Who Is Orson Scott Card? Age, Biography and Wiki
Orson Scott Card was born on August 24, 1951, making him 73 years old in 2025. Card is best known for his immensely popular novel Ender's Game, published in 1985, which has earned him numerous awards, including the Hugo and Nebula Awards. His work often explores themes of ethics, culture, and identity, establishing him as a significant voice in science fiction literature. Over the years, he has expanded his literary repertoire with various novels, essays, and screenplays, showcasing his versatility as a writer.
| Occupation | Activists |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | August 24, 1951 |
| Age | 73 Years |
| Birth Place | Richland, Washington, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Virgo |
| Country | U.S |
Popularity
Orson Scott Card's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
As of 2025, Orson Scott Card's physical stature is 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall, and he weighs around 160 lbs (72 kg). While specific body measurements such as chest size and waist circumference are not publicly disclosed, Card maintains a frame that reflects an active lifestyle typical for someone of his age.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Orson Scott Card has been married to Kristine Card since 1977. The couple shares five children and has built a close-knit family, often described in interviews as supportive of Card's literary pursuits. Although the novelist has faced controversies, particularly regarding his views on LGBTQ+ issues, he has maintained a strong commitment to his family and personal relationships.
When Card was one month old, his family moved to San Mateo, California, so Willard Card could begin a sign-painting business. When he was three years old, the family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, so his father could finish his bachelor's degree.
The family moved to Santa Clara, California, when Card was six; they stayed there for seven years while his father completed his master's degree and worked as a professor at San Jose State College. In school, Card took classes for gifted students, but he was more interested in studying music—he played clarinet and French horn.
He read widely, including historical fiction, nonfiction, and literary classics. At age ten, he wrote his first story, which was about an intelligent child who is assaulted by bullies and sustains brain damage. Ender's confrontation with Stilson in Ender's Game is based on this story.
In 1964, Card and his family moved to Mesa, Arizona, where he participated in mock debates in junior high school. In 1967, the family moved to Orem, Utah, where his father worked at Brigham Young University (BYU). Card attended BYU's laboratory school, where he took both high school and early college-level classes before graduating in one year.
When beginning his college studies he intended to major in archeology, but after becoming increasingly more interested in theater, he began script-writing, writing ten original plays and rewriting other students' plays. Most of his plays were based on Mormon history and scriptures; one was science fiction.
By watching the body language of an audience, he could tell when an audience was interested in his scripts. During his studies as a theater major, he began doctoring scripts, adapting fiction for reader's theater production, and writing one-act and full-length plays, several of which were produced by faculty directors at BYU. Charles W.
Whitman, Card's play-writing professor, encouraged his students to write plays with LDS themes. Card studied poetry with Clinton F. Larson at BYU. He also wrote short stories, which were later published together in The Worthing Saga.
Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Orson Scott Card's net worth is estimated to be around $10 million. His earnings primarily stem from his extensive writing career, including book sales, royalties from adaptations of his works (notably Ender’s Game), and speaking engagements. Continual interest in his novels ensures that he earns a healthy income from both new readership and adaptations of his existing portfolio.
Career, Business and Investments
Card's career spans over four decades, during which he authored multiple best-selling novels across various genres, including fantasy and literary fiction. In addition to fiction writing, Card has also ventured into screenwriting and has been involved with television projects. His investments in literary ventures, including writing workshops and publishing, reflect his commitment to nurturing new talent in the literary world.
Before graduating, Card served as a missionary for the LDS Church in Brazil starting in 1971. During his mission, he wrote a play called Stone Tables. He returned from his mission in 1973 and graduated from BYU in 1975, receiving a bachelor's degree with distinction in theater.
After graduation, he started the Utah Valley Repertory Theatre Company, which for two summers produced plays at "the Castle", a Depression-era outdoor amphitheater. After going into debt with the community theatre's expenses, Card took part-time employment as a proofreader at BYU Press, moving on to full-time employment as a copy editor.
In 1981, Card completed his master's degree in English at the University of Utah where he studied with François Camoin and Norman Council. He began a doctoral program at the University of Notre Dame but dropped out to pursue his more lucrative writing projects.
Social Network
Orson Scott Card is known to be active on social media platforms, where he engages with his fanbase and discusses his writing process, upcoming projects, and personal insights. His presence on platforms like Twitter and Facebook allows him to maintain a direct line of communication with readers, sharing updates on both literary and personal endeavors.
Card's short story Lost Boys is highly autobiographical, but contains the death of a fictional child. One of Card's workshop readers, Karen Fowler, said that Card had pretended to experience the grief of a parent who has lost a child. In response, Card realized that the story expressed his grief and difficulty in accepting Charles's disability.
Card stated that he rarely discusses Charles and Erin because his grief has not faded over time.
Education
Card studied at Brigham Young University, where he earned a degree in theater and later pursued a Master of Arts in English. His educational background in literature and the performing arts has greatly influenced his writing style and storytelling techniques, contributing to the depth and richness of his narrative craft.
While he was a student at Brigham Young University (BYU), his plays were performed on stage. He served in Brazil as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and headed a community theater for two summers. Card had 27 short stories published between 1978 and 1979, and he won the John W.
Campbell Award for best new writer in 1978. He earned a master's degree in English from the University of Utah in 1981 and wrote novels in science fiction, fantasy, nonfiction, and historical fiction genres starting in 1979. Card continued to write prolifically, and he has published over 50 novels and 45 short stories.
