Book Genres

The book genre is the category used to group works that share similar subject matter, style, and readership, each coming with its own genre expectations. Broadly, all books fall into three areas: fiction, non-fiction, or children’s books.

How many book genres are there?

The world of literature is vast and ever-changing, making it difficult to pin down an exact number of book genres. As new genres emerge and existing ones blend together, the landscape of literary categories continues to evolve. However, it is estimated that there are around 50 distinct book genres. This number is not set in stone, as the boundaries between genres can be fluid, and innovative writers often create hybrid genres that defy traditional classification. Whether you’re drawn to the imaginative realms of science fiction or the introspective narratives of literary fiction, the diversity of book genres ensures that there is something for every reader.

Non-fiction genres

Non-fiction includes:

• business
• food & drink
• health & lifestyle
• history
• memoir
• biography
• science
• technology books
• sports

Fiction genres

Within fiction there are a number of genres, for example:

• action and adventure
• crime and thriller
• fantasy, horror, and science fiction (sci-fi)
• literary fiction
• poetry
• romance
• historical fiction

Children’s stories for children of different ages, such as 8–12 or Young Adult (13+), includes:

• picture books
• fiction
• non-fiction

When it comes to creative writing, you will be writing in one of these fiction genres or quite possibly a subgenre, which is a smaller, more specific genre inside the broader genre. Additionally, hybrid genres have become increasingly popular, combining elements from different genres to create new and unique storytelling experiences.

For example, space opera is a subgenre of science fiction (sci-fi), which can be further divided into hard sci-fi, emphasizing realistic science, and soft sci-fi, exploring imaginative possibilities without strict adherence to scientific laws. Romantasy is a subgenre of fantasy books, and saga is a subgenre of historical fiction.

Why does your book genre matter?

Literary genres are decisive when you’re writing fiction. In fact, your book genre should be one of the first things you consider if you’re aiming to get published. It’s the first thing literary agents consider when they decide whether they want to represent you and share your work with publishers to get you a book deal!

They’ll be checking whether you’ve used the right ingredients for the literary genre you’ve placed yourself in. The book genre encompasses various literary categories, each containing distinct elements while maintaining a specific focus.

In recent years, hybrid genres have emerged, blending elements from multiple traditional genres to create unique and innovative narratives.

Science fiction stories, for example, are rooted in science and technology, differentiating them from fantasy, which relies on magic.

Publishers acquire novels according to their literary genres. Their departments are divided into specialists in each literary genre. Why? Because bookstores are also divided into book genres by retail sections. Why? Because readers buy books based on their reading preferences. Why? Because readers know what they like, and like what they know. Not always, but often.

Why are book genres so important?

It’s important for you to identify the genre of your novel, as many come with certain ‘expectations’—for example, a murder mystery wouldn’t be particularly satisfying without a murder! It will help when it comes to writing and editing the novel, as you can keep those genre expectations in mind during the creative process and perhaps subvert some of them for added wow factor. It is likely that the genre will influence your characterization, your plot, your setting, your word count and beyond. Plus, certain genres tend to have similar treatments. For example, suspense thrillers are often written in first person.

As we mentioned, it really is make-or-break when it comes to agent representation and publication. Your publisher will be thinking of genre when coming up with the marketing and publicity campaigns; this is how they ensure they reach the right readers. Your cover designer will be thinking about genre, too—you wouldn’t expect to find an image of battle-crazed Vikings on the cover of a contemporary YA romance, after all.

What are the key book genres?

Romance

These novels are about a romantic relationship between two people. They are characterized by sensual tension, desire and idealism. The author keeps the two key characters apart for most of the novel, but they do eventually end up together. There are many subgenres, including paranormal, historical, contemporary, category, fantasy and gothic.

Action adventure

This refers to any story that is plot-driven with characters seeking a specific goal and overcoming numerous physical obstacles to achieve it. A protagonist who is often in physical danger, action set pieces involving thrilling near-misses, and courageous, daring feats are likely in this genre. It is fast-paced, the tension mounting as the clock ticks. The setting changes often, and the story usually explores exciting and interesting locales. There is always a climax that offers the reader some relief.

Paranormal/ghost/gothic

These are stories that deliberately upset the norms of the world and create a sense of uncertainty and fear. They often deal with the inexplicable and have characters directly confronting their own fears in dangerous and alienating situations. These can be high-pitched, scary stories involving pursuit and escape, or dark psychological set pieces with characters who don’t know who or what to believe. These stories take place in our own world, and fear, surprise, mystery and a final twist are key elements.

Science fiction (SF)

This genre incorporates any story set in the distant future that extrapolates from current technological knowledge in a plausible and internally consistent manner; for example, traveling faster than light is possible, but only via alternate dimensions, jump gates, or wormholes. Science fiction stories can involve advanced technologies and settings based in the future or space, further categorizing them into subgenres like space opera, which covers space exploration and extra-terrestrial warfare, as well as hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi, based on their adherence to scientific principles. Writers must be prepared to spend time building new worlds and considering the broader implications of any new advancement in the human race, society, politics, religion and culture. The former is considered ‘hard SF’ while the latter is sometimes called ‘soft SF.’ Both explore questions of identity and what it means to be human. The setting should define the plot. There are many science fiction subgenres, and dystopian novels sometimes sit here when they are set in the future.

Fantasy

These stories deal with the impossible and unexplained (as opposed to science fiction, which deals with the possible and plausible). These stories can take place in an entirely new realm, which is called ‘secondary world fantasy,’ have characters move between the real world and another in ‘portal fantasy,’ or take place in our own world, with fantastical elements introduced in ‘contemporary fantasy’ and ‘urban fantasy.’ Writers must spend plenty of time on world-building. These books are characterized by myths and otherworldly magic-based concepts and ideas. High fantasy, including epic fantasy, brings worlds to life so vivid that the author often creates a fantasy series of books to immerse the reader time and time again in the world. Many secondary-world fantasy novels take inspiration from pre-Industrial Revolution societies and a popular subgenre is historical fantasy. There are plenty of subgenres in both adult and Young Adult fantasy fiction.

Horror

In horror, characters are forced into life-threatening situations and must confront the darkest aspects of humanity within their own psyche. A key element of horror is terror, which is the anticipation of seeing the horror directly. This anticipation can be summed up as fear of the unknown—what is making that noise in the dark (both literally and metaphorically)? When facing this inexplicable madness, survival rather than triumph is often the character’s goal. Horror subgenres can include paranormal or supernatural fiction, psychological horror—think Stephen King!—vampire fiction books like Dracula by Bram Stoker, zombie stories and folk horror. Gothic fiction is a subgenre that adapts fairy tales to the long form, but when catering to adults the form tends to exclude talking animals!

Speculative fiction

This is a term for any genre that is deliberately departing from what is real—as in science fiction and fantasy—but, for the most part, this isn’t the primary focus of a speculative novel. This genre is normally more literary and focuses on character and theme rather than the specifics of the speculative element. 

Suspense/thriller

A character in jeopardy dominates these stories. This genre involves pursuit and escape. There are one or more ‘dark’ characters that the protagonist must escape from, fight against, or best in the story. The threats to the protagonist can be physical, psychological, or both. The setting can be integral to the plot—for example, in a ‘locked room’ thriller, which puts characters in an isolated situation. A key subgenre is ‘domestic suspense’ or ‘domestic noir,’ stories in which the family or home sphere is under threat. Other subgenres can be found here.

Mystery/crime

These are also known as ‘whodunnits.’ The central issue is a question that must be answered: an identity revealed, a crime solved. This novel is characterized by clues leading to rising tension as the answer to the mystery is approached. Cozy crime is a subgenre in which the victim ‘deserves’ it—a rotten egg—and the sleuth is an amateur.

Police procedurals

These are mysteries that involve a police officer or detective solving the crime. The emphasis rests heavily on technological or forensic aspects of police work, sorting and collecting evidence, as well as the legal aspects of criminology. ‘Investigative’ stories have a similar purpose (a crime that must be solved), but the main character usually is not a policeman (for example, they might be a reporter).

Historical

These fictional stories take place against a factual historical backdrop and may include real historical events and historically accurate details, though the story may not be driven by those. Important historical figures are portrayed as fictional characters. Historical romance is a subgenre that involves a conflicted love story in a factual historical setting. 

Westerns

These books are specifically set in the old American West. Plots include survival, romance, and adventures with characters of the time, for example, cowboys, frontiersmen, Native Americans, mountain men and miners.

Women’s fiction

These plots are characterized by female central characters who face challenges, difficulties and crises that have a direct relationship to gender. This is inclusive of a woman’s conflict with a man, although not limited to that. It can include conflict with things such as the economy, family, society, art, politics and religion, but there will always be a female protagonist! Take care to ensure character agency, that things don’t happen to the women in the books in this genre, but that they drive the events of the story!

Saga

This tends to be historical fiction focusing on female stories of overcoming adversity, often including poverty and family-related drama. Subgenres include wartime sagas which focus on camaraderie and friendship in times of war, and family or generational sagas, which are ongoing stories about two or more generations of the same family. Family sagas may include (or bring the resolution in) a contemporary timeline.

Magic realism

Magical events are part of ordinary life in this book genre. The characters do not see them as abnormal or unusual. They are a natural part of the story.

Book club/reading group

These are novels that deal with important and topical themes and may offer social commentary. They are relevant to contemporary society and are likely designed to inspire discussion and debate among readers. They typically have a commercial hook or premise at their heart, but the writing can be more literary than thrillers or romances.  

Literary fiction

This book genre focuses on the human condition and is more concerned with the characters’ inner lives and themes than the plot. Rather than subgenres, we tend to see crossover with genres, with the emphasis on the defining moments of the main character’s life set against the backdrop of other genres like crime or suspense (think Donna Tartt’s The Secret History), magical realism (think Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in the Time of Cholera) or coming-of-age (think J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye).

Up Lit

The narrative thread of this book genre is redemption using a chronological account of a period of one person’s life, including a powerful testimony to well-intentioned community action. Up Lit books include personal or social commentary that always includes good relations between humankind. Think of novels like A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman or Less by Andrew Sean Greer.

Children’s fiction book genres

Middle grade (MG)

These are children’s books aimed at ages 8–12. The protagonist will typically be the age of the intended child reader (or slightly older). The length will be around 30–50k words. MG often focuses on friends and family and shows their characters overcoming problems, such as bullying. The tone often includes humor and/or adventure, but MG can deal with complex contemporary issues in an age-appropriate way. There will typically not be profanity, graphic violence or sexuality (any romance will be capped at a crush or first kiss). There is a large market for fantasy MG where characters live in a magical world or have special powers and must learn how to wield them wisely.

Young Adult (YA)

These books are written, published and marketed to adolescents and young adults. A young adult is someone between the ages of 12 and 18, but adults often read these books, too. These are generally coming-of-age stories and often cross into the fantasy and science fiction genres. YA novels feature diverse protagonists facing changes and challenges. This genre has become more popular with the success of novels like The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars and Twilight.

New Adult (NA)

These stories feature college, rather than school-aged, characters and plotlines. It is the next age category up from YA and is a burgeoning ‘crossover’ genre between Young Adult and adult fiction. Protagonists are generally aged 18–30 and are at college, university, or in their first jobs. NA books explore the challenges and uncertainties of leaving home and living independently for the first time. Many NA books have a focus on sexuality and can blur the boundary between romance and erotica. 

Non-fiction book genres

Memoir and autobiography

Memoir and autobiography are two popular non-fiction book genres that offer readers a window into the author’s life. While both genres focus on personal experiences, they differ in scope and style. A memoir is a personal narrative that delves into a specific aspect or theme of the author’s life, often exploring significant events or periods with emotional depth and introspection. In contrast, an autobiography provides a comprehensive account of the author’s life from birth to the present day, offering a chronological overview of their experiences.

Memoirs and autobiographies are cherished for their authenticity and the unique perspectives they offer. They often include anecdotes, reflections and analyses, making them relatable and engaging. Readers are drawn to these genres for the opportunity to learn about the lives of others, gain new insights, and be inspired by true stories.

Examples of compelling memoirs and autobiographies include The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, which offers a poignant glimpse into the life of a young girl during the Holocaust, Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, which chronicles the life and struggles of the South African leader, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley, which provides a powerful account of the civil rights activist’s life.

Biography

A biography is a non-fiction book that delves into the life of another person, offering readers an in-depth look at their experiences, achievements and challenges. Biographies can cover a wide range of subjects, from famous historical figures and influential leaders to ordinary individuals with extraordinary stories. These books provide a comprehensive account of a person’s life, often based on extensive research and interviews. Notable examples of biographies include Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, which explores the life of one of America’s founding fathers, and Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, which chronicles the journey of the visionary Apple co-founder. Through these narratives, readers gain insight into the lives and legacies of remarkable individuals.

Self-help

Self-help books are a popular non-fiction genre that focuses on personal growth and development. These books offer practical advice, strategies and insights to help readers improve various aspects of their lives, such as motivation, productivity and overall well-being. Self-help books often address common challenges and provide actionable steps to overcome them, empowering readers to make positive changes. Examples of influential self-help books include The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, which outlines key principles for personal and professional success, and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, which emphasizes the importance of mindfulness and living in the present moment. By offering guidance and inspiration, self-help books aim to support readers on their journey to self-improvement.

What is your book genre?

It’s time to work out the genre of your novel (as best you can at this stage!). 

The main principle is to write what you read, as you are more likely to make a really good job of it. You should be comfortable and familiar with your book genre! If you only read contemporary fiction for adults, it might not be wise to write Western fiction, YA fiction or comic books! Remember, at first draft you are your first reader and must write to please yourself.

Our other word of warning is not to draw too heavily from your own life, as you will soon run out of interest in the story.‍

What are your favorite books of all time?

Not the ones you think you should like, but the books you loved and couldn’t put down. Not the ones that impressed you, or you thought were clever (but didn’t finish). The ones that spoke to you, where you felt safe and heard. Go check your bookshelves. Make a list, please.

Now, make a note of the book genres for these top ten titles. Do they mostly fall into one book genre?

Another way to do this is to use a tool like Storygraph, which helps you track your reading preferences across many genres of fiction. You will soon see a particular theme emerge in your preferences.

You can write in more than one book genre

While it’s essential to understand and work within specific book genres, it’s also important to remember that creative writing can be flexible and blend elements from multiple genres. Many authors have successfully combined elements from different genres to create unique and captivating stories.

For example, science fiction and fantasy can be combined to create a subgenre like science fantasy, which explores the intersection of science and magic. Similarly, historical fiction and romance can be blended to create a historical romance novel that explores the complexities of love and relationships in a historical setting.

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How to nail writing in the most popular book genres

You’ve probably researched genres of fiction. You likely have a reading preference that’s guided your choice. But you can look at genre in a different way. We’ll explain!

Fiction genres can be individually defined by the particular nature of the key driving force behind your story. Fictional stories, for instance, can fall into various genres, such as historical fiction, where authors blend creativity with factual accuracy to enrich narratives set in specific time periods.

Each genre has its own secret agent of story, and that’s how genres can be defined. Make sure you’ve got the right one in the driving seat of your moving vehicle! Shall we peel back the disguise? It might be that the commonly held drivers of genre are in fact wearing a mask.

Let’s dig into some of the book genres now to work out what makes each genre tick...

Thriller

Driving force: the antagonist

Example: Apple Tree Yard by Louise Doughty

An interesting twist on what you might expect at play here. The plot is driven by the ‘bad guy’ (the rapist) but also the unknowability of Mr. X who, by dint of ‘joint enterprise,’ apparently assists our heroine in the management of the conflict vis-à-vis ‘the bad guy.’

The addition of untrustworthy characters gives thriller authors the bonus point of the addition of the adjective ‘psychological’ to their genre. The first-person treatment from the perspective of an unreliable narrator is another key component for +psychological (+psychological = unreliability).

The purpose of the antagonist is to reveal the true nature of the hero. (In a psychological thriller, who’s good and who’s bad is much more up for grabs. How about an antagonist who is a nuisance but a goodly person, who reveals our hero as not so noble...? Ah, yes: because that’s concerned with morality, it’s literary. See below.)

Note, too, that the distinction between thriller and crime is that the crime has not yet taken place.

Crime

Driving force: murder and morality

Example: The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Example: The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

In both of these novels, which depend upon the wanton—almost callow—disposability of human life, there is nonetheless sympathy for the devil. The likable face of the killer. The Godfather, Don Corleone, and his son, Michael, have values. Their values are such that they consider these to be a higher purpose than the accident of life. In The Talented Mr. Ripley, Tom Ripley has values too.

It’s a classic story of someone who starts off down on his luck and disregarded, but who, through force of personality, hard work and sheer determination, manages to make something of himself. (He is)... polite, self-effacing, hard working. He is endearingly shy in company and worried about the impression he makes on others. He is always assessing himself, always trying to improve. He can do wonderful imitations. He escapes from horrible scrapes with flair and elan. He has a brave taste for adventure, for putting himself in difficult situations and foreign landscapes. Oh, and he is a very good tipper. Good old Tom—what’s not to like? Well, I suppose there is the fact that he is a cold-blooded killer. It isn’t very nice when he batters Greenleaf Jr. to death. Truth be told, it’s rather an awkward moment.
—Sam Jordison, Guardian

The driving force here is the likable killer. If you think about it, in all whodunnits the killer is not the foul-mouthed, uncouth swine but the pleasing, amenable character.

And that’s not just a device to trick the reader. It’s more than that. It’s because the likability of the murderer drives a long-form story more surely than his or her hatefulness. That would be an awfully short story.

Detective fiction‍

Driving force: natural justice and order prevail

Example: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

The crime novel, with subgenres including mystery fiction, cozy crime and police procedural, was described by Dorothy Sayers as ‘the literature of escape.’ Bestselling author of the new Poirot novels, Sophie Hannah, told our writers that its popularity is derived from one of the most fundamental aspects of the meaning of life, and a key driving force for staying alive. We don’t know what will happen next!

But that’s really the milieu of plot and the story ideas authors dream up. The pedestrian high street of a crime novel has alleyways out of which anything might jump. That’s a given of the genre. I am not sure if it’s the driving force.

The driving force of a detective crime fiction falls on the heroism of the detective against the background of a life in which we don’t know what will happen next.

Here’s Raymond Chandler on the detective novel:

In everything that can be called art there is a quality of redemption. It may be pure tragedy, if it is high tragedy, and it may be pity and irony, and it may be the raucous laughter of the strong man. But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective in this kind of story must be such a man. He is the hero, he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor, by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. (...) If there were enough like him, I think the world would be a very safe place to live in, and yet not too dull to be worth living in.
—Raymond Chandler

So, the paradox afoot here is that an unsafe world has as its driving force a safe pair of hands. Try to compose one without this stoic hero? Not possible.

Historical fiction

Driving force: a contemporary or timeless social question

Example: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Example: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

An author writing historical fiction is akin to one writing speculative fiction: they are finding a way to say something about our current condition without writing non-fiction.

Historical fiction presents a ready-made world, and is selected as a locale in time and place as much for what is missing as what is there. In other words, the setting allows the author to present a parallel of a current situation in more stark relief, even when they draw on actual historical figures.

Thus, paradoxically, a historical novel (with the exception of a historical romance) is driven by events or conditions of the present time, despite the use of historical settings. An author may have something to say about the ways in which we discriminate and segregate groups, as did Victor Hugo and Margaret Atwood, and has no need to contrive a new or alternative world to present these recurrent themes, as a simpler format pre-exists.

Science fiction

Driving force: inhumanity

Example: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Example: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell (which is also dystopian)

Anything is better than the way we live now, says the science fiction writer. As with historical fiction, yet a shriller protest in the sense that science fiction demands imagining, and enacting, the future now.

The author’s intention is clairvoyance. What lies ahead of us? Beware—a warning shot.

The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.
—Albert Camus

Literary fiction

Driving force: the moral or spiritual quest

Example: Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

Example: Everyman by Philip Roth

Example: The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford

A literary novel is concerned with a laser-sharp focus on the moral enterprise of the hero. It examines a person’s life, and how he or she becomes reconciled to their true place in the world.

They can be completely abased as much as exalted, as a servant to the death of dogs, a recently buried body, or a cuckolded and humiliated husband. The imaginary characters are yours to create.

The paradox here is that the driving force of the story is the spiritual standing gained as a result of worldly loss. Think A Christmas Carol. The loss confers a supreme blessing.

(The quest genre is driven by a material quest.)

Up Lit

Driving force: well-being (happiness) driven by community action

Example: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Example: Less by Andrew Sean Greer

From sad face to happy face in this popular genre—with a major kick up the butt delivered to our moping and miserable heroine or hero.

Impossible to imagine without good relations with humankind. A testament to community action, with plenty of comedic elements. Reveals human behavior needn’t be such a cause for despair.

Romance fiction

Driving force: a value choice

Example: Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín

As with Up Lit, the heroine or hero has given up on change, and yet it happens to them through the conduit of another person.

In Brooklyn, Eilis meets a handsome Italian-American man who speaks of marriage. A death summons her back to Ireland, where she finds that America has made her glamorous and desirable, and she faces a choice between the old life and the new.

Thus Elizabeth Bennet had to choose between her pride and prejudice and broader-minded possibilities for true communion with another person. The romantic relationship represents much more.

A romantic novel has, as its paradox, that stability and peace are afforded by choice and change.

Bildungsroman

Driving force: the disappointment of adulthood

Example: The Curious Adventure of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

The novel explores, as does Bonjour Tristesse, a coming-of-age in which one’s hopes for the noblesse of the adult kind are dashed.

Although the bildungsroman can take many forms, the paradox at the heart of this genre is that the more mature human being is immature and hardly grown up at all. The author of this kind of literature warns the reader to go back, go back, and retreat into the better and more benevolent state of innocence.

Fantasy fiction

Driving force: violent conflict

Example: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

When push comes to shove, as it must in fantasy, there will be blood.

Sure, there are plenty of imagined elements along the way, with each fantasy author developing their own style and often dreaming up fantastical magical creatures in the way only only a writer’s imagination can. Conflict between good and evil may be delayed by foul, fair or magical elements.

But eventually, there will be a fleshy sacrifice. Nobility bows its head on the battlefield and takes the fatal blow.

But don’t worry, the swaggering heroes will be there for the sequel, as will the ‘real’ bad guys.

Horror fiction

Driving force: fear and the unknown

Horror is a genre that aims to evoke fear, anxiety, and unease in readers. It often explores the darker aspects of human nature and the supernatural, creating a sense of tension and suspense. Horror stories can be set in any time period and can involve a wide range of themes, from the supernatural to psychological terror. The horror genre has many subgenres, including supernatural horror, psychological horror, and survival horror, each with its unique elements and techniques for creating fear and tension.

Contemporary fiction

Driving force: the exploration of modern life and society

Contemporary fiction is a genre that explores the complexities of modern life and society. It often focuses on the everyday lives of ordinary people, examining their struggles, relationships and experiences. Contemporary fiction can cover a wide range of themes, from family dynamics and relationships to social issues and politics. This genre is characterized by its realistic portrayal of modern life, often incorporating elements of literary fiction, such as complex characters, themes, and language. Contemporary fiction stories can be set in any location and can involve a wide range of characters and plotlines, making it a versatile and dynamic genre.

Domestic fiction

Concerned with the home, so a novel like Little Fires Everywhere might sit here. Consider it in light of what is outside the home and how that threatens what’s inside.

Women’s fiction

For women by women. (As are most novels. Yes, we don’t like the term either, but it is a commercially recognized genre.)

Driven by what it is to not be a man! Common elements include a positive result for the main character or characters, who are women, at the end of the narrative.

Reading group or book club fiction

Upmarket fiction (the old ‘literary fiction’!) that addresses universal, elevated themes while remaining accessible to the general public.

It often deals with controversial or emotionally charged issues which may provoke conversation or become a ‘talking piece’ (often considered preferable in marketing terms to ‘women’s fiction’).

Crossover/breakthrough fiction

What agents sometimes refer to as ‘breakthrough’ novels are those which creatively combine genres. Think of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier—mystery, romance, crime.

The key ingredients that I look for in a fully formed breakout premise are (1) plausibility, (2) inherent conflict, (3) originality, and (4) gut emotional appeal.
—Donald Maas

You can blend the book genres as an author

You can, of course, combine genres—knowingly. But you don’t want to do so unknowingly, and by writing for everyone and anyone, fail to please anybody!

You need to know from the outset what you’re writing and why. It’s perfectly okay to say this is ‘crossover’ and name your mash-up (ideally of no more than two genres). Considering how many book genres exist, this flexibility allows for endless creative possibilities.

It may be that your novel contains elements of different genres—just because you’re writing a thriller doesn’t mean that your main character can’t become involved in a tangled romantic relationship, for example. Consider how you would describe your story—which elements would you pick out as the most important, the ones you want the reader to be following most closely? Use that answer as a guide when picking your genre—everything else is there to bulk up your story and give it color.
—Tash Barsby, Book Editor at The Novelry

Other genres

Graphic novel

Graphic novels have surged in popularity, captivating readers with their unique blend of visual and textual storytelling. These book-length narratives use a combination of illustrations and text to convey complex stories, making them a versatile and engaging genre. Graphic novels can span a wide range of topics, from superheroes and science fiction to historical events and personal memoirs.

The format of graphic novels varies, often featuring comic strip-style panels, full-page illustrations, and a mix of dialogue and narrative text. This genre requires a collaborative effort between writers and illustrators, as the visual elements are integral to the storytelling process. The result is a rich, immersive experience that appeals to readers who enjoy visual storytelling.

Notable examples of graphic novels include Maus by Art Spiegelman, a powerful depiction of the Holocaust through the lens of anthropomorphic characters, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, an autobiographical account of growing up during the Iranian Revolution, and Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, a groundbreaking work that deconstructs the superhero genre.

Short story

Short stories are a beloved genre for readers who appreciate concise, self-contained narratives that can be enjoyed in a single sitting. Typically ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 words, short stories focus on a single plot, character or theme, delivering a powerful impact in a brief format. This genre is known for its ability to capture the essence of a moment, emotion or idea with precision and clarity.

Short stories can be found in various styles, from realistic to speculative fiction, and are often published individually or collected in anthologies. These collections offer readers a diverse range of voices, styles and themes, making them a popular choice for those who enjoy exploring different narrative approaches and discovering new authors.

Classic examples of short stories include The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, a chilling tale of societal norms and human behavior, The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, a masterful exploration of guilt and madness, and A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor, a story that delves into themes of morality and redemption.

By understanding the unique characteristics and appeal of these fiction, non-fiction and other genres, writers can better navigate the literary landscape and create compelling works that resonate with readers.

Take your book genre seriously before you start writing!

Consider what’s driving your story before you start, and you won’t go too far wrong.

When you start writing a novel you need to know two things:

1. What the reader’s reading your book to find out
2. The driving force of your story as appropriate to your genre

Nail them, and you are well begun! Next, write the novel.

At The Novelry, we’ll ensure you’ve nailed your genre and are off to a flying start with our unique Story First Method™. Find out more about how it works here.

We can help you write a first draft of your novel with our famous Novel Kickstarter Course. Sign up and start writing your best book today!

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