Now publishing a book is easier than ever. Credit the growth of vanity and e-book publishers. 764,000 "nontraditional" titles were produced in 2009, compared with 288,355 traditional titles that year. Though selling 10,000 books is good for traditional authors, self-published authors typically move fewer than 100 copies, says Jim Milliot of Publishers Weekly. "The barriers to self-publishing are lower, and it's a crowded marketplace," he says. But older authors are often motivated more by self-fulfillment than sales. "It's empowering," explains Michael Jackson Smith, 64, who released The Road to Fort Worth, about his recovery from alcoholism. If you want to self-publish in print, companies like Lulu or Author Solutions can help. Or you can sell e-books via Publit or CreateSpace. As more people try new technology, Milliot believes, the market will grow. The key? "Keep your expectations realistic," he says.