Is there a best time of year for a book release?

Manat · Feb 17, 2007

I've been wondering if there's any "best" time for a new book to be released ( or worst time). Obviously if it's a book of Christmas stories it would be around Christmas time etc., but I'm thinking more like movies, the way they release the "serious" ones in the fall and popcorn movies in the summer. Does any one have any opinions, insights, research that would suggest that any month or season is better than another for generating sales, particulalrly in regards to fiction?

PeeDee · Feb 17, 2007

The bits of the year when J.K. Rowling, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, et. al. are NOT coming out with new books...

maestrowork · Feb 17, 2007

Spring and Fall are usually the big time for book releases.

CheshireCat · Feb 17, 2007

Because publishers roll out major titles every month, there really isn't an arbitrary "best" time to have your book come out. Publishers try to juggle their schedule whenever possible to give anything they're pushing its best chance, but they can only control their own list, not anyone else's.

The end result is that major titles usually come out all year long, which makes competition tough. That said, certain books are judged as being better suited for summer (Beach Reads), and the Big Boys and Girls tend to have their late summer/fall hardcover slots.

Watch the lists if you like, and you'll get a sense over time of who's published when. Once an author is solid with his or her publisher and turns in work consistently, he or she usually gets a pretty firm slot in the schedule.

Is there a best time of year for a book release?

Manat

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.