Distinguishing characteristics at a glance
With some books, it’s obvious whether the book is meant as a work of genre or literary fiction. (Where literary fiction is a distinct genre itself.) Such books inhabit their worlds fully.
But there are others for which the dividing line is less clear. Books that can seem to have qualities of each. Such books are known as upmarket.
GENRE (COMMERCIAL) FICTION
Classified as mystery, romance, fantasy, etc. (or as one particular type of these broad genres, such as cozy mystery or hard-boiled detective) or as genre blends (typically with one primary genre)
Clear audience expectations related to the particular genre or mix of genres: readers want “the same, but different,” familiar conventions but a fresh story
Writing style is typically not as important as the story, and it may blend into the background
Contemporary genre fiction is character driven: that is, plot arises organically from character. Characters should never appear to be moved about like pawns on a board to satisfying a plot need, nor should they be flat types. And yet, plot is still deeply important
Contemporary genre fiction can also sometimes raise tough or difficult questions
These stories are typically fast paced: these are page-turners, with a strong causal chain of events and high, ever-increasing stakes. We experience characters in tight situations solving problems
Character flaws in your main character(s) typically function as obstacles to be overcome
The main character(s) should be likable
The focus is on the work being an enjoyable and satisfying read:
The story is most often told in a straightforward manner
Positive endings are the norm
Closed endings (with all narrative questions answered) are the norm
As with all good fiction, good genre fiction is immersive: if it’s your kind of story (and it’s done well), it will pull you in
We read and evaluate such novels against the commonly held standards of genre fiction: Does the story fulfill core genre conventions? Are the goals and motivations of the main character(s) clear and do those in combination with the conflict drive the story? Do the stakes progressively build? And so on. Do all of these aspects of the story dovetail organically and creatively? With originality?
UPMARKET (BOOK CLUB) FICTION
“Literary feel, commercial appeal”
These are books with a foot in both camps: fast-paced stories with compelling plots (such that they’re page-turners) and compelling writing (such that they’re satisfyingly immersive to readers who favor literary fiction)
The narrative may be more fragmented or unusual; the story may veer in unexpected directions, as long as it does that well; it may not follow genre conventions or may lie outside of genre — or have some other attribute that makes it less like genre fiction
Yet the story is gripping, it’s accessible, and plot will tend to drive it as much as character
LITERARY FICTION
Often understood in contrast to “genre” fiction, but can be considered another genre, just one that’s more elusive
The audience is often expected to follow where the story leads: no set conventions, no set plot points, plenty of room for experimentation. Literary fiction can be wildly inventive and experimental, though it also can just be a fine treatment of its topics and themes and characters without necessarily breaking any new ground
There are subgenres of literary fiction, but these tend to be less explicitly defined
Can be a realistic story in a realistic setting, but need not be: a novel written to a particular genre can also cross over into the literary, if its focus and treatment render it literary *
There’s a priority on style and theme: the way the story is told, and the themes explored, are every bit as important as the story itself, possibly more important than plot:
The writing style — whatever that style is — is part of the reading experience
The themes tend to have to do with the big questions in life, most particularly the human condition itself, or they could be very focused on the problems of that particular character
Plot is often in place to reveal character
All good fiction today is character-driven, but a work of literary fiction is also character-centric: to the point that plot may be more a vehicle for exploring character than anything else, in which case the story turns into a sort of character study
Character flaws in your main character(s) may be the focus of the story, they may be what’s under the microscope, more so than driving the story. Or they may drive the story
The main character(s) in literary fiction may not be likeable
These stories are typically slower paced:
There’s more introspection and reflection
There’s often more description
Telling can be as important as showing
Endings may be negative or bleak; they may be open-ended, leaving narrative questions unanswered
As with all good fiction, good literary fiction is immersive: if it’s your kind of story (and it’s done well), it will pull you in
We follow the lead of such novels, in reading and evaluating them. The question then becomes, is the author achieving the goal she has set for herself? And is she achieving it well and creatively? With originality?
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* Yes, given that contemporary genre fiction is also often more concerned with character (that is, tending toward character-centric, as much as character-driven), this makes the judgment about whether a particular novel is just beautifully contemporary or whether it tends more towards the literary. Literary fiction is not limited to novels that tell realistic stories, set in contemporary landscapes.
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