June marks the beginning of summer vacation and major cultural themes. The sizzling entertainment season increases the profitability of these highly sought after genres—by both publishers and readers. June is also the time of year when LGBTQ+ fiction and memoir are popular, as well as young adult (YA) fiction, according to publishing data.
Best Beachy Light Summer Fiction
The best genre for June ultimately depends on your goals. However, historically and commercially, light summer fiction, contemporary romance, and personal growth nonfiction dominate. Writing in these categories during the early summer months aligns with seasonal reader habits.
Breezy Mysteries and Pool Worthy Puzzlers
Look for sunny and light summer fiction along with straight up beach reads for summer vacations. Readers search for high-concept, easy-to-digest fiction when they are in an airport or planning for a trip. Feel-good novels and breezy mysteries perform exceptionally well by the pool.
Personal Growth and General Nonfiction
In June, readers view the halfway point of the year as a time to reset. Take June as the best month for drafting or editing nonfiction focused on self-improvement and travel. Consider acquiring new skills as a top target as summer break kicks off.
Romance, Rom-Coms and Romantasy
Statistically one of the most profitable and highly consumed genres in the publishing industry, romance maintains consistent with a year-round demand. June is a popular month to dive into sun-drenched romantic comedies aka rom-coms or romance-heavy fantasy aka romantasy.
Seasonal Themes
Tired of the sunshine or prefer life as a vampire, or otherwise hate the beach and romance? Ironically, I am also not a romance writer, and beaches are my nemesis as well.
For you and me and the rest of us, focus on stories tied to the Summer Solstice and Father’s Day. Also, fiction and memoir nestled in Juneteenth and Pride peak during June.
How to Start Writing in June
The summer months mean no school, fewer work expectations, and vacation time. If you want to write a short story for the very first time or start a novel, it is the perfect season.
When it is super hot, this calls for plenty of free time with a lot of sunshine and positive energy, as well as more than usual people-watching opportunities. Hit the pool with a waterproof notepad and play detective. See what you can write about this June with these tips.
Identify Your June Passion
Successful writers prioritize the stories they are most excited to tell over temporary market trends. Whether you have a history of working in a field or have always been interested in a craft idea, this is generally where writers begin.
People who want to write a book have a world of experiences that they feel compelled to share with others through writing and published words. Ask yourself:
What do you love to talk about?
Which movies do you watch every year about this time?
Where do you long to travel to and want to learn about?
Your personal answers to these three questions can send your writing career sailing into prosperous seas this June.
Study the Chosen Genre Market
In June, explore a new genre by reading books and discovering short stories in a new genre. Study the story genre extensively to identify the pacing, tone, and tropes that works for you as a reader.
How do you study a literary market? By doing the following, in this particular order:
Read the latest books published in the genre, such as history or horror, available at your bookstore or library.
Take notes when reading these stories, whether they are short fiction, nonfiction memoirs or really long and scary books by Stephen King.
Note any words and phrases that stand out to you and make you want to scream, laugh or cry.
Write down names of authors, book titles, and main characters to start discovering the marketplace and to see what is going on there.
Start drafting your first story in this genre you are discovering.
That is all you need to get started with a June explosion of writing energy.
Pick a Summer Literary Path
Here are a couple online resources to assist you along this journey. Use Reedsy's Genre List to explore various sub-genres until you find that gem in the rough you are ready to polish.
If you are going to sell your story or book, it is important to understand the genre market. Read guides from publishing experts like Jane Friedman to help determine where your story or book best fits.
Sources
Reedsy’s Genre List
Jane Friedman, Reporting on Book Publishing Industry