Do you know the differences between the marketing categories of fiction?

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
12,853
Reaction score
3,051
Location
Not where you last saw me.
I see so much confusion over marketing categories vs genre and it positively permeates the internet, with even Literary Fiction being called a genre. Here's a neat infographic by literary agent Carly Watters which should help. It's not perfect as Ms. Watters admits, but it's a useful aid toward understanding the differences between the marketing categories of Commercial (Mainstream) Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Upmarket Fiction.
 

Bushrat

reaching for the sun
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
675
Reaction score
74
Location
out in the bush
Thanks for the link, it does help to clarify things! I was surprised to see "The Girl on the Train" listed as Upmarket Fiction, though. I found it very genre; but then again the lines are always blurred by personal taste and perspective.
 
  • Like
Reactions: capricornair

JSalvatoreDomino

Registered
Joined
Apr 18, 2022
Messages
12
Reaction score
6
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
Website
www.josephdomino.com
Thanks for the link. I have been querying agents with my book as Literary Fiction but now I think Upmarket might be a better fit. It definitely crosses genres. Maybe I will try agents that specialize in Upmarket.
 

samwrites

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 23, 2023
Messages
77
Reaction score
59
Location
California
Yay I love seeing these things explained in such a visual manner, these infographics are lovely... however I STILL can't figure out where my most recent manuscript would lie, esp. because I WROTE IT and therefore I see the themes as clear etc while someone who is not me might have a completely different point of view..aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa