What is commercial fiction?

Chekurtab said:

I'm sure somewhere in the depth of AWWC buried a discussion about commercial fiction, but I can't find one. I understand what commercial fiction is. I'm not sure how to classify it. Is it a genre, a category, or maybe an umbrella term? Please share your thoughts.

Click to expand...

To me, it's anything that isn't literary fiction [i.e any agent asking for 'commercial fiction' is fair game ]

Chekurtab said:

I'm sure somewhere in the depth of AWWC buried a discussion about commercial fiction, but I can't find one. I understand what commercial fiction is. I'm not sure how to classify it. Is it a genre, a category, or maybe an umbrella term? Please share your thoughts.

Click to expand...

If A is the set of best-sellers, and B is the set of high-profile literary prize-winners, then 'commercial fiction' = A - (A & B).

Commercial fiction = made up stuff that makes a shedload of money.

Chekurtab said:

A - (A&B) = - B. Is it opposite of literary prize-winners? Or is it what my favorite thinker of 21st century calls "fuzzy math"? LOL.

Click to expand...

You need to study your set theory. Or just draw a Venn diagram.

In Torgo's definition, A - (A & B) is the set of bestselling authors who are not high-profile literary prize winners.

Commercial fiction is anything that a tiny subset of people (acquisitions editors and lit agents) think will sell well.

In the words of a buddy of mine, in a disillusioned moment: "Commercial fiction is anything you're not writing."

I've heard the phrase used as a term of derision toward books that people actually bought...

Chekurtab said:

I'm sure somewhere in the depth of AWWC buried a discussion about commercial fiction, but I can't find one. I understand what commercial fiction is. I'm not sure how to classify it. Is it a genre, a category, or maybe an umbrella term? Please share your thoughts.

Click to expand...

This site may help.

http://www.novel-writing-help.com/genre-fiction.html

Chekurtab said:

Is it Okay to submit your work as "commercial fiction" to an agent who seeks it, or you need to be more specific?

Click to expand...

I did.

Stuff what sells.

Lock thread.

Commercial fiction is what other people write. Literary fiction is what I write.

Fiction that sells and makes the author money.

caw

books that are fun to read
literary fiction are books that you are forced to read, or as mark twain put it, books that people own but never use!

haha that was a bit of a stereotype, I have a friend who thoroughly enjoys books like all quiet on the western front, or the sun also rises, but hates harry potter and hunger games with a passion

but if the purpose is to entertain, its commercial, if its supposed to teach something, then its literary, if it does neither, its one of those backwards books the scary people in my college read haha

smellycat6464 said:

but if the purpose is to entertain, its commercial, if its supposed to teach something, then its literary

Click to expand...

I hope you were still being sarcastic here, because that's just plain wrong.

Echoing kuwi's post, and to add that this:

smellycat6464 said:

books that are fun to read
literary fiction are books that you are forced to read, or as mark twain put it, books that people own but never use!

Click to expand...

...is also plain wrong. I read literary novels all the time and love them.

Commercial fiction is designed to make money, to write for the masses, dumbed down most likely, just like Hollywood movies are dumbed down. However, readers are less lazy and more likely to want their minds expanded and are then willing to read an intelligent novel.

Still, what the masses want is Dean Koontz, fast thrillers, romance, etc.

Thanks for that.

Yours,
An apparently dumbed-down romance author.

Shame on the lowly peasants for reading books they actually enjoy. They should read books that are the equivalent of creamed spinach, that are not to enjoy, but are instead somehow "good for you".

Architectus said:

Commercial fiction is designed to make money, to write for the masses, dumbed down most likely, just like Hollywood movies are dumbed down. However, readers are less lazy and more likely to want their minds expanded and are then willing to read an intelligent novel.

Still, what the masses want is Dean Koontz, fast thrillers, romance, etc.

Click to expand...

Oh dear. Here we go again.
I seem to recall you slamming populist fiction in another thread a while back.
Literary snobbery gets sodding tiresome after a while.

Enjoy your worthy reads, I'll just keep writing my commercial trash.

There's such a thing as literary romance, too.

There's a headfuck for you.

If it were me, I'd probably specify genre. "Commercial" is something that comes into the mix later, when you get to the promotion/marketing stage. In my opinion, of course. It always seems to me like giving that label to a book before it's published and selling is a bit like tempting fate.