christie gets a clue for filmmakers. Variety. 14 February 2000. Accessed 23 September 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Womack, Philip. Being a prolific author isn't a bad thing. The Telegraph. 25 October 2010. Accessed 22 September 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Corín Tellado: Spanish romantic writer". The Sunday Times. 18 April 2009. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article6114908.ece. Template:Subscription required
  4. ↑ Woodmansee, Martha. Osteen, Mark. The new economic criticism: studies at the intersection of literature and economics. Routledge. 1999. p. 11.
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Murphy
  6. ↑ Obituary by Kalmuczak's German publisher: "Wir trauern um Rolf Kalmuczak" (in German). Random House / cbj. 13 March 2007. http://www.randomhouse.de/press/articledetail.jsp?aid=6898&pub=13000&men=373. Retrieved 27 February 2012. 
  7. ↑ "Rolf Kalmuczak" (in German). German National Library catalogue. http://d-nb.info/gnd/122796373. Retrieved 27 February 2012. 
  8. ↑ Warner, Charles Dudley (2008). A Library of the World's Best Literature – Ancient and Modern, Volume XXXVIII: Vazoff-Wesley. Cosimo, Inc.. 
  9. ↑ Iova, Victor. N. Iorga: Istoria lui Mihai Viteazul (I): "Tabel cronologic". Bucharest: Editura Minerva. 1979 (pg. xxxiv).
  10. ↑ Veiga, Francisco. Istoria Gărzii de Fier, 1919–1941: Mistica ultranaţionalismului. Bucharest: Humanitas. 1993 (pg. 69).
  11. ↑ [1].
  12. ↑ Lofts, W.O.; Adley, D.J. (1970). The Men behind Boys' Fiction. London: Howard Baker. p. 170. http://www.friardale.co.uk/Hamilton/Biography.htm. 
  13. ↑ Bahé, Vanessa (14 November 2011). "Erro pode ter dado recorde a escritor Ryoki, que lança livro em Olinda: Médico brasileiro conta que correu para não perder prazo de contratos. Atualmente, ele contabiliza 1.104 livros publicados." (in Portuguese). G1 (Globo Comunicação e Participações S.A.). http://g1.globo.com/pernambuco/fliporto/2011/noticia/2011/11/erro-pode-ter-dado-recorde-escritor-ryoki-inoue-que-lanca-livro-em-olinda.html. 
  14. ↑ "Perfil" (in Portuguese). Ryoki Inoue. 2013. http://www.ryoki.com.br/tudosobre.htm. 
  15. ↑ Hill, Charlie. "Colonel Prentiss Ingraham". Mississippi Writers and Musicians. http://www.mswritersandmusicians.com/writers/prentiss-ingraham.html. 
  16. ↑ Varner, Paul (2010). Historical Dictionary of Westerns in Literature. Scarecrow Press. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Rosen, Judith. David Slavitt Joins the 100 Club at 76. 29 August 2011. Accessed 23 September 2011.
  18. ↑ Caldicott, Mark (1995). "Edwy Searles Brooks - Biographical Outline". http://www.caldicott.demon.co.uk/esbbiog.htm. 
  19. ↑ http://nemere.hu/konyveim?evszam=igen
  20. ↑ Heise, Kenan (23 June 1987). "Paul Little, 72, Author of More Than 700 Novels". Chicago Tribune. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-06-23/news/8702160020_1_novels-wine-writer-pen-names. Retrieved 28 April 2012. 
  21. ↑ "John Creasey". Owantonna Media. http://www.owatonnamedia.co.uk/john_creasey.html. 
  22. ↑ Seiler, Edward. "A List of Isaac Asimov's Books". http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/asimov_titles.html. 
  23. ↑ http://www.asimovreviews.net/Books/Book512.html
  24. ↑ Seiler, Edward (11 July 2014). "Frequently Asked Questions about Isaac Asimov: Did you know that Asimov is the only author to have published books in all ten categories of the Dewey Decimal System?". http://www.asimovonline.com/asimov_FAQ.html#others11. 
  25. ↑ "Ursula Bloom, 1892-1984". Literary Heritage - West Midlands. Shropshire Council. 5 October 2009. http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/bloom.htm. 
  26. ↑ "Kyokutei Bakin, 1767 to 1848: Japan's first professional writer". National Diet Library. 2003. http://www.ndl.go.jp/zoshoin/e/e_12_kyoku.html. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "FAQ". http://rlstine.com/about-rl-stine. 
  28. ↑ "R. L. Stine". Ohio Reading Road Trip. Greater Dayton Public Television. 2004. http://www.orrt.org/stine/. 
  29. ↑ "Jovial Bob Stine Books, Author Biography, and Reading Level | Scholastic". https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/jovial-bob-stine/. 
  30. ↑ "Eric Affabee Book List - FictionDB" (in en). https://www.fictiondb.com/author/eric-affabee~49299.htm. 
  31. ↑ Kaul, Vivek (22 May 2010). "Bollywood's functioning is authoritarian: Surendra Mohan Pathak". Daily News and Analysis (DNA) (Mumbai). http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-bollywood-s-functioning-is-authoritarian-surendra-mohan-pathak-1386066. 
  32. ↑ Ross, Thomas D. (2014), "Andrew Murray, Keswick / Higher Life Leader: a Biographical Sketch", The Doctrine of Sanctification: An Exegetical Examination, with Application, in Historic Baptist Perspective, to which is Appended a Historical, Exegetical, and Elenctic Evaluation of Influential Errors, Particularly the Keswick Theology, Great Plains Baptist Divinity School, http://faithsaves.net/andrew-murray/ 
  33. ↑ Mit Buecherserien.de in der richtigen Reihenfolge lesen, https://www.buecherserien.de/wolfgang-hohlbein/, retrieved 7 February 2019 
  34. ↑ Schultze, Emily (19 December 2013), "Sitting on Nails and Staring at the Wall: An Interview with Jacob M. Appel", Fiction Writers Review, http://fictionwritersreview.com/interview/sitting-on-nails-and-staring-at-the-wall-an-interview-with-jacob-m-appel/ 
  35. ↑ Aitken, William Russell. Scottish Literature in English and Scots: A Guide to Information Sources. Detroit: Gale Research, 1982. (pg. 170) Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Script error: No such module "Catalog lookup link".Script error: No such module "check isxn".
  36. ↑ Sutherland, John. The Stanford Companion to Victorian Fiction. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 1990. Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Script error: No such module "Catalog lookup link".Script error: No such module "check isxn". (pg. 200–201)
  37. ↑ Varty, Anne, ed. Eve's Century: A Sourcebook of Writings on Women and Journalism, 1895–1918. London and New York: Routledge, 2000. (pg. 254) Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Script error: No such module "Catalog lookup link".Script error: No such module "check isxn".
  38. ↑ Anderson, Carol and Aileen Christianson. Scottish Women's Fiction, 1920s to 1960s: Journeys Into Being. East Linton, Scotland: Tuckwell Press, 2000. (pg. 165) Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Script error: No such module "Catalog lookup link".Script error: No such module "check isxn".
  39. ↑ Clark, Blanche (30 November 2010), "The $60 million woman", Herald Sun, http://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/books/the-60-million-woman/story-fn5bodiu-1225963179743, retrieved 6 December 2010 
  40. ↑ The Risen Woman. 7 July 2016. ISBN 978-1534987203. 
  41. ↑ Matter, Laura Sewell (Fall 2007). "Pursuing The Great Bad Novelist". Georgia Review. 
  42. ↑ Official bibliography (in Russian)
  43. ↑ "Dr. Krishna N. Sharma". Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Dr.-Krishna-N.-Sharma/e/B008MNHIFM. 
  44. ↑ "Books". http://DrKrishna.co.in. http://books.drkrishna.co.in. 
  45. ↑ "Victoria University Dean of Health Sciences releases his 125th book". http://xpresstimes.co.ug/2017/05/10/victoria-university-dean-of-health-sciences-releases-his-125th-book/. 
  46. ↑ "Books: Rural Life in Ruritania". Time. 22 June 1962. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,870005,00.html. Retrieved 25 September 2011. 
  47. ↑ Sears, Donald A. (1978). John Neal. Boston, Massachusetts: Twayne Publishers. p. 34. ISBN 080-5-7723-08. 
  48. ↑ 5,000,000 words: How St. Augustine's works made it into the Middle Ages
  49. ↑ 林清玄：从人生的最底层出发
  50. ↑ [2]
  51. ↑ "BBC - Religions - Christianity: Charles Wesley". http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/people/charleswesley_1.shtml. 
  52. ↑ "La Correspondance de Napoléon" (in fr-FR). https://fondationnapoleon.org/activites-et-services/histoire/la-correspondance-de-napoleon/. 
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.