This is a fascinating infographic that was sent my way.
The graphic shows the age at which dozens of famous authors wrote their first book, their first breakthrough book, in which years of life they published other books, and when they died.
It gives you a good idea of how prolific some writers are—to a fault, in some cases, I would say.
You can view the full infographic at BlinkBox Books by clicking on the image below.
Explore the careers of some of the world’s most successful authors. Click image to open interactive version (via Blinkbox Books).
Some thoughts:
- Look at Nora Roberts. How can anyone write that much and maintain quality? She must use a ghostwriter, right? She’s written 218 books in a little over 30 years.
- Then you see someone like Jane Austen or F. Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote so little because they died way too young. James Joyce only published 5 books, 3 of which came posthumously.
- Also of note, the graphic shows C.S. Lewis not writing his breakthrough book (The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe) until he was 53. That’s one of the latest breakthroughs on the list.
- What about William Golding (The Lord of the Flies) or Douglas Adams (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) coming out of the gates swinging? They wrote a breakthrough novel on their first attempt.
What else stands out to you? Again, you can see the whole infographic at Blinkbox Books.
