Famous Colombian Writers

Nobel Prize-winning Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, also known as “Gabo,” is remembered as one of the most prominent figures of the magic realism literary style. His novels One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera have achieved cult status. He previously worked as a journalist.

Luis Carlos López was a Colombian poet. He also had an active journalistic career and is credited with co-founding a newspaper called La Unión Comercial. Luis Carlos López is best remembered for his depiction of the people and culture of his native city, Cartagena de Indias.

Jorge Isaacs was a Colombian novelist, poet, and writer of the romantic genre. His only novel María was among the most popular Spanish-language works of the Romantic Movement. The novel, which was published in 1867, was translated into 31 languages. Jorge Isaacs achieved popularity in Colombia as well as other Latin American countries, which helped his political and journalistic career.

Fernando Vallejo is a Colombian-born Mexican essayist, novelist, and filmmaker. He is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel La virgen de los sicarios, which was adapted into a film of the same name. Fernando Vallejo's life and career inspired a feature-length documentary titled La desazón suprema: retrato incesante de Fernando Vallejo.

José Asunción Silva was a Colombian poet who is often counted among the most prominent forerunners of modernism. Among his most important work is The Book of Verses. Jose Asuncion Silva's works were recognized and appreciated only after his death as he committed suicide at the age of 30 due to poverty.

Rafael Núñez was a Colombian lawyer, writer, journalist, military man, and politician. He served as the President of the United States of Colombia on two occasions; from 1880 to 1882 and again from 1884 to 1886. He also served as the President of the Republic of Colombia on two occasions; from 1887 to 1888 and from 1892 to 1894.

Álvaro Mutis was a Colombian poet and novelist. Counted among the most prominent Hispanic American writers of his generation, Mutis received many awards throughout his literary career. Some of these awards include the Xavier Villaurrutia Award, the Reina Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry, the Prince of Asturias Award for Letters, the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, and the Cervantes Prize.

Diana Golden is a Colombian-born Mexican playwright and actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Gilda Leyva in a Mexican telenovela titled Amores verdaderos. She has also played important roles in telenovelas like Dos hogares and El Bienamado.

León de Greiff was a Colombian poet best remembered for co-founding a literary and artistic group called Los Panidas. Renowned for his stylistic innovations, De Greiff was responsible for introducing various literary techniques and devices to Colombian readers and fellow writers. 

José Eustasio Rivera was a Colombian author and lawyer. He is best remembered for his national epic, The Vortex, which is counted among the most prominent novels in the history of Latin American literature. The hamlet in which he was born was later renamed Rivera in his honor.

Samael Aun Weor was an author and spiritual teacher. He is credited with authoring more than 60 books of esoteric spirituality. He achieved popularity after moving to Mexico where his works became famous among practitioners of esotericism and occultism. Samael Aun Weor also wrote many books, which were translated into several languages.

Tomás Carrasquilla was a Colombian writer whose originality influenced contemporary writers as well as writers of future generations. Interestingly, Tomás Carrasquilla's works remained obscured for a major portion of his career and he received national recognition only at the age of 68 when he was honored with the National Prize of Literature.

Germán Santa María Barragán is a Colombian journalist and writer. He is currently serving as the Colombian ambassador to Portugal. A well-known journalist, Santa María has won the prestigious Simón Bolívar National Award in Journalism on five occasions so far. An accomplished writer, Germán Santa María Barragán's novel No Morirás was adapted into a TV film in 1997. 

Guillermo Valencia was a Colombian poet, politician, and translator. A pioneer of modernism in his home country, Valencia was also a successful diplomat and statesman. He was one of the most important members of the Colombian Conservative Party.

Power Paola is a Colombian-Ecuadorian cartoonist and author of graphic memoirs. Paola's work deals with themes of feminism, sexuality, personal identity, and family. One of her best-known works, Virus Tropical, was adapted into a film in 2017. Power Paola is also known as one of the most important members of a comics collective called Chicks on Comics.

Germán Arciniegas was a Colombian writer, journalist, and historian best remembered for his advocacy of cultural and educational issues. He also served as the Minister of Education and held several ambassadorships. Germán Arciniegas was honored with several prestigious awards such as the Alfonso Reyes International Prize and the Maria Moors Cabot Prize.