The age of 50 marks authors’ peak

Fifty is the perfect age to write a novel, a study of the best-selling authors of the past 50 years has shown.

The average age of writers who topped the hardback fiction section of the New York Times Bestseller List from 1955-2004 was 50.5 years.

“We wanted to discover the optimum age to write a best-seller,” said Bob Young of Lulu, a website for writers and independent publishers.

“Unlike scientists or musicians, say, writers tend to mature with age.”