Milk star James Franco is taking his creative writing hobby seriously - he has secured a deal to release a collection of short stories.

The 30-year-old actor is currently enrolled on a creative writing graduate course at Columbia University in New York.

And now the star is set to become an author after selling his book to publishers Simon & Schuster, his agent confirms to Fox News.

Publishing appears to run in the Franco family - his mother Betsy is a bestselling children's author.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)