| 100% | DAVIDMITCHELL | 13 | English novelist who wrote "Cloud Atlas," "The Bone Clocks," and 18-Across (2 wds.) |
| 57% | LEIGHBARDUGO | 12 | American novelist who wrote 17-Across, 40-Across, and the "Shadow and Bone" trilogy (2 wds.) |
| 57% | RUDYARDKIPLING | 14 | English author who wrote the children's literature at 18- and 41-Across: 2 wds. |
| 53% | LOUISEERDRICH | 13 | Native American novelist who wrote 18-Across, 44-Across, and 2020's "The Night Watchman" (2 wds.) |
| 49% | LOUISEERDRICH | 13 | Native American novelist who wrote 15-Across, 29-Across, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning "The Night Watchman" (2 wds.) |
| 48% | ANGIETHOMAS | 11 | Novelist who wrote the Y.A. bestsellers 17-Across and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 48% | KAZUOISHIGURO | 13 | British novelist who wrote 19-Across and 31-Across and was awarded the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature (2 wds.) |
| 48% | JEFFERYDEAVER | 13 | "The Bone Collector" mystery novelist who created 18-Across and 44-Across (2 wds.) |
| 48% | NEILGAIMAN | 10 | Fantasy novelist who wrote "American Gods" and "The Graveyard Book": 2 wds. |
| 47% | STEPHENKING | 11 | Novelist who wrote "The Shining" and 37-Across (2 wds.) |
| 47% | BRIANJACQUES | 12 | British novelist who wrote the "Redwall" and "Castaways of the Flying Dutchman" series (2 wds.) |
| 47% | TANAFRENCH | 10 | Irish novelist who wrote "In the Woods," "The Witch Elm," and "The Hunter" (2 wds.) |
| 46% | FAYEKELLERMAN | 13 | "The Quality of Mercy" novelist who has written 27 mysteries featuring 18-Across and 40-Across (2 wds.) |
| 46% | ROBERTBPARKER | 13 | Detective novelist who wrote nine books featuring 18-Across and 40 books featuring Spenser (3 wds.) |
| 46% | CORMACMCCARTHY | 14 | "The Road" Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who wrote 19-Across, 46-Across, and the 2022 novel "The Passenger" (2 wds.) |
| 46% | DONDELILLO | 10 | American novelist who wrote "Mao II," 18-Across, 25-Across, and 34-Across (2 wds.) |
| 45% | ANNERICE | 8 | "Tasty" novelist who wrote the "Vampire Chronicles" series: 2 wds. |
| 44% | SHONDARHIMES | 12 | 18-Across creator who wrote the episode in which 32-Across died: 2 wds |
| 44% | JUDYBLUME | 9 | Novelist who wrote "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" and the other three frequently banned books in this puzzle (2 wds.) |
| 44% | JULESVERNE | 10 | French novelist who wrote "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea": 2 wds. |
| 44% | GILLIANFLYNN | 12 | Author who wrote the novels from which 17-Across and 29-/31-Across were adapted: 2 wds. |
| 44% | ELOISAJAMES | 11 | Romance novelist who wrote the Desperate Duchesses series, among many others: 2 wds. |
| 44% | DEBBIEMACOMBER | 14 | Romance novelist who wrote the Blossom Street series, among many others: 2 wds. |
| 44% | NORAROBERTS | 11 | Romance novelist who wrote the Chesapeake Bay series, among many others: 2 wds. |
| 43% | RUTHWARE | 8 | British novelist who wrote the bestsellers "The Woman in Cabin 10," 15-Across, and 29-Across (2 wds.) |
| 43% | LARRYMCMURTRY | 13 | 18-Across, 44-Across, and "The Last Picture Show" novelist/screenwriter who lived his whole life in the small Texas town of Archer City (1936-2021) (2 wds.) |
| 43% | EDNAOBRIEN | 10 | Irish novelist who wrote "The Country Girls," "House of Splendid Isolation," and "Girls" (2 wds.) |
| 42% | STEPHENKING | 11 | Novelist who wrote the 1983 bestseller "Pet Sematary" (2 wds.) |
| 42% | DANIELLESTEEL | 13 | Bestselling romance novelist who has written more than 200 books, including 18-Across and 43-Across (2 wds.) |
| 42% | JOHNGRISHAM | 11 | Lawyer who wrote the thrillers "The Firm" and "The Pelican Brief": 2 wds. |