Self-publishing to soar after ‘50 Shades’ success

Self-publishing is set to soar this year with more people than ever planning on releasing their own book, according to research.

One in 10 of the 2,000 adults questioned by One Poll have already self-published a photo book, cookery book or an illustrated children’s book, with 28% of budding authors planning on joining the growing trend to publish a book of their own this year, research from self-publishing platform Blurb.co.uk said.

Last year, self-published E L James, who wrote Fifty Shades of Grey, was the highest earning author worldwide and 2013 was the year that the number of self-published works exceeded those traditionally published, a spokesman for Blurb said.