I was fascinated to read a recent article in the Guardian Books section on the increasing success of self-published books in genre markets. According to the article:

The figures, from Bowker Market Research, show that while self-published books made up a tiny proportion – 2% – of all books purchased last year, this figure increases dramatically, to 12%, when print books are removed from the equation.

When just adult fiction and non-fiction ebooks are looked at, self-publishing’s share increases to 14% of the market, and in the crime, science fiction, romance and humour genres, self-publishing took more than 20%.

So, one in five romance ebooks purchased is by an independent author. Or, put another way, many readers are willing to try a self-published romance novel. Why? Here are my thoughts:

• Romance readers are more open to trying a self-published novel: Sixty-eight per cent of buyers of self-published ebooks are female. And because most readers of romance novels are female, it makes sense that the romance genre is one that’s particularly open for independent authors.
• Authors like EL James have paved the way for respecting self-published-based talent: The Fifty Shades of Grey author never self-published her books, but they famously began life published on a fan fiction website online, which lends credibility to those who don’t follow the traditional publishing route.
• There are some good-quality self-published romance novels on offer: Professional, hardworking authors present engaging covers, well-edited text and superb marketing to match that of traditionally published authors.
• Romance readers can easily ‘try before they buy’: We can assess the title, the cover, the blurb and the sample chapter for quality and suitability to fit our tastes before we commit to buy, which allows us to make informed decisions.
• Romance novel reviews abound: I know from my own experience just how friendly and supportive romance book reviewers are worldwide, and many of them are willing to review self-published books. The result is plenty of reviewers helping readers connect with new romance writers via blogs, Amazon and Goodreads.

What do you think? Do you buy self-published novels? Do you check whether a book is self-published or traditionally published before you buy? If the quality is good, does the means of publication matter to you? Can you recommend any self-published romance novels?