Every year, authors make the same mistake with holiday gift guides.
They wait until the holidays.
On the surface that seems right, but when it comes to media, you often have to be thinking way ahead. By November, when the stores are decorated, holiday music is playing, and everyone is finally thinking about gifts, many authors decide it might be a good time to pitch their books for holiday gift guides.
Unfortunately, November is too late.
Some of those gift guides were planned months earlier. Others are being assembled right now.
Yes, right now.
We haven’t even reached Labor Day yet, and editors, journalists, producers, shopping writers, and bloggers are already asking for products to include in their 2026 holiday gift guides.
I spent some time looking at current media requests, and they are everywhere.
Some major print publications have already closed their holiday submissions, so those are no longer live targets. Publishers Weekly, for example, had an August deadline for part of its October holiday gift coverage.
However, many other opportunities are still wide open, and now is the time to pitch.
There are current September deadlines for holiday guides from publications covering everything from lifestyle and luxury to travel, beauty, family, home, and business. Some deadlines extend into October and November.
Some television networks are accepting submissions for their Holiday Gift Guides into October. Journalists writing for major outlets are actively looking for products now. Bloggers, regional publications, digital outlets, newsletters, and specialty media are doing the same.
The lesson is not that you are late. The lesson is that this is the time to move.
And if you are an author, do not dismiss gift guides because you think they are only for gadgets, toys, sweaters, candles, and fancy kitchen appliances.
A book is a gift. And a really wonderful gift, too. But here is where authors sometimes go wrong. You don’t want to simply pitch something like this:
“My new book would make a wonderful holiday gift.”
That leaves the editor to figure out who would want it and why, so as is the case with most publicity efforts, you have to do the work for them.
A leadership book might be pitched as a gift for the new manager, entrepreneur, CEO, or ambitious professional.
A career book might fit a guide for someone considering a fresh start in the New Year.
A wellness book could fit a guide for someone who is stressed or trying to take better care of themselves. It could also be positioned as a thoughtful gift for someone hoping to begin the New Year in a healthier way.
A beautifully illustrated book could be perfect for travelers, art lovers, gardeners, cooks, history buffs, or people who adore gorgeous coffee-table books.
So, remember. You want to think about the recipient, not simply the book.
And there is another change worth knowing about.
Many gift guides today are closely connected to online shopping. Writers may want to know where the book or product can be purchased, whether it is readily available, whether samples can be provided, whether there are strong photographs, and sometimes whether affiliate links are available.
Gift guides are no longer limited to a page in a December magazine either.
They can become online articles, television segments, newsletters, social media posts, shopping pages, and other coverage that lives well beyond the holidays.
So while most of the country is enjoying one final summer weekend, media people are already thinking about Christmas, Hanukkah, and holiday shopping.
As an author interested in sharing about your book, you should be too.
Media Darling Moment: When it comes to holiday gift guides, November is not early. November may be too late. Now is the time.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. It may still be summer outside, but in media land, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas. Enjoy!
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