In the US, self-publishing grew at a rate of 40% in 2018, with more than one million books self-published for the second year in a row, according to a report published by Bowker.
More than 1.6 million self-published print and ebooks with registered ISBNs were published in the US in 2018, up from just over one million published in 2017. The vast majority of these (1.42 million) were published via Amazon’s CreateSpace, followed by Smashwords (about 72,000) and Lulu Press (about 67,000).
Since 2013 the number of ISBNs assigned to self-published titles has grown from 461,438. ‘This trend is likely to continue as the quality of many self-published works now rivals that of traditionally published titles,’ the report says. ‘Authors now have access to a wide range of professional services, from editing to cover design, to help ensure that the highest standards are met. With these resources, coupled with the online marketing and distribution tools now available, self-publishing authors are positioned for success as never before.’