Types of Novels

There is a bewildering number of types of novels, and it is important that you know from the outset which of the fiction genres your own masterpiece will slot into.

It is a risky strategy to write a novel without having a clear idea of the position the novel will occupy in the literary marketplace...

  • You can get away with it if your novel just happens to slot neatly into a category, more by luck than judgement.
  • But if it slips between the gaps then publishers will be far less inclined to accept it - no matter how good the writing.

Publishing a novel is a business, not a charity for creative types.

True, it is a more far-sighted business than film production, for example.

If you are a screenwriter and your screenplay shows promise but nevertheless "isn't quite there," production companies won't touch it.

Book publishers are more likely to say, "Well, this guy isn't going to make any money with his first book, but his writing shows enough promise to do well with his second or third novel."

But, still, publishing isn't a charity.

If your books won't make money for the publishers - if not straight away then at least two or three years down the line - then they won't want to know you.

In other words, it is not enough for your novels to merely be good, they also need to be commercial - and one way that you can help to ensure that they are commercial is to make them fit into a specific category of fiction, one with a ready-made audience who regularly purchase the types of novels within that category.

Think of novels like products in a supermarket...

  • Each aisle is devoted to a particular type of product: meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables, breakfast cereals, and so on.

  • Now suppose you invent a new product that is so unique it doesn't fit into any of the aisles. No matter how good the product might be, if the supermarket can't find a place for it on their shelves - or if they can't "position" it in the market - they simply won't stock the product.

This is precisely what you must avoid when you write your novel, and it is what this guide to the types of novels is all about.

(In a hurry? Check out The Quick Guide to the 3 Types of Fiction.)

The Three Main Types of Novels

Broadly speaking, fiction can be divided into three varieties: literary, genre, and mainstream. The first thing you need to do when deciding what type of novel you want to write is to come down in one camp or the other.

What Is Genre Fiction?

Genre fiction is the most popular variety of fiction. It can be divided into categories such as mysteries, thrillers, and romances.

What Is Literary Fiction?

Literary novels are generally far less commercial than genre ones - but only generally. If your literary novel happens to win a major prize or receive some positive word-of-mouth buzz, it could still make you very rich.

What Is Mainstream Fiction?

As you might have guessed, this variety of fiction sits more or less halfway between the other two. If you have no strong calling to write a genre or literary novel, it could well be the type of novel for you.

Which of the 3 Types of Books Is Best?

There is a lot of information to absorb in the three articles above, and so I have written a summary of your options which will hopefully help you to make up your mind once and for all.

What Is a Novel's Purpose?

What does the purpose of fiction have to do with types of novels? Quite a lot, as it turns out. This article is about what the three main types of novels (genre, literary and mainstream) have in common - indeed, must have in common.

More On Genre Fiction

If after reading all of the information above, you have decided to write literary or mainstream fiction, you can get on with the business of finding an idea.

These two types of novels, as the articles have pointed out, are pretty much "rule free", meaning you are free to proceed in your own way.

On the other hand, genre fiction - crime novels, horror novels, and so on - is governed by rules, and you must more or less stick to them if you wish to be successful.

Notice I say "more or less" stick to the rules. All great novel writers, whether they are working within one of the fiction genres or not, write books which are distinctively theirs. It is this originality that has helped them to become the successes they are.

Nevertheless, the rules exist.

The trick, then, is to learn what fans of horror fiction, for example, expect of horror novelists, and then to both meet these expectations and throw something original into the mix. The articles below should help you to do precisely that.

A Guide to the Fiction Genres

The first thing is to decide which genre of fiction in particular you intend to specialize in. This series of articles is a comprehensive overview of all the options open to you. The genres I look at here are:

Book Genres and Conventions

Having decided on your particular genre, you next need to learn its conventions. These are the "rules" I have been talking about, or the elements which all novels belonging to that particular category must have in common.

The Fiction Genres - a Reading List

Why a reading list? Simply because it is impossible for me - or for anybody - to provide expert information on how to write every imaginable category of novel. My job is to teach you how to write novels in general, or any novel. Reading a guide to the specific types of novels you intend to specialize in is a great way of learning any specific demands of that genre.

Types of Novels to Novel Writing Help Home Page