J.K. Rowling | Author | $1 Billion

J.K Rowling is one of the best authors for fantasy stories and other out of the box tales. Before she found success with Harry Potter, author Rowling faced quite a bit of financial trouble. We wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that she had to take out personal loans in order to meet the needs of her family. Fortunately, she never gave up writing, and that helped turn out their circumstances. At present, she has a staggering net worth of $1 billion and growing. Because of her perseverance in writing, she has successfully managed to get on track again. Her Harry Potter book series won multiple awards and sold more than 500 copies.

Aside from the books, she also earns from merchandising and can rake in an annual income of $50 million every year. Perhaps it is because of her humble roots that she remains generous to charities as well.