When you are successful at something, why stop? If your quality of work is not declining and you still enjoy what you do, why stop? And if you want to write one hundred or more books, why not? It takes a special kind of author to be able to write a great book and then sustaining that strength over a long list of titles.

Being a prolific writer is not just about the quantity of what you have written, but also the quality. Here are only three of the many authors who have that skill.

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is an excellent example of quality over quantity, though make no mistake, she did write just over one hundred titles, which range from her iconic detective novels following Poirot and Miss Marple to her short story collections. Her works have sold over two billion copies worldwide and have been adapted into films and television shows.

For her efforts, Christie is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Crime’, although, she did not limit her writing prowess to just mystery novels. Under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott, she also wrote romance novels such as A Daughter’s a Daughter(1952).

R.L. Stine

Whereas Christie is referred to as the ‘Queen of Crime’, Stine is often referred to as the ‘Stephen King of children’s literature’, with his Goosebumps series being a literary phenomenon. His has sold over four hundred million books worldwide and has been translated into thirty-five languages.

After his Goosebumps series was adapted into a bestselling film, starring Jack Black, in 2015, and with a second released in 2018, the series is approaching its thirtieth anniversary. And with an estimated 330 books written so far, Stine does not show any sign of stopping soon, despite the legacy he has already created.

Danielle Steel

Danielle Steel often balances multiple projects at once, which has lead her to write over 188 books, and like Stine, she shows no sign of stopping. With over 650 million copies sold in 69 countries, her novels have repeatedly topped the New York Times bestseller list. Also, like the previous two authors, her stories have gone on to be adapted into films, and two have received golden globe nominations.

Steel is quite frank about her working habits and admits to working over 20 hours a day to keep up her consistent releases, nonetheless, she manages to balance her time effectively.