Aspiring writers have an idea in mind before they write a novel or biography. However, sometimes, that finished book may not be very lucrative as far as selling is concerned. And, let’s face it, making a living as an author is what many writers aspire to. So, what are the most popular book genres?
5 Popular Literary Genres
#1 ROMANCE
Romance novels are by far the most popular book genre in terms of sales. Romance novels are sold everywhere. You can find them at your local pharmacy, your grocery store, traditional book stores, and everywhere online.
This genre experienced a big boost in sales during the Covid epidemic as folks who were suddenly out of work or stuck at home turned to a good steamy romance novel as a form of escapism. According to NPD, sales rose 17% in the romance ebook category during the first quarter of 2020.
#2 MYSTERY
Everyone loves a good mystery, right? So it would seem! Many popular mystery series have a large following of readers. These stories typically hook the readers in early and keep them captivated through twists and turns in the plot.
This genre has it’s cycles. It was the number one genre prior to 2019. Who knows? Maybe your mystery novel will be what the genre needs to put it back on top of the world! According to Neilsen ratings, sales of mystery novels topped $128 million in 2019. This leaves plenty of room for new mystery authors to get a piece of the market!
According to blogger Rachel Poli, there are 12 popular sub-genres in the Mystery category. A link to her article is here: CLICK.
She basically lists them as follows:
- Caper
- Cozy
- Domestic
- Hardboiled
- Investigator (or detective)
- Noir
- Procedural (or police procedural)
- Softboiled
- Supernatural (or paranormal)
- Suspense
- Thriller
- True crime (non-fiction in mystery)
#3 FANTASY & SCI-FI
This is my favorite genre! Fantasy novels often take place in imaginary worlds full of adventure, magic and dragons. This genre has long been popular and has seen many blockbuster films made over the past decade, namely JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit.
Science fiction novels are also immensely popular. These typically take place in a dystopian world or are space adventures. Star Trek and Star Wars novels are some of the popular series.
According to Publisher’s Weekly, in the United States, youth fiction sales rose 9.5% in the first three quarters of 2019. Adult fiction rose 3.5% during the same time period. Please see the chart below for more information:
#4 THRILLERS & HORROR
Stories of the macabre are popular as readers love a good ghost story. This genre is closely related to mystery and fantasy in its settings, whether it is a murderer on the prowl or a vampire brooding in its dark castle. The reigning king of the genre is none other than Stephen King. His stories have thrilled and scared generations of readers and have become hit movies over the decades.
The horror genre has not seen much growth recently as readers lean towards more light-hearted stories during these times of pandemic and isolation. However, there is a good chance that the genre will see a resurgence once the Covid-era is behind us and people are looking for new thrills and chills.
#5 YOUNG ADULT & KID’S FICTION
This is by far the most popular genre for younger readers. Whether it is Harry Potter or Captain Underpants, kids love fictional stories that make them laugh or lose themselves in their imagination.
Young Adult, often referred to as “YA”, tends to be a watered-down version of adult genres. There is romance, adventure, mystery, strife, battles, victories, etc. in many of these stories. The things that capture YA readers the most are well-developed and identifiable characters, and a great story line. Teenagers tend to lean towards YA novels that deal with “coming of age” stories, or rebellion against oppression. The Hunger Games is a great example of a YA novel that was hugely popular with teen readers.
Kid’s fiction is for all of the children who are too young for the YA genre. Many people believe that the subject matter of romance or death is not something young kids should be reading. Books in this genre tend to be more light-hearted affairs and are often funny. Readers of this genre tend to be in elementary school. Some of the favorite books in this genre focus on fairy tales, Disney-like stories and the cartoonish antics of characters like Captain Underpants.
The chart below shows how 2020 books sales performed:
Whether you are writing a novel simply to see yourself published and to accomplish a dream, or if you are a writer who hopes to make a well-paid career out of being a published author, it helps to identify which genres can support that goal. Keep in mind, that once you start writing in a particular genre, your name often gets identified with that specific genre. We all know Stephen King as a horror author, for example. If you want to write in multiple genres, having multiple pen names might be a smart move for you. Hopefully, this article has helped you better understand what are the most popular book genres.
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Do you have any experience writing in multiple genres? Please share with our readers by commenting below!
