Is your novel highbrow or lowbrow – and is this distinction even useful? We’ve taken a look at literary and genre fiction to identify their differences and similarities.
Most readers know instinctively which type of book they prefer. Some reach for novels packed with tension and plot twists, while others are drawn to books that linger on inner lives and subtle shifts in tone. But when it comes to defining the difference between literary and genre fiction, the lines start to blur. The terms are often used to separate “serious” writing from commercial storytelling, yet many of the best books do both.
Each serves a different purpose, shaped by different reader expectations. Understanding how they diverge and where they overlap can help you sharpen your instincts, not just as a reader, but as a writer too. It’s less about picking a side, and more about seeing the full map.
What is Literary Fiction?
Understanding what literary fiction is starts with tone and intent. Literary fiction is traditionally seen as prioritising language, character psychology, and philosophical exploration over plot.
Literary fiction is often defined by how a story is told, not what happens. The prose tends to be more stylised and the themes lean towards introspection and complexity. You are less likely to find clear-cut heroes and villains, and more likely to meet characters wrestling with meaning, identity, memory, or grief.
Some literary novels even question the nature of storytelling itself. Fragmented timelines, multiple narrators, or drifting structures that don’t resolve in a traditional arc are not uncommon. Their central aim isn’t always to entertain. Literary fiction often seeks to provoke reflection or leave a lasting impression.
If you’re looking for literary fiction examples, consider authors like Virginia Woolf, Kazuo Ishiguro, or Rachel Cusk. Their work rarely hinges on a fast-paced plot, but it leaves a strong emotional and intellectual imprint.
What is Genre Fiction?
Given the parameters of literary fiction, what is genre fiction, instead? Genre fiction refers to stories written within an established category. Mystery, romance, horror, fantasy, and science fiction are all examples. These stories tend to follow expected patterns: a crime is solved, a romance is tested, a kingdom is saved. That does not mean they are predictable. It means they honour the shape of the form.
Genre fiction often follows a clear structure. The three-act format is common, along with key turning points, rising stakes, and satisfying conclusions. Characters still grow, but usually alongside the action rather than in place of it.
This is also the world of serialised fiction and immersive universes. Writers like Agatha Christie, Octavia E. Butler, and Terry Pratchett worked within genre boundaries while producing deeply original work. Many genre authors use familiar tools to explore unexpected ideas.
For more on how structure underpins storytelling, see our article: What is a story arc?.
Is the Distinction Always Useful?
The label of literary fiction vs genre fiction can help readers find books, but it has limits. Many novels live in both worlds. Colson Whitehead’s Zone One draws on zombie horror to explore trauma and disconnection. Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven is speculative fiction that also reflects on art, memory, and loss.
The real difference often lies in emphasis. Literary fiction may dwell more on interior life, while genre fiction moves through external challenges. But most strong stories contain both. Many authors today reject the divide. Instead, they write where their work takes them.
It also depends on how a story is received. A novel might be shelved as crime fiction but praised for its prose. Another might be marketed as literary but follow a classic mystery arc. Readers don’t always follow the same logic as publishers. They care more about impact than category.
Choosing Your Path as a Writer
Writers sometimes feel pressure to declare their camp. Are you writing to explore questions of meaning, or to thrill an audience? Are you aiming for subtlety, or for momentum? These questions matter, but they aren’t mutually exclusive.
Some writers begin with a genre framework, then push the language and characters toward literary depth. Others start with literary intention, then borrow from genre conventions to carry the plot. Neither approach is more valid.
The only mistake is writing without clarity. Ask yourself what your story wants to be. What kind of experience are you offering? Is it built around themes or around events? Once you answer that, you can shape your method to suit it.
Practical Tools for Both
No matter the label, long-form fiction needs structure, revision, and room to experiment. Scrivener’s novel writing software is designed to support both discovery and planning. You can write out of order, keep research close, and view your manuscript in parts or as a whole. For writers who blend genre with literary detail, or literary reflection with genre pace, it’s a way to hold both threads at once.
If you are exploring character transformation, theme, or symbolism, you might enjoy our breakdown of themes in literature.
Thinking Beyond the Labels
Fiction is a spectrum. Categories are helpful until they become limitations. Whether you read widely, write instinctively, or plan every detail in advance, the work still comes down to the same quiet process: a sentence, a character, a question. Genre helps shape the form. Literary thinking gives it depth.
When the two meet, the results can be powerful. You don’t need to choose one or the other. But understanding both will help you write with intention, and that’s where good stories begin.
Gabriel Gaynor-Guthrie is a freelance writer and editor.
Scrivener is novel writing software designed to help you craft your first draft with ease. Find out more here