International fiction and non-fiction dominated February’s deals, with 300+ fiction and 120+ non-fiction international rights acquisitions, reinforcing that publishers are clamouring for globally appealing stories.
Audiobooks held steady with just under 100 deals, cementing their status as a must-have format in negotiations. Meanwhile, children’s publishing may be shifting—picture books remained strong, but YA and middle grade dipped, suggesting publishers may be adjusting their acquisitions in this space.
Several categories saw significant growth. International rights for fiction and non-fiction gained momentum and picture book fiction saw a strong month. Romance and debut fiction both climbed, reflecting continued publisher interest in commercial and fresh voices.
At the same time, other categories cooled. Children’s international rights almost halved from last month, signaling a slowdown in foreign acquisitions for kids' books. Audio rights dipped slightly but remain a high-volume category. In Non-fiction, Advice and Self-Help slipped dipped while Memoirs grew, suggesting that February saw a shift toward more personal storytelling.
While Romance is heating up ahead of summer with debut voices, debut Thrillers cooled right down. Through it all, Debut Fiction remained steady reinforcing that while opportunities to break-in exist, competition is fierce!
February 2025 Genre Trends
Paranormal fiction, poetry, and digital memoirs all saw a resurgence this past month, albeit from a low baseline, hinting at a future were niche categories may regain traction. Fun!
The presence of digital children's books in February’s deal flow also hints at a potential shift toward digital-first publishing for younger audiences—an interesting trend to keep an eye on.
Meanwhile, parenting nonfiction plunged, suggesting that publishers filled their quotas earlier in the year. Romantasy, YA nonfiction, and new adult fiction ghosted us in February, after modest representation in January, signaling that speculative subgenres and digital-first formats may be cooling off—at least for now.
What’s Happening
International Rights surged across fiction and nonfiction, keeping global publishers busy.
Children’s Picture Books saw a bump! reinforcing demand for illustrated storytelling.
Romance & Debut Fiction climbed, signaling appetite for fresh, commercial voices.
Children’s International Rights dipped, reflecting a slowdown in foreign acquisitions.
Audio Rights slipped slightly but remain a high-volume category.
Memoirs gained ground as Advice & Self-Help declined, hinting at a pivot to personal storytelling.
Poetry, memoir, and literary fiction are opening doors—now may be the time to position your work.
Romantasy, YA nonfiction, and new adult fiction vanished from deal flow (for now). Writers in these areas may need to wait for demand to rebound.
Parenting nonfiction is shrinking—reframing toward lifestyle or wellness could improve market fit.
Digital children’s books are getting noticed, possibly signaling renewed publisher interest in digital-first strategies.
Speculative fiction, including romantasy and new adult, took a hit, suggesting a tighter market.
Publishers are eyeing 2026—long-term positioning may be key when pitching.
Exclusive submission deals are rising, making strong agent representation more crucial than ever.
February 2025 Debut Deal Trends
Debut authors made up just under 3.5% of book deals in February, a slight increase from January, with fiction leading the way. This steady volume suggests publishers remain committed to acquiring fresh voices—great news for us newbs!
While digital-first debuts doubled, they remain a super niche pathway, reinforcing that traditional print is still the dominant route for new authors.
Biggest Debut Genre Shift: Romance Surges, Thriller Cools Off
Romance is on the rise! Debuts more than doubled in February form January, showing growing publisher interest ahead of the spring/summer season.
Thriller debuts spiked in January from December, but then more than halved in February, signaling that publishers may be scaling back new voices in this category.
Middle Grade Fiction is making a comeback, marking a resurgence in acquisitions after a slow December.
Publishers appear to be prioritizing literary, world-driven, and family-centric debut stories.
More debuts are being positioned for 2026 releases, signaling long-term acquisition strategies.
February 2025: Agencies & International Market Trends
February saw several agencies securing major deals across fiction, non-fiction, and international rights. Agencies like Salomonsson Agency came in strong with global rights and fiction deals. 2 Seas Agency continues its dominance in international acquisitions, while agencies like Jane Rotrosen Agency, SBR Media, and Severn River Publishing, were also active.
International rights sales remained strong, children’s international deals were slightly lower than in previous months. The UK stood out with more than 50 international rights acquisitions, spanning fiction, non-fiction, and children's titles. Multi-book deals continue to be a key trend, particularly in fiction categories like romance and literary fiction.
Geographic Market Trends
The UK continues to drive the most acquisitions, while Spain, Germany, and Brazil saw increased activity. Publishers remain focused on high-concept fiction and multi-book deals, making international market positioning a key strategy for authors.
Europe dominated foreign rights acquisitions, with the UK leading. While Asia saw lower overall activity, Japan and China were still active in the market.