Wondering what book genres are best to print each month? When is the best time to publish your book? The obvious answer is, “When you finish it,” but you may want to be a little more strategic than that. Some months of the year are natural tie-ins to certain popular book genres. Here’s a month-by-month guide to help you decide where your book fits best.
January Book Genres
January means New Year’s resolutions and fresh starts. It’s known that gym memberships shoot up to their highest numbers of the year in January. So do donations at thrift stores, enrollments in classes of all kinds, and participation in clubs and sports.
Everyone’s trying to keep those resolutions, so this is the perfect time to issue a book that helps people solve their problems. January is ideal for self-help books of all kinds.
- Diet book: Help people keep their weight loss and fitness resolutions with a book that provides a well-organized plan, recipes, and tips for staying on track. The most successful diet books offer encouragement and motivation. They keep the reader focused and promise realistic results.
- Exercise and fitness guide: Help beginners get going, or show experienced fitness enthusiasts how to take their fitness to the highest level possible. To interest these readers, you’ll need a background in fitness or exercise. Credibility counts with this audience, so use your personal experience and knowledge to explain why you’re the right source of information for them.
- Journals: Many people celebrate the New Year by starting a new journal. Journals come in a wide variety of styles.
February
February is the middle of winter. In many parts of the country, it’s cold and wintry without the joyfulness of Christmas. This is a good month to lighten readers’ moods by focusing on the fun parts of this month.
- Valentine’s Day (February 14) is the biggest holiday of the month, followed by President’s Day (February 17) and Groundhog Day on February 2. If your book has a tie-in to any of these key dates, you can use that in your marketing.
- Football: The Super Bowl takes place this month, and even non-football fans get in on the action with parties. If you have some great tailgating recipes, publish them in time for all the hosts looking for innovative ideas. Other fun ideas are Super Bowl trivia books and even a football coloring book.
March Book Genres
Most people think of St. Patrick’s Day when they think of March. There isn’t too much else going on, and in most parts of the country, chilly weather is still lingering.
This is a good time to publish a coloring book. With people forced to spend more time indoors, surrounded by darkness and harsh weather, they are looking for a low-stress, low-cost hobby that allows them to slow down. Coloring is ideal for this. What if your buyers are in warm parts of the country where bad weather isn’t an issue? Coloring books are still a great idea. They are popular year-round, especially with female book buyers.
Some popular book genres for March would be anything Ireland-related.
- Irish cookbooks: From traditional dishes like shepherd’s pie and corned beef to the work of modern culinary experts in Ireland, Irish cuisine is varied and constantly changing. If you have a new spin on old classics or knowledge of what’s happening in Dublin’s most popular eateries, publish your book in March.
- History and Biography: Celebrate Ireland’s rich history and its most important, inspiring leaders, artists, and inventors.
- Travel guides or photo books: Inspire your readers to plan a trip to Ireland with a travel book or photo book that highlights its most impressive sites.
April Book Genres
April marks the end of winter and the beginning stages of spring.
This is the time of year when most gardeners are looking for inspiration and advice. It’s time to clear out the winter debris and start planning the spring and summer gardens. While it may still be chilly in some parts of the country, it’s also time to get those seeds and bulbs planted once the first frost is over.
This is a busy time for garden centers, and it could be a busy time for a book author who’s authored a book about garden planning, seed selection, or other popular book genres related to gardening.
May
The most popular holiday in May is Mother’s Day. It’s also the busiest day of the year for most restaurants. A lot of people want to make their mothers feel special. Help them out by publishing a book celebrating motherhood in all its aspects. It could be a collection of essays, poems, or stories about mothers, or a photo book.
June Book Genres
June is the month of weddings. It’s also the start of summer in most locations.
With warm weather and vacations on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to release a book that you could classify as a “beach read.” The term refers to a book that is short and easy to read.
Beach reads are typically romances. They are set in a charming location, typically a seaside village or a beachfront hotel. The story is lighthearted and not too serious, although it will have its moments of conflict and tension. A summer romance novel features likable characters and a humorous plot.
July
July is typically the hottest month of the year in most of the country. Whether people are escaping the heat by staying indoors or going out to enjoy every drop of sunshine, they welcome a book that helps them cool off.
How about a sizzling romance? Like June, July is perfect for beach reads and other light literature.
What are some other popular book genres for July?
- Collection of funny essays
- Trivia facts and other “useless” knowledge
- Recipe book of tropical drinks and food
- Biography of a famous surfer
August Book Genres
With fall right around the corner, the month of August is a suitable time to publish books that will help readers get ready for the new season. It’s the last days of summer, and while it’s still warm in many places, it’s getting cooler, and the days are getting shorter. This is the time for books that fit both summer-related and fall-related popular book genres.
September
The start of the school year coincides with the end of summer and the early days of fall. The start of football season has fans ready to put their banners and their face paint on. At this time of year, people are looking for any way to enjoy days that are getting shorter and nights that are getting cooler.
October Book Genres
October is fall in full swing. This is the time of year when coziness and comfort are on everyone’s minds. The weather is cool but not frigid in most parts of the country, and in many states, it’s when fall foliage is at its most glorious.
It’s also the month when the hugely popular Halloween holiday takes place on October 31. If you want to publish a horror novel, there is no better time than Halloween. Popular book genres for Halloween include children’s books and books on making costumes. It’s also ideal for any book on the history, traditions, and culture surrounding Halloween.
November
This month continues the themes and genres associated with fall. It’s also when people celebrate Thanksgiving. You’ll find cookbooks on fall produce and cozy romances that reflect the themes of warmth and togetherness. Crackling fires, apple cider, fall produce, and walks in the woods are all part of this magic.
This is also when many publishers begin putting out their Christmas books in preparation for the holiday season. Popular November book genres include recipe books, decorating guides, and books that celebrate this popular holiday.
December Book Genres
Like November, this is a month when the focus is on joy, family, coziness, and togetherness. Some authors are known for their annual holiday books. Christmas and Hanukah are the major holidays celebrated during the month. Both come with rich traditions around food, family, history, religion, and gift-giving. Whether you write a holiday-related romance or a guide to family celebrations, you are sure to find a receptive readership.
Choose the Right Month for Your Book
While you can successfully publish a book in any month, it can make sense to time your book’s release with a particular month or holiday. We hope you found this list of popular book genres by month useful. If you need expert printing at any time of year, contact Dazzle Printing.
