These famous young authors wrote their bestsellers as children.
When it comes to famous young authors, many questions arise: When is someone old enough to write a book? Does it take life experience to tell a truly moving story? Or is the power of imagination enough to give a work impact? Many authors believe they must first understand the world themselves before they can convey it to others. Often, years of study and self-reflection come before publishing a book. Some writers, such as Frank McCourt or Louis Begley, only began their careers well into their fifties and sixties. Others, like Christopher Paolini, wrote bestsellers in their teens.
There are certainly many arguments both for and against waiting. While adults may have more wisdom and life experience to draw from, children and teenagers tend to shine with greater creativity. Adult perspectives are often clouded, whereas children approach the phenomena of life with openness and without prejudice. Fear, worry, and self-doubt also tend to play a lesser role in children’s lives, allowing them to unleash creativity where adults may feel blocked. Pablo Picasso once said: ‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.’
We can also learn a lot about boldness from young people. A healthy dose of grand ambition never hurts when writing a book—and no one dreams quite as vividly as children.
But what about depth and truth—aren’t those qualities only adults can bring to a story? History and the present day tell a different tale. In the age of social media, young people are shaping the book market. #BookTok, the trend on the social media platform TikTok, has already helped many books achieve bestseller status. Under the hashtag #booktok, you’ll find reviews, recommendations, challenges, and writing tips. Young people are engaging with this content and writing their own stories. Young adult fiction in particular sees strong contributions from young writers—no surprise, since they understand the issues and thoughts of their generation like no one else.
But even before the days of social media, teenagers topped the bestseller lists. Here at novum publishing, we’ve rounded up some of the young authors who became true literary stars at an early age:
Five Famous Young Authors You Should Know
Christopher Paolini, Eragon
Among the famous young authors, he is certainly one of the best known: Christopher Paolini was just 15 years old when he created the story of dragon rider Eragon and his dragon Saphira. The potential of the story was first recognised by his parents, who published the book through their family-run press. Later, a US author discovered the work and helped sell the rights to a major publisher—with great success. The Inheritance Cycle series, beginning with Eragon, has sold over 35 million copies worldwide.
With this high number of books sold, Paolini is certainly one of the richest authors in the world. In this article, we introduce you to the richest authors in the world.
S. E. Hinton, The Outsiders
S. E. Hinton’s debut novel The Outsiders deals with class struggle, troubled youth, and inequality. The American author gained worldwide fame with the book at the age of just 19. With the novels that followed, she was often referred to as the ‘voice of a generation.’
Flavia Bujor, The Prophecy of the Stones
In just six months, the then 13-year-old Flavia Bujor wrote her fantasy novel The Prophecy of the Stones. The French author first shared the manuscript with her classmates, until her teacher came across it and helped get it published. The story, set in a mythical dream world, has since been translated into 23 languages. Today, Bujor teaches modern literature.
Benjamin Lebert, Crazy
Benjamin Lebert was only 17 when he took the literary world by storm. His debut novel Crazy became a global bestseller, translated into 33 languages. The semi-autobiographical story sharply captures the struggles of adolescence. Lebert, who left school early and later completed his secondary education, is now considered one of Germany’s leading intellectuals.
Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl
Anyone who doubts the insight and linguistic ability of adolescents should read The Diary of Anne Frank. Tragic fame surrounds the diary of the young Jewish girl who began her journal at just 13 years old. With linguistic sensitivity and an unerring sense for truth, she recorded the challenges of her time. But the book not only addresses political issues—it also delves into the complex thoughts and emotions of a girl in the midst of puberty and blossoming into adulthood. To this day, Anne Frank’s diary remains both a warning and a witness to the horrors of fascism and nationalism. Anne Frank died at the age of 15 in the concentration camp Bergen-Belsen
Would you like to make your childhood dream come true and publish your first book—or try your hand as a young author with novum publishing? We are always on the lookout for stories with potential.
Let your fingers roam freely over your keyboard!
Your team at novum publishing