Knowing how to categorize your work is one of the most important skills a writer needs to know–especially while querying. Here’s an infographic to help. It’s not perfect and there are many places that writers won’t fit into and that doesn’t mean it’s not a marketable book. However, learning how to market yourself starts with knowing where your book stands and where it will sit on bookshelves.
Carly Watters is a SVP, senior literary agent and director of literary branding with the P.S. Literary Agency. She is a hands-on agent that develops proposals and manuscripts with attention to detail and the relevant markets. PSLA’s mission is to manage authors’ literary brands for their entire career. Never without a book on hand she reads across categories which is reflected in the genres she represents and is actively seeking new authors in including women’s fiction, commercial and upmarket fiction, select literary fiction, platform-driven non fiction and select memoir. She occasionally represents children's book projects. Carly is drawn to emotional, well-paced narratives, with a great voice and characters that readers can get invested in. View more posts
I’ve just been enlightened.
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This is great! When I was looking at the first graphic, the book that immediately came to mind was All the Light we Cannot See. I’ve often wondered exactly what the distinctions were, and many agents are specifically looking for manuscripts in one of these categories. Thank you! :)
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My book has been called upmarket WF and commercial fiction, depending on who is talking about it and where it’s being talked about. Of course, on the book shelf it’s simply labelled “fiction,” which makes the most sense to me :)
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Exactly! In book stores it will sit in general fiction. But these are marketing tools that are very helpful!
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Having just submitted my completed novel to literary agents –
https://tomhocknell.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/when-to-submit-your-novel/
This is a really useful blog – I think mine has some crossover + But frustratingly sits between genres.
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Aww the link is dead.
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This is awesome! Thank you!!
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That was the best breakdown I’ve come across so far. Thank you! Do you think it’s possible for something to be both literary and genre?
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Depends on what is crossing over. Genre blending is usually a literary technique.
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I just think of writers like Patrick Rothfuss, who is clearly a fantasy author, but has such elegant writing it feels literary to me.
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It’s true! Some writers will cross over like that, but the fantasy genre will gladly welcome him to the fold where as it would have to be a certain book that help him crossover to literary. And usually, the cover treatment says it all. Good writing is a key to all amazing books–commercial or otherwise! The best writers make everything look easy.
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Thank you Carly! I have been battling a category for my writing for awhile now…not sure where I truly fit. These three categories have not always been defined and you did a great job. Finding the right category means all the difference in getting accepted or rejected. I had many a rejections because I was just unintentionally querying the wrong category/agent. I am finding more agents willing to review my work now that I know where I belong. Great blog today!
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Thank you!
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The visual depiction of these genres is so helpful! Would there also be a more dominant POV in upmarket do you suppose? My current wip is First Person and it seems difficult to add “objective nuance” when shading the story?
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I don’t think I’ve done enough research to say something black/white about POV.
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
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Reblogged this on authorkdrose and commented:
Wonderful info in a nutshell
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Great distinctions. Thanks, Carly.
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Thanks for the infographic and examples. I understand the differences much better now.
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I find it interesting that Station Eleven is listed under Literary Fiction. It’s one of my favorite books I’ve read this year (out of around 30). I loved Ms. St. John Mandel’s writing, and was surprised to like a dystopian novel so much.
Thanks for the clarification. My novels definitely fall into the Upmarket Fiction category – which I didn’t know before.
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Station Eleven was a tough one! Could maybe also be Upmarket because of the fun readability. These are just guidelines.
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Thank you for sharing this. Upmarket is a new term to me.
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Reblogged this on Indie Lifer.
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Thank you for the clarifying visual. I found the ‘quality writing tackling commercial plot topics or themes’ wedge in your Upmarket wheel especially helpful, probably because I’d like to believe that’s an apt description of my novel. Would specifying the commercial plot topics be useful? e.g. I’m seeking representation for my 100,000 word upmarket suspense novel. Your thoughts are appreciated.
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Suspense is typically a genre novel. In order for it to be upmarket it has to have other external plot events happening, plus high quality writing. I wouldn’t suggest calling something upmarket suspense. I think you also need to look at some comparative titles to see where your book would fit in the market.
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Thank you very much for this post. The explanations about each form of fiction help so much.
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Reblogged this on Journey Taker and commented:
It is good to know the categories of fiction you are writing in. Mine lies firmly in the commercial fiction camp.
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Reblogged this on Journeys & Life by Michael Melville and commented:
I thought this infographic was incredibly interesting and helpful so I felt I should share it.
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Love, Love, Love this breakdown. I’m a visual person so this makes so much sense. Thank you!
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Fabulous graphic! Who’s responsible? And a great way to show the similarities and differences, thanks.
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I wrote the text and our digital and social media assistant Amanda created the image. Team effort.
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Thanks so much. I’ve always wondered about it.
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Curious where mainstream fits. Is it literary without the pedigree and with a plot?
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To me mainstream means commercial/genre.
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This is where my confusion comes in: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3790198
Based on this I’d be mainstream – blending genres – not commercial in nature, and no pedigree for literary. Plot and character driven.
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That’s from 2013 so perhaps the industry has moved away from that? To me, mainstream just means general interest.
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Thank you for this wonderful graphic explanation between the 3 categories of fiction and for the book examples. This is so helpful and really appreciated.
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Thank you. Thank you. I am solidly, proudly Upmarket Commercial. Genre-busting and blending- a cocktail of literary spirits. Oddly, I read almost exclusively literary fiction, but I know as I writer how I want to spend my novel-writing time, I know the audience with which I want to connect, and it’s found in that magical, captivating blend of “Quality writing tackling commercial plot topics or themes”. Brilliant Carly and Amanda!
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Thank you! This is very helpful.
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I just got schooled. Thanks, Carly! :)
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Reblogged this on thebooklookery.
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Thanks a lot for this post. The distinction between Literary and Upmarket Fiction is most useful.
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Thanks! I think my novel “Love and Terror” may actually be a Suspense-Romance, when I’ve submitted it as Suspense Upmarket. Super helpful chart…and comments!
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This makes so much sense. I have been struggling with a contest, and while I have been trying to write literary, just realised what they needed was commercial fiction. The infographic gave me this much needed clarity, thanks.
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Great tool…explains concisely…
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My books and all of the books our company publishes – All Due Respect – aren’t in any of the categories. I love that
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That is really encouraging!
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Reblogged this on Amber Nicole Brooks.
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Your examples are so helpful. I do wonder about labeling my own work in a query. Wondering if that helps or if an agent disagrees, will it backfire?
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You don’t have to reach, you should use this in combination with comp titles so show where you fit in the market.
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Thanks a bunch. Your advice really helps.
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This is a helpful definition — so much easier to understand in an infographic. Thank you.
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Reblogged this on Words and Worlds and commented:
An interesting look at what makes upmarket fiction, literary fiction and commercial fic. Good to know!
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What genre would a 21st century novel like 1984 or Brave New World be?
What about economic and social prophecy?
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Speculative fiction
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This is so useful, thank you very much. I’ve been trying to define how to market my novel and this has cleared it up a little. :-)
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Thanks Carly. Your categories were posted by Muse in the Marketplace. Can “Upmarket” and “Literary” be applied to Memoir?
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Reblogged this on Jonathan Payne and commented:
Some great advice on what agents and publishers mean by “upmarket”.
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Fantastic post! This is always such a struggle and everyone has a different opinion but this really give it some clarity. Thank you!
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Thanks, Carly, but this raises a question for me. I write Historical Fiction. If HF is not meant to be literary, but the concepts tackled are larger social and historical forces, do I pitch this as “commercial HF”? I aspire to upmarket HF but I don’t know if I am making that terminology up and if it would be more confusing than illuminating to potential agents. My writing is Amitav Ghosh meets Arturo Perez Riverte. Any thoughts?
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Extremely helpful! Thank you!
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Reblogged this on S. M. Nystoriak's Writer's Block and commented:
This is a really great way to describe these different genres. As an author, I find it a real challenge to categorize my own work. This is a big help!
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How would you actually use these designations to describe a book when querying? For example, would either Hawkins or Mantel actually describe their book as “upmarket suspense” or “literary dystopian (or upmarket dystopian),” respectively? With the exception of Literary Fiction, wouldn’t you just state the subgenre or risk sounding presumptuous? I imagine Hawkins’ query just described “Girl on the Train” as thriller or suspense, and that “upmarket” was applied by someone else after the fact. Same thing with Mantel for “Station Eleven,” don’t you think the query would sound weird if she had said “my novel is upmarket dystopian” or “literary SF” or something like that? Practically speaking, just wondering if these designations are not so much for use by the writer describing their own book in a query letter.
Thank you!
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Reblogged this on Marina Costa and commented:
Because it is clear and concise.
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This was so helpful! I’ve been saying my debut novel was a little mystery, a touch of romance, and a lot relationships so I guessed that made it women’s fiction. Now I can say it’s upmarket fiction. Thank you!
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This was such a fascinating read. I’ve never heard of upmarket fiction before but this explained it so well. Thank you!
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