James Patterson

As James Patterson puts it, "My work is just pure storytelling." But Patterson is more than just a storyteller. He's a combination writer, editor and publisher, drawing from a prodigious imagination and working with a group of co-writers, resulting in success beyond most authors' wildest dreams.

Any image one might have of Patterson in an ivory tower shouting out ideas and having some slaveys type them up and turn them into novels is completely erroneous. This man works on his books, from outlines to scene-writing to rewriting. It all seems to depend on what a given book needs at the moment as he works with his collaborators. And this year he has 13 books coming out. 13!!!

Lauren A.E. Schuker interviewed Patterson for Speakeasy. As productive as he is, one question had to be, how can all his books be successful? Patterson answers:

When you have as many books as this coming out, it’s hard to keep getting people excited about them. I’m excited about them. Otherwise I wouldn’t do them, but you have to make sure that the publisher is excited and that they go out with a lot with enthusiasm because in reality they are probably going to have 13 number one bestsellers. Maybe one or two will be number two. But it’s a constant process making sure that everybody is pumped up.

Of course, none of this pumping up would work if people didn't like the books. And they do like them. All that storytelling has its purpose, apparently.

Read James Patterson Explains Why His Books Sell Like Crazy.