The August Doldrums

I get perverse amusement out of indie writers who panic during the month of August. Which is to say, most of them. And it happens every fricking year.

Why? Let me give you a hint--the high school teacher's parking lot was nearly full as I drove past this morning on the way to a doctor's appointment.

For my romances, I literally see sales stop the first week of school in the U.S. Fantasy slows way down, too, to barely a blip on my dashboards. Because my readers are dealing with changes in their children's schedules (which the little buggers hate) and changes to their own schedules (which the moms are dealing with in addition to the tots' temper tantrums and the "I can't find my brand new shoes!"). They barely have a breath left to keep from falling asleep face first in their dinner, much less read.

"But not all readers have school-age children!" you cry.

True, but a lot of my baby boomer readers are watching their grandchildren. Those still working themselves have to deal with the extra traffic in the mornings and evenings. And at the end of the day, they don't have the energy to read either. Or they want to enjoy that last little bit of sunshine and warmth before the cold arrives in earnest.

"But, but what if sales never pick up again?!"

Sales will pick up again, just like they always do. After trad publishers stop dumping their holiday offerings into the market, and everyone is finished with their holiday shopping. When the readers finally have time to breathe after the New Hallowthanksmas shenanigans are done.

In the meantime, why aren't you writing so you have a book to put out when everyone starts spending their gift cards in January?