How old were authors when they published their first books?
We’ve pulled together the ages of some popular authors when they published their very first books…
45 years old – J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien was 45 years old when he published his first novel, The Hobbit, in 1937.
The Hobbit began as a story he created for his own children. Tolkien would tell them tales of Bilbo Baggins and his adventures in the mystical land of Middle-earth. His children’s enthusiasm for these stories inspired him to write them down and eventually develop them into a full-fledged novel.
36 years old – Suzanne Collins
Suzanne Collins was 36 when she published her first novel, Gregor the Overlander, in 2003.
Before writing books, she was a successful writer for children’s TV, and worked on shows such as, Clarissa Explains It All and The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo.
33 years old – Dr Seuss
Dr Seuss or Theodor Seuss Geisel, to give him his full name, was 33 when he published his first book, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” in 1937.
Before writing books, he was an animator and illustrator. He worked for various magazines and advertising campaigns and he even worked in the animation department of the US Army during World War II, where he helped create training videos.
33 years old – Dan Brown
Dan Brown was 33 years old when he published his first book, Digital Fortress, in 1998.
Brown had initially pursued a career in music and was part of a jazz ensemble, but eventually became a writer.
32 years old – J. K. Rowling
J.K. Rowling was 32 years old when she published her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It was first published on June 26, 1997.
Rowling was a single mother, struggling with money, and penned much of this first Harry Potter installment in various cafes around Edinburgh, Scotland. They provided a free and comfortable space where she could work on her manuscript while her daughter napped.
32 years old – George Orwell
George Orwell, whose real name was Eric Arthur Blair, was 32 years old when he published his first book, “Down and Out in Paris and London,” in 1933.
32 years old – J.D. Salinger
J.D. Salinger was 32 years old when he published his first and most famous novel, The Catcher in the Rye, in 1951.
His time as a soldier in World War II heavily influenced the themes and characters in the book.
31 years old – Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer was 31 years old when Twilight first hit bookshelves in 2005.
Whilst writing the novel, she was a stay at home mother, who occasionally did some receiptionist work. She has said that the idea for the story came to her in a dream.
30 years old – Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie was 30 years old when she published her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, in 1920.
The novel introduced the world to Hercule Poirot, one of Christie’s most famous and enduring characters.
29 years old – James Patterson
James Patterson was 29 years old when he published his first novel, The Thomas Berryman Number, in 1976.
He wrote the book while working in the advertising industry in New York City.
28 years old – James Herbert
Legendary British horror writer James Herbert was 28 years old when his first novel, The Rats, was published, in 1974.
Before turning his hand to writing, Herbert had a high position in a successful marketing agency.
27 years old – Philip K Dick
Philip K Dick was 27 years old when he released his first novel, The Solar Lottery. He released it in 1955, under the pseudonym, Jack Dowland.
27 years old – John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck was 27 years old when he published his first novel, Cup of Gold, in 1929.
Before turning to writing, Steinbeck tried his hand at a multitude of occupations, including working as a manual laborer, ranch hand, fruit picker, and even a caretaker in Lake Tahoe.
26 years old – Sarah J Maas
Popular fantasy writer Sarah J Maas was 26 years of age when her debut novel, Throne of Glass, was published!
She began writing the series when she was just sixteen, and it grew a large following online.
26 years old – Stephen King
Stephen King was only 26 when his first published novel, Carrie, hit bookshelves, back in 1974.
King wrote the first few pages of Carrie and then threw it in the trash. His wife, Tabitha, fished them out and told him to keep on writing. Luckily, he listened.
24 years old – Charles Dickens
Dickens was 24 when his book, Sketches by Boz, was released, in 1936. It was a collection of writings that he’d previously published under the pseudonym Boz, in monthly magazines.
20 years old – Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley was 18 years old when she began writing Frankenstein. At the time, she was staying in Geneva, Switzerland, with her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and others.
The novel was published anonymously 2 years later in 1818, when she was 20. Her name wasn’t published in the book until 1821, when the second edition was printed.
