Originally posted on cozycritiques.com. Revised 2/2/2024.
It’s time for Part 2 of the Writer’s Guide to Book Genres! In Part 1, I discussed what genre is, why it’s important, and what the two major categories of genre are. In Part 2, I will be going into the first category of genre: consumer-facing genres.
What are consumer-facing genres?
Before I dive into the many different types of reading genres, first let me re-define what they are. Consumer-facing genres are the genres used to sell a book. In other words, they’re the different categories within a bookstore, or even a library, that books can be sorted into to make finding what you’re looking for easier.
There are two main categories of consumer-facing genres: fiction and non-fiction. Within those, there are dozens of different genres—the number changes depending on who you ask and whether you are considering subgenres (which are niche categories within a larger genre).
Fiction
Broadly defined, books in the fiction category are imaginary. They tell stories about imaginary events and people, or real people and events but using imaginary details.
This category encompasses several genres, including:
Fantasy
Books set in a fictional world, or in the current world that includes magic
Some subgenres would include:
- High Fantasy: Set in created worlds
- The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
- Low Fantasy: Set in the current world but with magic
- The Magicians by Lev Grossman
- Urban Fantasy: A type of low fantasy specifically set in a city that usually has a gritty or dark element to it
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Note: The definitions for high fantasy vs. low fantasy are often debated, and I could probably do an entire post on it, especially when you throw the term “epic fantasy” into the mix. But a nifty shortcut I like to use to differentiate the two is that if the book has a map, it’s high fantasy.
Romance
Books where the primary plot focuses on people falling in love that has a happy or emotionally satisfying ending.
Some sub-genres would include:
- Contemporary Romance: Set in the authors contemporary time period
- Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
- Historical Romance: Takes place in a historical setting
- Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
- Paranormal Romance: Contains fantasy elements
- Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris
Women’s Fiction
Books with a female target audience reflecting on the experience of being a woman. This can include a romantic element, but usually the focus of the plot will be more on the female protagonist’s growth rather than their romantic relationship.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
A sub genre of this would be chick-lit which is typically a lighthearted version of women’s fiction.
Science Fiction
Books with a focus on real or real-feeling science, usually set in the distant future.
Dune by Frank Herbert
A common subgenre of this genre would be dystopian, which offers a bleak or frightening version of the future.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Action and Adventure
Books with high stakes focused on a hero with an important goal to achieve.
Some common subgenres include:
- Espionage: A spy is the protagonist and the plot usually involves the government or politics
- The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
- Western: Set in the American Old West frontier
- True Grit by Charles Portis
Mystery/Crime
Books where the central plot centers around solving a mystery.
Some subgenres include:
- Detective: Classic mystery novels
- Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
- Cozy Mystery: A low stakes mystery, usually set in a small town
- Miss Marple Series by Agatha Christie
- Police Procedural: A police detective follows the law to solve crime.
- Alex Cross Series by James Patterson
Thriller and Suspense
Books where the protagonist is acting to save their own life or prevent a crime rather than solve one (like in a mystery)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Horror
Books where supernatural elements are meant to create fear
Basically anything Stephen King
Some subgenres include:
- Monster/Creature Horror: A monster or creature is used to elicit fear
- Coraline by Neil Gaiman
- Psychological Horror: Utilizes mental states of the character to frighten readers
- Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin
Literary Fiction
This is kind of a catchall genre. These re basically books that don’t fit neatly into the other genres. These also tend to be considered artistic in some way.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
There are a few other categories within fiction that are generally considered “genres”, but in my opinion, these qualify the above listed genres rather than act as their own genres. They speak more to either the time period the book is set in, the audience the book is meant for, or representation found within the book. These include:
Classics
Books that have stood the test of time and continue to be read across generations.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Contemporary
Books that take place in the current day.
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Historical
Books in a historical setting.
Note: this would not include books set in the time period they were written in, like Dracula by Bram Stoker, which would have been considered contemporary when it was published.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Young Adult
Books with a target audience of readers between the ages of 12-18, usually involving a coming-of-age narrative
Basically anything by John Green
New Adult
Books with a target audience of readers who are in college or just in their early-to-late twenties. There is usually a theme of learning to become a fully-fledged adult.
Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers
LGBTQ+
Books with authentic LGBTQ+ representation as the main character.
She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan
Non-Fiction
Books that fall into non-fiction are ones that are factual in nature about a specific topic. These can fall into some of the following genres, which are pretty self-explanatory:
- History
- Biography/Memoir
- Humor
- Folklore
- Philosophy
- Health and Wellness
- Science
- Sociology/Social Science
- Psychology
- Education
- Business & Economics
- Home and Garden
- Cooking
- Recreation and Leisure
- Fine Arts
Understanding the different categories of consumer-facing genre is important when determining how you’re going to market your book. But when it comes to plotting and writing your novel, it will be more important to understand the content genre your story will fall into. So stay tuned for part 3, an in-depth discussion of the different content genres as defined by The Story Grid!