These days there are so many indie authors and the publishing industry has evolved so much that it is much like television. Remember when the viewing season was Sept – May? And you only got three or four networks? Similarly, there are still only three or four large publishing houses but there is now room for lots of publishers. Thank goodness! While indie authors tend to release their titles whenever they are ready, there is still some protocol in traditional publishing.
Here is a calendar that most traditional publishers adhere to:
•January – April: Romance, Self-help, Business books
•May – August: Adventure, Fantasy, Travel, Beach Reads
•Sept – Nov: Academic, Horror, Paranormal, Inspirational
•Dec – Jan: Children, Cookbooks, Gift Books, Memoirs/Biographies, Reference Books
Some books are timed to coincide with a specific event, such as D-Day or Mother’s Day. One thing to remember if you’re pitching your book to a traditional publisher is that it takes more than twelve months to go from contract to published.