What are popular book genres?
A book's genre is a way of categorizing it based on its content. This content could be its style, themes, and conventions. For example, romance novels will have themes around relationships, where as mystery novels will have conventions around revealing clues and making multiple characters viable suspects. These things all help readers figure out what kinds of books they want to read, and helps writers create stories that will appeal to certain audiences. For example, a fantasy book may involve magic and mythical creatures, while a sci-fi book might have robots or space ships. Understanding book genres can make it easier for you to find books that you will enjoy.
Here is a brief list of some popular book genres and their definitions.
Fantasy
A genre of fiction that often involves magical or supernatural elements and takes place in a fantastical world or in the real world with added fantasy elements
There are also an extensive list of fantasy book subgenres that you should check out!
Romance
A genre of fiction that focuses on romantic relationships and the emotions and personal growth of the characters involved.
You should also check out the extensive list of romance book subgenres!
Mystery
A genre of fiction that focuses on the solving of a crime or puzzle through the use of clues, investigation, and suspense.
Science Fiction
A genre of fiction that focuses on futuristic or imaginary concepts and technologies, often involving space travel and advanced science and technology.
Sci-fi is one of the more varied genres out there, and you might want to familiarise yourself with this extensive list of science fiction book subgenres before you start writing your novel.
Thriller
A genre of fiction that focuses on intense, suspenseful, and often violent plot elements.
Horror
A genre of fiction that focuses on creating fear, dread, and suspense through supernatural or disturbing events and characters.
Historical Fiction
A genre of fiction that is set in the past and often incorporates real historical events and figures into the story.
Young Adult
A genre of fiction that is aimed at a teenage audience and often focuses on coming-of-age themes and adolescent experiences.
Non-Fiction
A genre of writing that presents factual information and real events, often in the form of biographies, memoirs, or educational texts.
Crime
A genre of fiction that focuses on the investigation and punishment of criminals and criminal behavior.