| 100% | AMIE | 4 | Best-selling sci-fi and fantasy author Kaufman, who penned the "Elementals" series (2018-20) |
| 38% | NAOMI | 5 | Fantasy author ___ Novik, who penned 2018's "Spinning Silver" |
| 38% | GRISHAM | 7 | Author who penned The Firm and The Client |
| 37% | HOLLYBLACK | 10 | Best-selling author of the "Novels of Elfhame" and "Folk of the Air" "romantasy" series: 2 wds. |
| 36% | BALDACCI | 8 | Best-selling author David who writes the “King and Maxwell” novels |
| 36% | SARAHJMAAS | 10 | Best-selling author of the "Court of Thorns and Roses" and "Throne of Glass" "romantasy" series: 3 wds. |
| 35% | LINCARTER | 9 | Author who wrote the Thongor fantasy series |
| 35% | EOINCOLFER | 10 | Best-selling author who wrote the eight books in the "Artemis Fowl" series: 2 wds. |
| 35% | TERI | 4 | Hatcher who voices Muthr on the sci-fi fantasy series "WondLa" |
| 35% | FLEMING | 7 | Author Ian who created the villains at 15-, 20-, and 37-Across |
| 33% | GHOSTWRITER | 11 | Hired pen … or, punnily, the author of 20-, 36- and 43-Across? |
| 33% | SUE | 3 | Mystery author Grafton who's best known for the "alphabet series" |
| 32% | REBECCAYARROS | 13 | Best-selling author of the "Empyrean" "romantasy" series: 2 wds. |
| 32% | CHRISTIE | 8 | English author Agatha who created Hercule Poirot, and is the best-selling novelist of all time, according to the Guinness World Records |
| 32% | ESTES | 5 | Best-selling author who wrote "Women Who Run With the Wolves" |
| 32% | BAD | 3 | The ___ Place demons, troublemakers who interfere with the humans' moral growth in the fantasy series "The Good Place" |
| 32% | JOANNEROWLING | 13 | Author of the "Harry Potter" series who has written novels under the pen name Robert Galbraith: 2 wds. |
| 32% | THEXFILES | 9 | American sci-fi TV show starring David Duchovny, that is regarded as one of the best and is returning with its 11th season in 2018: 2 wds. |
| 32% | ALCOTT | 6 | Best-selling author who served as a nurse in the Civil War |
| 31% | JOEYLOGANO | 10 | 2018 and 2022 NASCAR Cup Series champion who was also the NASCAR Rookie of the Year in 2009: 2 wds. |
| 31% | JKROWLING | 9 | Author of the best-selling book series in history |
| 31% | STEPHENKING | 11 | Author born 9/21/1947 who penned the starts of 17-, 24-, 38- and 52-Across |
| 30% | STEEL | 5 | Danielle who's the best-selling author alive |
| 30% | GREEN | 5 | John ___, American author and YouTuber who wrote the best-selling novel "Paper Towns" |
| 30% | ROTH | 4 | Veronica ___, author of the best-selling "Divergent" series |
| 30% | ROWLING | 7 | Best-selling author who was a runner-up for Time's 2007 Person of the Year |
| 30% | AMEN | 4 | Multiple NYT best-selling author and Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Daniel ___ |
| 30% | LEE | 3 | Author Child who wrote the Jack Reacher series |
| 29% | MARIOPUZO | 9 | American author who penned The Godfather |
| 29% | PERCY | 5 | Fantasy series "___ Jackson and the Olympians" |