Writing and Selling Holiday Themed Books

Are you considering taking advantage of the HUMONGOUS holiday selling season from October to December? Starting with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years the possibilities for authors are limitless. Throw in other non-Christian holidays such as Sukkot, Diwali, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day and Kwanzaa and you can really add to your book portfolio.

There are three challenges with writing holiday themed books:

- What to Write
- When to Publish
- Marketing Your Book

Let’s get started!

If like me, you immediately thought of Christmas romances and then struggled to think of what else there could possibly be … take a look at some of the possibilities below.

What to Write

Fiction

Holiday Romances: Romantic stories set around holidays like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.

Holiday Mysteries/Thrillers: Crime or suspense novels set during the holiday season, often featuring holiday-themed crimes or mysteries.

Fantasy and Paranormal: Stories featuring magical or supernatural elements tied to holidays, like Halloween hauntings or Christmas miracles.

Family Sagas and Dramas: Novels that explore family dynamics and conflicts that come to the surface during holiday gatherings.

Seasonal Comedies: Humorous tales about the chaos and quirks of holiday preparations and celebrations.

Non-Fiction

Holiday Cookbooks: Collections of recipes specifically for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s feasts.

Holiday Craft and DIY Guides: Books offering craft ideas and DIY gifts and household decorations.

Holiday History and Traditions: Exploration of the origins and customs associated with different holidays.

Memoirs and Biographies: Personal accounts and reflections on holiday experiences, often highlighting unique or significant events.

Self-Help and Wellness: Guides on managing holiday stress, maintaining health and financial well being during the festive season, and finding meaning during the holidays.

Children’s Books

Halloween Stories: Picture books and early readers featuring spooky tales, friendly monsters, and Halloween adventures.

Thanksgiving Tales: Books that explain the history of Thanksgiving, family traditions, and the importance of gratitude.

Christmas Stories: Classic and contemporary tales about Santa Claus, Christmas miracles, and holiday traditions.

New Year’s Eve and Day Books: Books that celebrate the New Year, featuring themes of resolutions, new beginnings, and celebrations around the world.
Journals and Day timers that start in the new year.

These categories cover a broad range of interests and age groups, making the holiday season a rich source of inspiration for authors and self-publishers.

When to Publish

You can actually publish a holiday themed book at any time of the year. The worst time is just after the holiday you are focusing on. The BEST time to publish gives you time to write and publish your book as well as time to implement your marketing plans to take full advantage of the buying season.

Watch and see what the major retailers do for each of the seasons. When do THEY start filling their stores with decorations and goodies? When do they start advertising?

Halloween: Publish one to two months in advance. Start marketing on October 1st.

Thanksgiving: Taking both Canadian (2nd Monday in October) and USA (4th Thursday of November) into account publish by the 2nd or 3rd week in September. And start marketing right away.

Christmas and New Years: Publish mid to late October and start promoting on November 1st. Many major retail stores close at 9 or 10 PM on October 31st to spend the night removing all the Halloween decorations. By the time they open their doors on November 1st, the stores are fully set up for Christmas.

Developing a Timeline:

The first thing you should do is get out your calendar and work backwards from your launch date. Planning ahead is crucial for hitting those holiday deadlines.

Writing: Map out your writing and publishing schedule to ensure you meet your holiday release date.
Allow Time for Editing: Don’t forget to allocate time for editing and formatting your manuscript. A polished book is a must.
Choose a Catchy Title: Pick a title that captures the essence of the holiday and your story. It should be intriguing and relevant.
Design an Eye-Catching Cover: A visually appealing cover that reflects the holiday theme will attract readers. Consider hiring a professional designer if possible or use a book cover generating app.
Formatting and Production: Ensure your book is professionally formatted for both print and digital versions. A well-formatted book enhances the reading experience and boosts your credibility as an author.
Write your book’s promotional material: Book description, your BIO,
Determine your pricing (kindle, paper, hardcover)
Choose keywords and categories.
Load your book onto the KDP platform.
Set up for pre-publishing OR hit the publish button.

Marketing Your Book

Marketing is key to a successful book launch. Start planning your promotional activities well in advance.

As soon as your book is published, start promoting like a crazy person. Promote WAY more than you feel comfortable with. Think COKE, Think the Energizer Bunny. You may see the same commercial 4 to 6 times in ONE, one hour episode. So no, one tweet every 2nd day isn’t too much!

Use every platform and connection you have to spread the word about your holiday masterpiece.

Develop Your Promotion Calendar

Start Getting Reviews: Join an ARC (Advance Reader Copy) service in advance of your publication date and keep going. NEVER stop working on getting reviews.
Setup Promotion Teams: Send ARCs to your beta readers and promotion team to gather early feedback and reviews. Schedule a one week slot for your promo team to work together and promote your book.
Approach Influencers: Find influencers in your genre and send them ARC copies. Their endorsements can significantly boost your book’s visibility.
Create Marketing Campaigns: Develop holiday-themed marketing material, including text and graphics. Do this yourself or hire some help.
Write Blog Posts and Newsletters: Write and schedule your own blog posts and newsletters to keep your audience engaged. IF you are really organized you can do everything ahead of time and program in a steady stream of information and advertising throughout the entire selling season.
Write and program Social Media Posts: If possible, schedule your social media posts ahead of time. Consistent posting helps maintain momentum.

So what are you waiting for? Stop “thinking” about a holiday themed book– pick a topic, pick a title and JUST GO FOR IT!

With careful planning and a bit of holiday magic, your book can become a seasonal favorite. for years to come.