Publishing Industry Predictions

About this episode

The episode discusses upcoming publishing trends for 2025 and 2026, including new romance subgenres and the impact of AI.

In this episode, we highlight the top publishing trends for 2025 and 2026. We discuss the rise of new romance subgenres, the impact of artificial intelligence on editing and marketing, and the nostalgic comeback of 90s and early 2000s-inspired fiction. We also explore the evolution of audiobooks into immersive experiences, the bookstore renaissance with a surge in new openings, and the growing trend of “readaways,” where readers merge travel with literature SHOW NOTES: The Enduring Allure of Romance The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Publishing Nostalgia as Cultural Capital The Evolution of Audiobooks Bookstore Renaissance Transforming the Reading Experience SOURCES & LINKS: Lumina Datamatics. (2026). Top 10 Publishing Trends to Watch Out For in 2026 . Retrieved from Lumina Datamatics Booksshelf. (2026). What’s Going to Be Hot in 2026: Predictions for Fiction . Retrieved from Booksshelf New York Times. (2025). Book Sales Trends 2025 . Retrieved from NY Times VRBO. (2026). Readaways: Trends in Literary Travel . Retrieved from VRBO “2026 Author Trends You need to Know,” Written Word Media (2026) Next Episode: Marketing Scams Every Author Should Know Full Show Notes are…

People in this episode

Hosts: Hope Gibbs, Donna Norman-Carbone

Topics covered

• publishing trends
• romance subgenres
• artificial intelligence in publishing
• nostalgic fiction
• audiobooks
• bookstore renaissance
• literary travel

Keywords

• publishing trends
• romance
• artificial intelligence
• nostalgia
• audiobooks
• bookstores
• readaways

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lumina Datamatics, Booksshelf, New York Times, VRBO

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