Fiction Writing Made Easy

#191. Fiction Genres Made Easy: Understanding the 5 Dimensions of Genre

• Episode 191

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Discover the five ways to talk about your story’s genre so you can write, edit, and publish your novel with clarity and confidence.

Ever found yourself staring at a blinking cursor, excited about your story idea but utterly confused about how to describe its genre? 😩 

This kind of uncertainty isn't just frustrating. It can have serious consequences for your writing, editing, and publishing journey.

Here’s what you need to know: There are actually five different layers of genre that work together to describe your unique story. Think of this as your story's "genre DNA"—a description that gives readers a comprehensive picture of your work.

Tune into this episode to learn:

  • [02:22] How to determine if your novel is commercial, literary, or upmarket fiction—and why this positioning matters when writing, editing, and publishing
  • [05:21] Why your story's time period affects everything from research requirements to character development (and what this means for fantasy authors whose stories often take place in their own temporal contexts)
  • [07:32] How to select the appropriate age category for your target readers and why this critical decision shapes your word count, content, and marketing options
  • [11:30] The different reality settings available for your story world and practical ways to manage worldbuilding without getting overwhelmed
  • [18:15] How your story’s content genre can serve as your writing roadmap by defining the emotional experience readers expect from a story like yours

Whether you're drafting your first novel or preparing to query agents, this episode will help you define your story's genre so you can write with direction, revise with purpose, and market your book with confidence.

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Speaker 1:

Let's say you're stuck in the middle of a draft. Well, this is where genre can come to your rescue. Reconnecting with your content, genre can remind you what kind of emotional journey you're guiding readers through, and it can help you see what might be missing in your draft. Also, if your draft feels like it's drifting or starting to lose focus, you can take a step back and ask am I still writing the story I set out to tell or has it changed? And if it's changed, that's okay too.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilbo and I'm here to help you write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming, so each week, I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you. So pick up a pen and let's get started.

Speaker 1:

In this episode, we're tackling one of the most confusing aspects of the writing, editing and publishing journey, and that is genre. A lot of writers face uncertainty about how to categorize their work. Is it commercial, upmarket or literary, is it middle grade or young adult, is it historical or contemporary, and so on and so on. And this confusion isn't just frustrating. It can make the writing, editing and publishing process so much harder, from abandoning story ideas you love because you felt lost, without clear direction, to targeting the wrong agents when it comes time to query, and things like that. But here's the good news If you're confused about genre, this doesn't come from a place of you doing anything wrong. It's also not because you're not cut out to be a writer or anything like that. Genre can be confusing, especially if you're working on your first book. Plus, genre doesn't mean just one thing. There are actually five different dimensions to genre that all work together to help you describe your unique story, and that's exactly what we're going to talk about in this episode. So I'm going to break down what I call your story's genre DNA the five key descriptions or dimensions that define your story's identity. By the end of this episode, you'll have a clear understanding of what kind of story you're writing and hopefully you'll have the confidence to finally move forward with your draft, especially if genre has been a sticking point for you in the past.

Speaker 1:

So let's dive in and demystify genre once and for all, starting with the very first way you can classify any story. Alright, so the very first way you can talk about genre is in terms of a story's commercial appeal. So is it literary, upmarket or commercial fiction? And this first classification often intimidates new writers because it seems to carry judgment about the quality or the quote-unquote worthiness of your writing. So I want to just clear that up right away and say that none of these categories is inherently better than the others. They simply describe different approaches to storytelling and different target audiences. So let's break these down one by one, starting with commercial fiction.

Speaker 1:

Commercial fiction is written primarily to entertain readers and tell a compelling story. These books tend to prioritize pacing, plot and accessibility. Think of authors like James Patterson, nora Roberts or Stephen King. If you like writing page turners that keep readers up past their bedtime, then you're probably writing commercial fiction, and that's something to be really proud of, because the majority of bestsellers fall into this category. Alright, next up is literary fiction, and literary fiction focuses more on artistic expression, complex themes and innovative writing techniques. These type of stories often emphasize character development over plot and may feature more experimental structures or language. Authors like Toni Morrison, haruki Murakami or Sally Rooney typically write literary fiction. So if you're drawn to exploring deep philosophical questions or creating prose that feels like poetry, then you might be writing literary fiction.

Speaker 1:

Now, last up, we have upmarket fiction, and upmarket fiction bridges the gap between commercial and literary fiction. These type of stories offer the readability and plot momentum of commercial fiction, but with deeper character development and more elevated prose. Authors like Jodi Picoult, leanne Moriarty and Celeste Ng they write upmarket fiction. So if you want your story to be both thought-provoking and accessible, then upmarket fiction might be your sweet spot. Now, one thing that's important to remember is that many novels contain elements of multiple different categories. Your story might lean primarily towards commercial fiction while incorporating some upmarket elements, or vice versa. What matters most is identifying your primary approach so that you can make consistent craft decisions that align with your readers' expectations.

Speaker 1:

Now a little pro tip. If you're not sure where your story fits here, I want you to be honest with yourself about where your natural voice falls. Trying to force literary prose when your strength is in snappy dialogue and fast-paced plotting is only going to frustrate you and may cause you to abandon your project altogether. So just something to keep in mind. Alright, so that's the first way to talk about the genre of any story, and it's in regard to its commercial appeal. So is it literary, upmarket or commercial fiction?

Speaker 1:

The second way you can talk about the genre of any story has to do with the time period that story takes place in. The time period of your story affects everything from your research needs to your character's dialogue patterns and so much more, and here you have a couple options, so let's dig into them one by one, starting with historical fiction. Now, you might already know this, but, just in case, historical fiction takes place in a real past time period. So this could be ancient Rome, the roaring 20s or the 1980s, which, yes, is now considered historical fiction. Do you feel old yet? Now, if you're writing historical fiction, you'll need to research the details of your chosen era. Of course right, because we want to make our story as accurate as possible. But, that being said, remember that your first draft doesn't need perfect historical accuracy and that you can refine those details when you get into revisions.

Speaker 1:

All right, next up is contemporary fiction, and contemporary fiction is set in the present day or in the very recent past. This type of setting requires less research about time period details, but you will still need to get the current cultural references and technology right, and one of the benefits of using a contemporary time period for your story is that sometimes it's the path of least resistance. Next up is futuristic fiction which happens in a time that hasn't happened yet. So this could be the near future, like next year, or it could be the distant future, like thousands of years from now. And while this type of time setting offers a lot of creative freedom, it also requires a lot of thoughtful world building to make your future world feel believable as well. All right now.

Speaker 1:

A little pro tip from me here is choose a time period that plays to your strengths and your interests, so don't force yourself to write something like a Regency romance just because they're popular, if researching historical details will make you miserable. The most important part is to be intentional about your time period choice, and just remember that each option will offer different storytelling possibilities and constraints. All right, so that's the second way you can think about genre, and that is in terms of a story's time period. So when does that story take place? Now, the third way you can talk about genre is in terms of the target reader's age. So who are you writing for? A lot of new writers don't realize that the age of your intended audience is a really important classification that's going to affect everything from your word count to what type of content you'll put in your story and things like that. So let's quickly go through each of the age range buckets so you can see where your story fits.

Speaker 1:

And first up we have middle grade stories. Middle grade stories target readers around 8 years to 12 years old. These kind of books typically feature protagonists who are around 10 to 13 years old and who deal with themes relevant to that age group, so friendship, family, identity and finding one's place in the world. Middle grade books avoid explicit content and they usually range from 25,000 to 65,000 words. A few examples of middle grade books are things like Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books All right.

Speaker 1:

Next up is young adult. Young adult is for readers who are approximately 12 to 18 years old, though many adults enjoy reading these books as well. These stories tend to feature protagonists who are around 14 to 18 and who are dealing with coming-of-age themes, first, love and increasing independence. These stories often explore more complex issues than middle grade stories do, but still in an age appropriate way, and these books usually run from around 50 to 90,000 words. Examples of young adult stories are things like the Hunger Games and the Hate U Give All right.

Speaker 1:

Next up is New Adult, and New Adult targets readers in their late teens and early 20s, and often features protagonists who are between 18 and 25, who are navigating early adulthood challenges. So things like college first jobs, serious relationships. So things like college first jobs, serious relationships and establishing independence. These stories often include more mature content than adult books do, with themes that are centered on identity formation, leaving home and finding one's place in the world. Stories like Fourth Wing and Red White and Royal Blue are good examples of new adult books. Now, that being said, a little caveat here the boundaries between new adult and adult can sometimes be rather blurry, but new adult stories typically focus on the transitional experiences between adolescence and established adulthood. So if you're writing a story like that, it might fit within this new adult age range category. All right now.

Speaker 1:

Last up is adult fiction, and you guessed it. Adult fiction is for adult readers, usually 18 and up, and these stories can feature protagonists of any age, although they are adults. These books don't really have any kind of content restrictions and they can explore themes at any level of complexity or explicitness. A lot of the big best-selling books fall into this category, including things like Book Lovers and the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. All right, now a little pro tip. It's best to choose your target age category based on the themes you want to explore and the type of protagonist that best serves your story. Sometimes I talk to writers who assume that writing for a younger audience will be easier, but that's not actually true. Writing for a younger audience often requires more skill to craft compelling stories within content constraints. So just something to keep in mind. Also, your protagonist's age should generally match your target audience category, although middle grade and young adult readers typically prefer reading about characters who are just slightly older than themselves. Also, be aware of the content expectations for each age category, because placing something like explicit content or a lot of like graphic death, things like that, in a middle grade book will probably create problems with agents, publishers and readers as well. So, again, just something to keep in mind. And that is the third way to think about genre and classifying stories by the intended target reader age. So who are you writing for Now?

Speaker 1:

The fourth way you can think about genre is in terms of your setting. So what kind of world or what kind of reality will your story take place in? And this really just describes the rules of reality in your fictional world. So are you writing something that could happen in our world as we know it or are you creating something entirely new? And this is similar to what we talked about earlier in terms of time period. But I do think it's helpful to think about it in two separate ways Because, for example, you could be writing a story that takes place in the past, so it's historical fiction, but maybe it takes place in a fantasy world, which would make it historical fantasy. The historical time period will give you certain things to think through, and the fantasy element will give you another set of things to think through. Both are important and both will carry different weights depending on the type of story you're writing. So similar categories, but definitely worth thinking about separately, because, a your reader will have different expectations depending on your time period and setting, and, b you'll have to approach what you put in your story differently, depending on the time period and depending on the setting. So an easy way to think about this is that time period equals when your story takes place in the past, the present or the future, and the reality or the setting is more about where your story takes place. So here we're focusing more on the rules of reality. So, what is possible in your world and what is not possible in your world, all right. So again, I'm drawing probably more attention to this than I need to, but I want to make sure that you think through both when it comes to the story you're writing. All right.

Speaker 1:

So now let's talk through your options here. Option one is you could write a story that takes place in the contemporary world that operates exactly like our own. So there are no magical elements, no future technologies and no supernatural occurrences. So, for example, you could write a romance novel set in modern day Boston, or a family drama that's set in a suburban neighborhood somewhere in Maine. Right, it's in our existing world. Now, for a lot of new writers, a contemporary, realistic setting can be easier to manage because you're working with familiar rules. So if you're feeling stuck at the starting line or overwhelmed about all the things that you could write about maybe you're juggling between a few different ideas my advice would be to start with the story that is set in a realistic, contemporary setting, because that might help you focus on things like character and plot and learn how to do those well without the added complexity of world building just yet. So again, maybe if you're choosing between two different ideas, you could save the one that requires world building for a little bit later.

Speaker 1:

All right, now speaking of world building, next up, fantasy. So a fantasy world obviously is going to include magical or supernatural elements that don't exist in our own world. Now, there is a spectrum of what this looks like as well. Right, there are high fantasy stories that take place in worlds that are completely imagined, like Middle Earth. There are urban fantasy stories that take place in our modern world but include magical elements, and then everything in between. Now, a lot of writers are drawn to fantasy because they think it's going to give them a whole lot of creative freedom. But then they start working on their drafts and they get overwhelmed by all the world building required, because, even though your story world is made up, it does need to have a sense of internal logic to it. Everything needs to make sense for that world, and so it requires a lot of work, but the good news is that you don't need to have everything figured out before you start writing. You can absolutely build your world as you get to know your story and your characters more Alright.

Speaker 1:

And then the last main bucket here is science fiction, and science fiction explores speculative technologies, space exploration, alternate histories or new and exciting scientific concepts. And, like fantasy, science fiction is going to require thoughtful world building, but with an emphasis on scientific plausibility, even if it's stretching current scientific understanding. Now, I said those are the three main buckets, so there's a lot I didn't mention, right? Supernatural, paranormal, magical realism, dystopian, utopian and alternate history. I say there are three main buckets because all of those sub-buckets tend to fit in each of those main reality or setting buckets. All right, and that's the fourth way to think about genre in terms of your story setting or the reality in which your story takes place. So, now that we've covered the elements that will help position your book in the market, let's explore what I consider to be the most crucial dimension of genre, and that is your story's content genre. I like to call this the writer's genre, because it's the dimension of genre that most directly helps you craft a story that works, by providing the framework for your plot, structure, character arcs, theme and even the core emotional experience that you're promising to deliver your readers.

Speaker 1:

So, for example, action stories promise an adrenaline rush and physical danger. They feature a protagonist fighting against powerful forces to achieve a worthy goal, with life or death stakes. Examples of stories like this are things like Fourth Wing, the Marvel movies and the Martian. Another example is horror, so horror promises fear and dread. These stories typically feature a monster whether they're a supernatural monster or a human monster that is threatening the protagonist with life or death stakes and often psychological torment. So think of things like the Shining or Bird Box. Another example would be Thriller. Thrillers promise excitement. They promise suspense. They typically feature a protagonist battling a villain who's targeting the protagonist directly with life or death stakes and or psychological manipulation, and stories like this include things like Gone Girl and the Silent Patient. Another example would be mysteries. So these type of stories promise an intellectual puzzle and the satisfaction of solving a crime. These stories need to have a crime, usually a murder, but not always. That needs to be solved by the protagonist, for example, like in the Thursday Murder Club or Knives Out.

Speaker 1:

And the last example I'll go through is romance, so romance novels promise the hope and fulfillment of love, and these stories tend to feature two, or sometimes more, individuals who are overcoming obstacles to form a loving relationship with a required happily ever after ending. Examples of stories like this include the kiss quotient, and red, white and royal blue. Now there are other content genres, so things like society, performance, morality, status and worldview. Each one of these delivers a different emotional experience and has different required key scenes and conventions. I did a deeper dive into content genres on episode two of this podcast, which I will link to in the show notes, and if you click into that link, you will find breakdowns of each of the content genres that I've done over the years. All right now.

Speaker 1:

It's worth noting that content genres often overlap with marketing categories, which can create confusion for a lot of writers. So, for example, a book categorized as romance in a bookstore that's, its marketing category needs to deliver certain emotional experiences and conventions, but that romance could be commercial or upmarket, it could be historical or contemporary, and it could be aimed at adults or young adults. So what does all this mean for you as a writer? Well, identifying your primary content genre is going to give you a roadmap for your plot, characters, theme, etc. For example, a romance novel needs a meet-cute scene and a happily-ever-after ending, while a mystery needs an inciting crime and a reveal of the culprit at the end. Your content genre can also give you insight to the type of character roles you'll need, any elements of the setting that readers will expect, the theme of your story and so much more.

Speaker 1:

Alright, so that is the fifth way you could look at the genre of any story. You can ask what is its content genre? Or what type of content is in the story? What type of emotional experience is that content delivering to readers? And so, now that you understand the five dimensions of genre, you can create what I call your story's genre DNA, and this will give you a complete picture of your unique story.

Speaker 1:

So, for example, something like Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmis. You could break it down like this it's upmarket fiction, so that's the commercial appeal. The time period is historical. It takes place in the 1960s. The target audience is primarily women, although men do enjoy it as well. The setting or the reality that it takes place in is the contemporary, realistic world, and the content genre is a mix of society and status. Another example something like the Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. You could say that it's upmarket fiction. So again, that's the commercial appeal. It takes place in a contemporary time period, it's targeted at adult readers, set in our realistic or contemporary reality, and the content genre is mystery. And then, lastly, for something like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yaros, that is commercial fiction. So again, that's the commercial appeal, time period wise. It takes place in a medieval inspired fantasy world. Target reader age range is somewhere between new adult and adult, the setting or the reality is fantasy and the content genre is a blend of action, romance and worldview. So hopefully you can see how knowing all of these different dimensions will not only give you clarity about your story, but it will also help you articulate exactly what your story is, who it's for and what readers can expect, which is pretty cool.

Speaker 1:

Right Now, let's quickly talk about why genre matters at each stage of your writing, editing and publishing journey. So let's say you're starting a brand new draft. At this stage, knowing your content genre is going to give you a clear roadmap. So what kinds of scenes to include, what promises you're making to reader, how to structure your plot, what kind of themes you're touching on, and things like that. If you pair that with clarity on your target reader age range, you'll have a word count, goal and content boundaries that'll help you write with confidence instead of second-guessing every single thing. Also, if you choose a setting that plays to your strengths, you'll avoid the kind of world-building overwhelm that stops so many writers at the starting line before they even get their draft going.

Speaker 1:

Alright. Now let's say you're stuck in the middle of a draft. Well, this is where genre can come to your rescue. Reconnecting with your content, genre can remind you what kind of emotional journey you're guiding readers through, and it can help you see what might be missing in your draft. Also, if your draft feels like it's drifting or starting to lose focus, you can take a step back and ask am I still writing the story I set out to tell, or has it changed? And if it's changed, that's okay too. Reclarifying your story's genre DNA at this stage can really bring your story back into focus and help you get going forward again.

Speaker 1:

Now let's say that you're about to start revisions. Well, this is where genre can become your editorial compass. It's going to help you check whether you've delivered the key scenes and conventions that readers expect. It's going to help you make sure that your story is fulfilling that emotional promise that you've made to readers, and it's also going to help you make sure the pacing of your story is appropriate for your genre. So, for example, things like a thriller and romance move very differently, right, they have different paces. So, all in all, understanding your genre can help you revise with clarity and purpose. Now, let's say, you're preparing to publish. Clear genre positioning is going to make everything easier, from finding the right agents or publishers to crafting a compelling book description. And when you understand your story's genre DNA, you can confidently share what kind of experience your book delivers and then make sure the right readers pick it up. All right. So again, genre can really impact you at every single stage of the writing, editing and publishing process.

Speaker 1:

Now, something I just want to clear up is that understanding these five dimensions of genre isn't about limiting your creativity. It's about providing frameworks that actually make writing easier and more focused, and each layer of your story's genre DNA should work together to create a comprehensive picture that helps you make informed decisions about everything from character development to theme, to setting, to plot structure and things like that. If you've been stuck starting and stopping drafts or if you've been paralyzed by uncertainty about what you're writing. Why not take 15 minutes right now to identify your story's position in each one of these five dimensions? This simple exercise might be just what you need to move forward with confidence. And to help you do that, I've created a freebie that goes along with this episode that will help you identify each one of these five dimensions for your story. So if you want to download that and do this exercise now, go to savannahgilbocom forward slash genre DNA. That's one word. So one more time savannahgilbocom forward slash genre DNA. To get the worksheet that goes along with this episode so you can identify these five dimensions of genre for your story All right now.

Speaker 1:

Before I let you go, I want to recap three key points that we went over in today's episode. Number one is that genre isn't just one label. There are actually five dimensions to the genre of each story. So understanding your story's commercial appeal, the time period in which your story takes place, the age range of your target reader, the reality or world that your story takes place in, and then its content genre All of this will give you a complete picture of what kind of story you're writing and who it's for. Key point number two is that genre clarity guides every stage in the writing, editing and publishing process. Knowing your genre DNA will help you stay focused, meet reader expectations and avoid common story pitfalls. Key point number three is that you don't have to guess at your story's genre. You can make an informed decision and define it before you even start writing your first draft. This will help you start writing with more confidence, clarity and creative direction. And remember understanding genre doesn't mean following formulaic templates. It means recognizing the promises you're making to readers so that you can fulfill them in your own unique way. The most innovative stories often come from writers who thoroughly understand genre expectations and then thoughtfully subvert them. So that's it for today's episode.

Speaker 1:

As always, thank you so much for tuning in and for showing your support. If you want to check out any of the links I mentioned in this episode, you can find them in the show notes listed in the description of each episode inside your podcast player or at savannagilbocom forward slash podcast. If you're an Apple user, I'd really appreciate it if you took a few seconds to leave a rating and a review. Your ratings and reviews tell Apple that this is a podcast that's worth listening to and, in turn, your reviews will help this podcast get in front of more fiction writers just like you. And while you're there, go ahead and hit that follow button, because there's going to be another brand new episode next week, full of actionable tips, tools and strategies to help you become a better writer. So I'll see you next week and until then, happy writing.

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Savannah Gilbo

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