Given the vast number of books published each year, understanding the different types of books can help you identify the right category for your manuscript. It can also help you make informed decisions about how to write a book, develop your target audience, and present your work to readers.
In this article, we provide information on book genres, beginning at the most basic level: the major kinds, genres of fiction and non-fiction within each, as well as classification according to format and age of target reader.
In summary: Books may be divided into two major kinds: fiction and non-fiction, and within each category, there are many sub-genres (such as mystery, fantasy, autobiography, and true crime), and also classification according to format (novel, novella, graphic novel) and intended age of the readership.
Below is a comprehensive guide to the various book genres.
What Are Book Genres? (And Why They Matter)
The concept of a book genre refers to a classification tool that is based on the content, style, tone, and topic of the book – a set of common understandings between the writer and the reader. For instance, when a person reads a detective novel, he or she expects the crime, an investigation, and the solution.
When the reader opens the self-help book, he or she expects to receive some advice on reaching a certain goal. Genres are those tools that provide all the information about the book even before a reader reads it.
Genres are important for readers, as they help to choose the right book among numerous others from the list. At the same time, genres are important for writers and publishers as well, as they determine the book’s marketing and cover, the target audience, and many other aspects. First of all, it helps to make a comparison with other books of the same genre.
Fiction vs. Nonfiction: The Two Main Types of Books
Every book genre must be put into either of the two basic categories: fiction or nonfiction. This is the first and primary categorization in any list of book genres.
Fiction is a term that describes books whose content is purely fictitious. That means that although they may be based on historical facts and figures or even true events, the story remains fictitious. Genre is the first factor used in the organization of books into fiction groups: mystery books are organized differently from romances, and romances from literature.
Nonfiction is a term that describes books whose content is factual. These books can be organized according to their topics or purposes: biography, business books, and history books are all examples of nonfiction.
Many books will contain aspects of both genres, such as novels that use fictional storytelling techniques to relate a factual story, or fiction books that use imaginary situations to recreate factual events. However, almost every book in existence can be categorized into one of those two categories before anything else.
Types of Fiction Books (Fiction Genres of Books)
The genre of fictional books is determined by the nature of the plot, characters, themes, and reader expectations. Understanding these conventions can help authors make stronger creative decisions when developing a fiction writing project. The following are some of the most common fictional genres.
Literary Fiction
Fiction literature focuses on the complexity of characters and their inner world and the complex themes within the story rather than focusing on the plot. As opposed to the rules set out by different genres, fiction literature does not rely on the expected plot turns but rather focuses on exploring the inner world of the characters and humanity in general.
Mystery & Thriller
The key elements in both mystery and thriller are suspense and the excitement of finding out something hidden. The main element in a mystery story is the discovery of a crime or the solution of some kind of puzzle, whereas the main element in a thriller story is danger and growing personal risks.
Whether you are writing literary fiction, mystery, fantasy, or historical fiction, planning the main plot and character arcs before drafting can make the writing process more manageable. A clear novel outline can help you organize major events, conflicts, and turning points while keeping the story focused.
Science Fiction
Science fiction is concerned with speculative technologies, future societies, and scientific ideas through a series of “what if” questions based on science or a realistic extension of science — e.g., space exploration, artificial intelligence, or genetic modification. The main difference between science fiction and fantasy is that science fiction is based on the logic of science, not magic.
“Science fiction is not predictive; it is descriptive.” — Ursula K. Le Guin
Fantasy
The theme of Fantasy is based on magic or the supernatural, usually set in a created world which has its own unique system of magic. Fantasy does not involve scientific reasoning like science fiction does; the magic in it is part of the story’s world and need not be scientifically believable.
“Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind.” — Terry Pratchett
Romance
Romance novels have a developing romantic relationship as the main plot point, which must culminate in an emotionally fulfilling ending, which is a key convention of this particular genre. The romance genre has very strict conventions, and the readers expect this aspect of the genre to be fulfilled.
Horror
Horror is created to frighten, intimidate, or unnervingly affect the reader via supernatural elements, psychological elements, or physical dangers can take many forms, from subtle psychological horrors that center on building up dread to visceral horrors that focus on creating a sense of threatening danger, yet common to all types of horror is the goal of disturbing the reader.
“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear.” — H.P. Lovecraft
Historical Fiction
Historical fiction is written in the context of a particular period in history and involves actual historical events along with the characters, which are usually fictional. Fiction demands sufficient historical detail in order for the story to be believable, and yet it gives the author freedom to use his imagination.
Types of Nonfiction Books (Nonfiction Genres of Books)
Nonfiction book genres, on the other hand, are generally categorized according to topic, purpose, and the information readers expect to gain. Authors working on memoirs, business books, biographies, or other nonfiction projects may also benefit from understanding the conventions of nonfiction writing before developing their manuscripts.
Memoir & Autobiography
Both memoir and autobiography are narratives about the life of a real individual; however, in most cases, a memoir revolves around a particular theme or period, whereas an autobiography is about the whole life of a person in its entirety. Both of these genres are based on personal narratives and reflections instead of research from outside sources.
“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your story.” — Anne Lamott
Self-Help
Books on self-help provide a way forward through ideas, advice, tips, or approaches meant to help the reader make improvements in one area of his life. This could be about anything, including the way he works or thinks, his personality, the way he eats or sleeps, or his interactions with people around him.
Biography
Biography provides an account of the life of an actual individual that is written by a third party who was not the subject of the biography himself. In contrast to a memoir, which relies on the first-hand perspective of the subject, biography tends to be objective.
Business & Finance
Books on business and finance may include subject areas such as entrepreneurship, management, investments, economics, and career strategies, which are meant to be informative and practical within the context of business or finance. Examples of books within this category may range from finance books to leadership theory and case studies.
History
Historical texts are based on facts and events that took place in the past, usually as a result of some research work and using primary sources, with an intention to inform the readers. History as a literary form includes broad texts covering whole eras and narrow ones, discussing single events.
True Crime
True crime books cover actual crimes, investigations, and even court cases. They usually cover the psychology of people, the investigation process, and other situations that led to the occurrence of a crime. The true crime genre has gained immense popularity in recent times due to its crossover with true crime podcasts and documentaries.
Genres of Books by Format
Once an author has selected the appropriate format, the manuscript may need to be prepared differently for print and digital publication. Book formatting helps ensure that the final files are readable, consistent, and suitable for their intended format. Genre refers to fiction and non-fiction, while format refers to a completely different type of classification.
Novels
A novel is a complete piece of fiction, usually ranging from about 70,000 to 120,000 words, that allows enough scope to create a complicated storyline, numerous characters, and a series of arcs. A novel is considered the normal form of what is imagined when one speaks of a book.
Novellas
Novellas represent a more compact form of fictional writing. It falls within the range of approximately 20,000 to 50,000 words in total. Thus, novellas may be considered a type of fiction that occupies an intermediate position between short stories and novels. It is characterized by one plotline or character development arc.
Short Story Collections
The compilation of a short story anthology involves bringing together several individual short stories within one book, which may have a common theme or setting or may simply form a part of the writer’s body of work. Every individual story is usually self-contained and, therefore, well suited for reading in any order and even in brief sessions.
Graphic Novels & Comics
Unlike other books which tell stories using prose, comics use sequential images that are accompanied by words in order to relay their messages. Comics may be presented as individual issues of a larger story, while graphic novels are usually an entire story within one book. Graphic novels cover almost all genres, from fiction to non-fiction.
Novels
Full-length fiction, roughly 70,000–120,000 words — the standard “book” format.
Novellas
A shorter, tightly focused story, roughly 20,000–50,000 words.
Short Story Collections
Multiple standalone stories gathered into one book.
Graphic Novels & Comics
Stories told through sequential art paired with text.
Book Genres for Children and Young Adults
Age classification also represents a key level of classification, in which books are classified according to the age of the readers who can read them.
Picture Books
Illustrated books intended for children between the ages of 0 and 8, with illustration taking on an importance that rivals or exceeds that of text, are known as picture books. The text in these books is not elaborate, and the reading process involves an adult reading it to the child.
Middle Grade
The middle grade book is targeted towards children who are between the ages of 8 and 12, and it also has the main character(s) around the same age as the reader, with topics that are suitable for such readers. The themes in middle grades include friendship, family, and discovering oneself.
Young Adult
The genre of young adult books is targeted at readers aged between 12 and 18 years and is characterized by having teenage heroes dealing with issues of maturity and romance. The genre covers almost any fictional story type, from YA fantasies to YA romances and dystopian novels, among others. It is not defined by a single feature but by the age of the hero and the issues he or she deals with.
How to Choose the Right Genre for Your Book
Authors who want to position their manuscripts within existing categories should first identify what they have actually written rather than choosing a genre simply because it seems commercially attractive. Reviewing the plot, central conflicts, protagonist’s goals, tone, and overall structure can help clarify the manuscript’s strongest category. Professional book editing services can also help authors improve structure, character development, pacing, and consistency before they finalize their genre positioning.
Another helpful step is finding comparable published works, that is, those which would have similar tone, structure, and target audience to one’s manuscript. These so-called “comp titles” will help the author understand what shelf his book belongs to and how to present this information to agents, publishers, or general readership.
If an author finds it difficult to assign his work to just one genre, this is completely normal – there are many commercially successful books which combine aspects of two genres (for example, fantasy romance or literary historical fiction) and it might be more useful to establish a primary and secondary genre combination.
Finally, remember that genre is not only something assigned after the fact. It affects many decisions throughout the publishing process, including the book’s cover design, back-cover blurb, positioning, and marketing audience. For example, book cover design should reflect the expectations of the genre while still giving readers a reason to notice the book.
Final Thoughts: Finding Your Place Within the Book Genres List
There are many more genres in books than can be mentioned here. However, once we break the topic down into layers, the system starts making sense: fiction versus non-fiction at the top level, then particular types of literature in each group, and, on top of that, book types and age groups of target readers. It helps us both to search for our future book and determine which particular category our own book fits into.