Novels come in a variety of forms and styles, each offering readers a different way to explore the power of storytelling. Whether you’re looking to explore ancient myths or modern day love stories, a novel is a great way to immerse yourself in a compelling narrative. In this blog post, we’ll explore the imaginative world of novels, providing insight into the different types of novels available and the genres they represent. From dark thrillers to lighthearted fantasies, readers can find a novel to suit their interests that will transport them to a unique world. We’ll also discuss the key elements of each type of novel, helping you to distinguish between the classic staples of literature.
The Four Types of Novel Writers
What are novel genres?
Novel genres are classifications that group books with related themes, tenors, or styles. Many readers choose to sort by genre on their preferred reading platform when looking for books to read. Choosing a genre for your book can help you create a structure that will meet reader expectations as you write.
You might incorporate elements into a genre piece that wouldn’t typically belong there. This can help readers find your story interesting and unique. You can also decide to incorporate elements of different genres into your writing, such as writing a fantasy romance book or a mystery book with magical realism.
29 different types of novel genres
When writing your novel, think about incorporating two or more of these genres or picking one to focus on:
1. Bildungsroman
A bildungsroman is a type of traditional novel in which the main character grows throughout the plot on both a personal and social level. Often, these stories deal with young adults in coming-of-age situations. In addition to telling a compelling tale, a bildungsroman author may try to teach readers a lesson about situations similar to the character.
2. Childrens literature
Young children, typically in elementary school or younger, are the intended audience for children’s literature. Commonly, the stories are written in simple terms that young children can understand. Children’s books frequently include moral lessons that readers can learn after finishing the book.
3. Contemporary realism
In stories with a contemporary realism aesthetic, society is realistically portrayed in the modern world. Characters in contemporary realism stories are often average people. A contemporary realist novel’s main source of commercial appeal may be the characters’ ability to relate to readers as they deal with real-world problems.
4. Detective
In a detective story, the main character is frequently an investigator who is trying to solve a crime. This may take place in both modern and historical settings. Detective characters frequently act in the capacity of unofficial investigators, which can add complications to the story’s plot.
5. Eldritch
The eldritch subgenre draws its inspiration from author H P. Lovecraft. It features horrific monsters which often defy description. Characters in eldritch tales frequently seek to stop these creatures from destroying the world.
6. Epic
An epic novel tells a story of grandiose proportions. They might show the main characters performing heroic deeds that are beyond the realm of what is humanly possible. An epic may also include common people caught up in a larger conflict.
7. Fantasy
The worlds in fantasy novels are frequently analogous to the real world, either in the present or in the past, but with the addition of fantasy elements like magic, non-human characters, and fantastical creatures. Low fantasy books include fantasy elements in a setting that is closer to reality. In high fantasy books, the world is a made-up setting distinct from the reader’s own.
8. Gothic
Gothic storytelling is a 20th-century literary genre that is closely linked to grotesque and monster stories. The mood is set for stories with darker plots by the Gothic settings, which are frequently gloomy and unsettling. They frequently have monsters or supernatural elements that the characters interact with.
9. Ghost story
Characters from the afterlife can appear in ghost stories as the main antagonist, the protagonist, or a supporting character. Ghost stories are commonly horror tales or tragedies. To further pique the reader’s interest, an author may combine ghostly elements with other genres like comedy or romance.
10. Humor
A humor novel uses comedy to entertain readers. This could include satire or conventionally structured jokes that use comedic exaggeration to mock real-world individuals, groups, or structures. A novel’s humor could be its primary genre, where comedy serves as the main plot device and draws in readers, or it could be its secondary genre, adding some comedic lines to a traditionally non-humorous genre.
11. Horror
Horror books try to frighten the reader and use the tension that can result to pique interest. The horror could be physical, like in a tale about a monster that preys on people. Horror can also be psychological, focusing on how a situation affects a main character or narrator mentally.
12. Magical realism
Novels with elements of magic or fantasy but that are primarily set in a realistic world are known as magical realism novels. These components and their significance are not overly explained by the author. They treat the magical elements as well-known aspects of society that do not need to be justified, just as you wouldn’t need to justify commonplace real-world elements like technology.
13. Meta
A story that offers contextual commentary in addition to the book’s main plot is called a meta novel. An acknowledgement of the book itself or the genres and cliches that the author used in the story can be included in a meta commentary. This might enable a writer to offer commentary on the state of the publishing industry or a segment of it.
14. Monster
A single monster or type of monster and their interactions with society are the focus of most monster stories. The monsters in a monster story frequently represent a problem in real life. For their story, authors can use conventional monsters or come up with their own.
15. Parable
A parable is a narrative that employs allegorical writing to offer commentary or impart a lesson on a subject while avoiding direct discussion of that subject. An author develops fictitious characters and themes that correspond to the message they want to convey in the real world. This enables a writer to convey a crucial lesson in a way they believe is more approachable for a broad audience.
16. Political
In a political novel, the main plot point is political intrigue. Political fiction frequently features powerful characters and a central issue of national or international importance. A political novel may be based on a true story, be entirely made up, or present a partially imagined version of a historical event, such as what might have happened if a different nation had won a particular conflict.
17. Post-apocalyptic
Post-apocalyptic tales are set in a world where humanity has almost completely perished due to a global catastrophe. The protagonist of the narrative might live alone or in one of the new societies that developed after the collapse of modern civilization. Allegorical stories about the post-apocalypse often offer a perspective on a risk that the author feels has not received enough attention in society.
18. Proletarian
A proletarian novel, typically written by authors with connections to or experience in a working-class industry, focuses on the lives of people in the working class. This kind of literature frequently features stories with characters leading ordinary lives devoid of fantastical elements. The challenges of proletarian novels are commonly societal in nature. A moral or social allegory that highlights how the author feels society is falling short of the needs of the working class may be included in a proletarian novel.
19. Psychological
A psychological novel is one that devotes a lot of attention to how one or more characters are thinking internally. Often, the primary conflict in a story includes psychological tension. The psychological and thriller genres are frequently combined by authors to produce stories of inner conflict in which a character faces difficult circumstances and battles with the psychological impact they have.
20. Romance
In a romance novel, the main character experiences a romantic relationship. In many romance novels, the main character faces formidable obstacles that must be overcome if they are to spend the rest of their lives together. The story shows how these challenges complicate the main character’s life and how they overcome them to find their true love.
21. Science fiction
Science fiction stories are set in fantastical worlds with advanced technology. These tales might feature extraterrestrial life or space travel, revolutionary cybernetic innovations, or other elements of science fiction and fantasy. The genre of science fiction can also be used to describe a variety of stories, such as epic or humorous science fiction.
22. Serial
In serialized novels, the same characters appear throughout a number of different plots. Each novel can typically stand alone, even though characters may change and grow throughout the course of the stories. It’s simple for a new reader to pick up a serial and enjoy the book on its own merits, while series fans enjoy the most recent installment featuring their favorite characters.
23. Spy
In a spy novel, the main characters are either members of covert organizations, on covert missions for those organizations, or ordinary people who become entangled in the lives of those types of people. Global stakes, such as thwarting a plan for world dominance, may be present in spy novels. A spy novel may chronicle the exploits of a single spy or an entire agency.
24. Survival
In survival novels, characters are put in situations where their lives are on the line. These books describe the responses and struggles of the people who are in danger. Many novels about survival are set after tragic events that put the main characters in perilous situations far from modern comforts.
25. Superhero
Superhero books tell the tales of people or groups with extraordinary abilities. This might be the result of being extraterrestrial, going through a traumatic event, or developing a genetic mutation. Often, superhero books are written as graphic novels, which combine text and images to tell a story.
26. Thriller
Thrillers are tense books that frequently feature a hero battling a sinister plot or a terrifying threat. High tension is used in thrillers to keep readers interested. The thriller genre is frequently combined with other genres, such as horror, political, and technological elements.
27. War
War novels take place within war zones. Most protagonists in war stories serve as soldiers in the conflict. They might also follow civilians going about their daily lives in a wartime. War novels frequently take place in actual conflicts, but you could also write about a completely made-up conflict.
28. Western
The American Old West is frequently the setting for stories in the western genre. In a number of popular Western novels, lawmen and outlaws engage in combat. The space Western is a novel subgenre of the Western, applying Western motifs to tales that are set in a science fiction setting.
29. Young adult
The primary demographic for young adult fiction is preteens and teenagers. Novels in this genre may include themes, like friendship and young love, that appeal to readers in this age range. Many well-known books for young adults follow the same characters over the course of several volumes, allowing readers to experience the characters’ growth and aging alongside them.
FAQ
What are the 4 types of novels?
Types of novels – next steps Thrillers. Science Fiction. Fantasy. Historical Fiction.
What are the 7 types of books?
The three categories of novels are literary fiction, genre fiction, and mainstream fiction.
