To be or not to be Commercial

[Simon Gant]

Increasingly, I see 'Commercial' on the 'pick only one' list requested by agents. External to this site I have read many definitions of what constitutes 'commercial' as a genre unto itself. My first instinct was to pick nothing other. Who would want to say that they were not commercial? I am seeking your opinions on the definition and use of the 'commercial' genre category.

 

[lizmonster]

Is this on a list with such things as Romance, SFF, and Thriller? Then I'd assume it refers to a piece of contemporary, non-genre fiction that's not litfic.

 

[CMBright]

Commercial Fiction

Something important to recognise about commercial fiction is that it isn’t its own genre. Instead it is an umbrella term...

So a non-genre used for marketing, like YA is marketed towards teens but can encompass any fiction genre. Also from that site:

Another aspect to consider is that it can sometimes feel like books blur the lines in terms of what category they fit under. The two most common categories are commercial and literary fiction, but sometimes a book can share similarities across both. This is where the category of book club or upmarket fiction could be introduced. You might find it hard to know where your book sits, but being able to have an idea of how to signpost what your novel is to literary agents, publishers and readers will help them understand more about your book and the reading experience.

Genre can be confusing. What I'm seeing/reading is that commercial has broad appeal, often within a given genre. A potential best seller with wide appeal rather than a more niche book. If asked about commercial romance, I'd immediately think of Harlequin Romance imprint books and romance is not a genre I read.

 

[Simon Gant]

Is this on a list with such things as Romance, SFF, and Thriller? Then I'd assume it refers to a piece of contemporary, non-genre fiction that's not litfic.

Yes. That's an apt description--crossover or such that is 'not litfic.' I saw it on a QM genre pick one list along with fantasy, romance, the usuals. Odd huh? It has also crept up on several agent abstracts. Only a jocund comment here and I know that agents do not intend it as such, but who wants to declare that they are not commercial.

 

[lizmonster]

Only a jocund comment here and I know that agents do not intend it as such, but who wants to declare that they are not commercial.

I see a fair number of writers online who are proud of their narrow reach. Niche can mean small sales, but it can also mean being closer to readers. Not everybody does this to get rich, which is good, since statistically no writer has ever become rich by writing.

 

[frimble3]

I would think it would be the place for books about the goings on in small towns, or apartment buildings. Not particularly 'Romance', but more 'slice of life'.
Or office intrigues? Not 'Thriller', but a lot of backstabbing?
Arthur Hailey: Commercial as all get-out!

 

[kaitie]

Is this on a list with such things as Romance, SFF, and Thriller? Then I'd assume it refers to a piece of contemporary, non-genre fiction that's not litfic.

I agree with this. Sometimes I see commercial used as a catch all for what isn't covered by genre. I've also seen agents, though, who will just say, "I take commercial fiction" or "I take general fiction" (this drives me absolutely bonkers lol).

If it's on QM, I usually see more specific genres, and would only call it commercial if it met the above conditions. However, if it's an email query, I will send to people (calling it the more specific genre) as long as they don't specify that they don't take my genre. I'm writing fantasy, so if someone says, "I represent commercial fiction and like books that are well written," they get a query as long as they don't say explicitly that they don't represent fantasy.

 

[Nether]

since statistically no writer has ever become rich by writing.

Huh?

 

[lizmonster]

Huh?

The word "statistically" is doing some heavy lifting there. The number of authors who get rich are, mathematically, a rounding error.

 

[Nether]

Oh, thought you meant no person ever, which kinda confused me. Was wondering if it was a matter of a hidden nuances, like a movie deal or something doing it.

 

[lizmonster]

Oh, thought you meant no person ever, which kinda confused me. Was wondering if it was a matter of a hidden nuances, like a movie deal or something doing it.

Nah, I'm just a cynic.

 

[Mevrouw Bee]

I'd call my writing "commercial". I loathe the category "women's fiction" (although I will use it if commercial isn't an option) and, although my WIP has romantic elements, they don't hit the traditional romance beats and it wouldn't suit the plot anyway.

 

[Katiebee]

I always thought of commercial fiction = genre fiction. And vice versa. Mass market appeal. Not litfic. You can have litfic that fits a genre, like fantasy litfic maybe, but it’s still primarily litfic and not commercial/genre fiction. You can have a literary bent to your genre/commercial fic, then it’s “upmarket” genre fic. Can be used as a base category, or as a modifier. That’s been my understanding anyway.

I assume plain “commercial fiction” is a book with mass market appeal that doesn’t neatly fit in one of the genres.

 

[gettingby]

Commercial fiction brings in the sales. Non-commercial fiction (literary fiction) wins the awards. That's how it was once explained to me.

 

[Woollybear]

Poked around on this yesterday and one editor (one, not more than that) said commercial is the new term for women's fiction because of the backlash to that term.

I guess it's that sort of 'here's a book people like and we have no good idea what to call it but you should definitely buy it' label.

 

[Mevrouw Bee]

Poked around on this yesterday and one editor (one, not more than that) said commercial is the new term for women's fiction because of the backlash to that term.

I guess it's that sort of 'here's a book people like and we have no good idea what to call it but you should definitely buy it' label.

I mean, that would be me, I guess...

 

[Why hatt?]

Nah, I'm just a cynic.

You misspelled realist.

 

[Simon Gant]

If anyone would care for a little experiment of reverse engineering, a trifling game really, allow me to list three BISACS. If you are so inclined, reply with how you would choose from the following active QM pick one list: Commercial, Fantasy: Magical Realism (sic), Historical, Horror, Literary, Multicultural, Science Fiction, Suspense, Upmarket.

The BISACS are 1) FIC009010-FICTION / Fantasy / Historical, 2) FIC010000 FICTION / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology, and 3) FIC029000 FICTION / African American & Black / General

 

[Woollybear]

If anyone would care for a little experiment of reverse engineering, a trifling game really, allow me to list three BISACS. If you are so inclined, reply with how you would choose from the following active QM pick one list: Commercial, Fantasy: Magical Realism (sic), Historical, Horror, Literary, Multicultural, Science Fiction, Suspense, Upmarket.

I reviewed the BISAC rules on wikipedia. I also looked up the main subject headings.

The BISACS are 1) FIC009010-FICTION / Fantasy / Historical,

That one's fantasy. In the drop down, I'd pick fantasy, and in my metrics paragraph of the query letter I'd say: Complete at WORDCOUNT, TITLE is adult fantasy with historical overtones. (or something similar.)

2) FIC010000 FICTION / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology

I'd probably go with fantasy there, as well. And again, I'd clarify the type of fantastical storytelling in the metrics paragraph. A retelling of Androclus and the Lion or whatever.

I'd also look at how to best use comparative titles to communicate my work, and how it might be marketed, to the agent. The query is first and foremost a means of communicating with a stranger, to initiate a potential business relationship.

3) FIC029000 FICTION / African American & Black / General

Here, it would depend on the manuscript as ^^ this BISAC is as wobbly as women's fiction. In fact, I don't even see it on the subject list that I linked above. The BISAC system is useful but not without its fiddly issues.

I'd imagine the writing could be literary or upmarket. I'd imagine, if this is a general-interest novel with a Black cultural setting and telling, it could be listed as commercial.

ETA: 'Genres' like literary, upmarket, and commercial can be used to describe the level of elevation of the prose. Those labels could apply to the above prompts (1&2) as well. It depends on the writing. The choice in the dropdown can also be influenced by the specific agent we are targeting. If an agent is seeking literary writing, and if my writing meets that bar (it doesn't), I would pick literary regardless of whether I wrote a literary fantasy or a literary sci-fi. If an agent is seeking and actively recruiting more fantasy, assuming I'd written a literary fantasy, I'd pick fantasy. The metrics paragraph allows the author to clarify.

Are you working out how to classify your manuscript?

 

[Simon Gant]

Thank you eversomuch for playing along and please do not underestimate how much I value what you have written. It was exceedingly helpful. Had Woolybears wings, I would gladly tuck under.

 

[Woollybear]

I just noticed your list was ... fantasy:magical realism, ... not ... fantasy, magical realism...

I've heard some agents be very specific about what magical realism is, and isn't. I would not query as magical realism unless I met the very specific limitations in the industry, and from a quick google it seems those expectations are shifting. My default is to not use the label magical realism even if my instincts tell me something I wrote might be close. I avoid that label, because there are strong feelings about it.

Fantasy? No problem. It's universally understood to be a large umbrella term.

Magical realism? Potential problems.

 

[gettingby]

In bookstores books aren't categorized by literary fiction and commercial fiction, but there is a difference, and as a reader I much prefer reading literary fiction to commercial fiction for the most part. Of course, there is crossover, but I don't think there is as much crossover as people think. I don't think language and the way its strung together is what makes the difference as much as the kind of story it is and the way it is told and/or framed. I see literary fiction as an art where as commercial fiction is more a form of entertainment, though, most all books do entertain readers.

When it comes to commercial fiction vs literary fiction these labels aren't used to categorize or shelf like with like. But agents and publishers know the difference. And if a writer is going to use these labels when trying to sell their work to publishers or land an agent, they should know the difference, too. However, I have never used these terms in a query. I might target agents who represent literary works, but I think it's pretty amateur to call my work literary in a query. I think there are ways to get that across without saying it.

Same with commercial or upmarket stories. I don't think you really want to say those words, but knowing what they mean can better help you target the right agents and publishers.

 

[Simon Gant]

I just noticed your list was ... fantasy:magical realism, ... not ... fantasy, magical realism...

I've heard some agents be very specific about what magical realism is, and isn't. I would not query as magical realism unless I met the very specific limitations in the industry, and from a quick google it seems those expectations are shifting. My default is to not use the label magical realism even if my instincts tell me something I wrote might be close. I avoid that label, because there are strong feelings about it.

Fantasy? No problem. It's universally understood to be a large umbrella term.

Magical realism? Potential problems.

I agree. Magical Realism, as I understand it, has a rather narrow meaning--ghosts are often involved but not in a necessarily spooky way-- and became all the rage but seemed to go back to its home in criticism after the South American wave passed. I was surprized to see it appear linked to fantasy ('Fantasy:Magical Realism') on a QM pick list. The list was put up by Lexie Krauss of Marsal Lyon.

 

[Simon Gant]

In bookstores books aren't categorized by literary fiction and commercial fiction, but there is a difference, and as a reader I much prefer reading literary fiction to commercial fiction for the most part. Of course, there is crossover, but I don't think there is as much crossover as people think. I don't think language and the way its strung together is what makes the difference as much as the kind of story it is and the way it is told and/or framed. I see literary fiction as an art where as commercial fiction is more a form of entertainment, though, most all books do entertain readers.

When it comes to commercial fiction vs literary fiction these labels aren't used to categorize or shelf like with like. But agents and publishers know the difference. And if a writer is going to use these labels when trying to sell their work to publishers or land an agent, they should know the difference, too. However, I have never used these terms in a query. I might target agents who represent literary works, but I think it's pretty amateur to call my work literary in a query. I think there are ways to get that across without saying it.

Same with commercial or upmarket stories. I don't think you really want to say those words, but knowing what they mean can better help you target the right agents and publishers.

Thank you and I agree. Claiming one's work as literary is a privilege afforded only to those of true genius, for everyone else, other's must decide. I would that the term Commercial, likewise can only be applied after the receipts are summed. What I am gleaning from these posts, is that by genre list picks such as commercial, upmarket, book club, crossover the agent is attempting to ascertain that the work is not specifically genre, and in a broad sense are asking - genre y/n.

 

[lizmonster]

Claiming one's work as literary is a privilege afforded only to those of true genius

Litfic is a marketing category. “Genius” has nothing to do with it.

Please try to remember there are writers here of all categories and genres, and suggesting litfic is the only category where “genius” occurs is not respectful.