I recently shared my work with a publisher here in Nairobi, Kenya, and their feedback caught my attention: “Your writing leans more toward literary fiction than typical genre fiction. Unfortunately, this doesn’t align with the romance titles we’re currently seeking.”

That comment prompted me to take a closer look at my website and finally define the exact genres I write for my readers. I hadn’t done that clearly on my homepage, but once it was pointed out, I dug into my research, and realized that yes, I do write literary fiction. That clarity inspired me to articulate my writing style more intentionally on my site.

After digging deep and deeper into research, here’s what I discovered. Maybe you’ve labeled your manuscript as something like “contemporary fantasy romance for young adults” and then wondered whether that combination even makes sense. Or maybe you’ve abandoned draft after draft because you’re constantly second-guessing whether you’re writing in the “right” genre at all.

The truth is, understanding your genre isn’t just annoying—it can impact your writing process, your revisions, and even your publishing path.

If you’re feeling confused about genre, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong or that you’re not meant to be a writer. Once you understand the five key dimensions of genre, you’ll not only gain clarity about what you’re creating—you’ll finally feel confident moving forward with your draft.

Think of these five dimensions as your story’s “genre DNA”—a full profile that reveals your story’s identity. Each layer works together to give you a complete picture of your work.

Let’s break them down (and for the examples, I’ll be using books I’ve read and can easily recall – not ).

A. Commercial Appeal: Literacy, Upmarket or Commercial Fiction?

-Commercial Fiction is written primarily to entertain readers and tell a compelling story. These books prioritize pacing, plot, and accessibility.

Think of authors like James Patterson, Nora Roberts, or Stephen King / Kenyan Author: Ng’ang’a Mbugua (Terrorists of the Aberdare, The Ghost of Chiefs). If you love writing page-turners that keep readers up past their bedtime, you’re probably writing commercial fiction—and that’s something to be proud of! The majority of bestsellers fall into this category.

-Literary Fiction focuses more on artistic expression, complex themes, and innovation writing techniques. These stories often emphasize character development over plot and may feature more experimental structures or language.

Authors like Toni Morrison, Haruki Murakami, or Sally Rooney / Kenyan Authors: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o (A Grain of Wheat, Petals of Blood), Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (Dust, The Dragonfly Sea) or me 😀, typically write literary fiction. If you’re drawn to exploring deep philosophical questions or creating prose that feels like poetry, you might be writing literary fiction.

-Upmarket Fiction bridges the gap between commercial and literary fiction. These books offer the readability and plot momentum of commercial fiction but with deeper character development and more elevated prose.

Authors like Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty, or Celeste Ng / Peter Kimani (Dance of the Jakaranda) write upmarket fiction. If you want your story to be both thought-provoking and accessible, upmarket might be your sweet spot.

And remember—many novels contain elements of multiple categories. Your work might lean primarily toward commercial fiction while incorporating some upmarket elements, or vice versa. What matters is identifying your primary approach so you can make consistent craft decisions that align with reader expectations.

B. Time Period: When Does Your Story Take Place? 

-Historical Fiction takes place in a real past time period. This could be ancient Rome, the Roaring Twenties, or the 1980s (yes, that’s now considered historical—feel old yet?).

If you’re writing historical fiction, you’ll need to research the details of your chosen era. That being said, remember that your first draft doesn’t need perfect historical accuracy—you can refine those details during revision.

-Contemporary Fiction is set in the present day or the very recent past. This setting requires less research about time period details, but you’ll still need to get the current cultural references and technology right.

If you’re stuck between drafts or struggling to finish, contemporary settings can offer a path forward with less resistance. You already know how people talk, dress, and interact in the present day, which eliminates one major hurdle to completing your story.

-Timeless/Fantasy Fiction exists outside our real-world timeline. This includes fantasy worlds with medieval-inspired settings, alternate histories, or any story where the time period is part of the invented world.

-Futuristic Fiction imagines a time that hasn’t happened yet. This could be the near future (next year) or the distant future (thousands of years from now).

While these last two options offer tremendous creative freedom, they also require thoughtful worldbuilding to make your story world feel believable.

C. Target Reader Age: Who Are You Writing For? 

Many new writers don’t realize that the age of your intended audience is a crucial genre classification that affects everything from word count to content restrictions. Here’s a breakdown:

-Middle Grade (MG) targets readers aged roughly 8-12. These books typically feature protagonists who are 10-13 years old and deal with themes relevant to that age group: friendship, family, identity, and finding one’s place in the world. Middle grade fiction avoids explicit content and usually ranges from 25,000-65,000 words. Think Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan or Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

-Young Adult (YA) is for readers approximately 12-18, though many adults enjoy these books too. YA typically features protagonists aged 14-18 dealing with coming-of-age themes, first love, and increasing independence. These books often explore more complex issues than middle-grade stories do, but still in an age-appropriate way. YA novels usually run 50,000-90,000 words. Examples include The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

-New Adult (NA) targets readers in their late teens and early twenties, featuring protagonists aged 18-25 navigating early adulthood challenges: college, first jobs, serious relationships, and establishing independence. New Adult often includes more mature content than YA, with themes centered on identity formation, leaving home, and finding one’s place in the world. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and Red, White, & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston are examples of New Adult books.

-Adult fiction is for adult readers, usually 18+, and can feature protagonists of any age, though they’re typically adults. These books have no content restrictions and can explore any theme at any level of complexity or explicitness. Most bestsellers fall into this category, including things like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Book Lovers by Emily Henry.

D. Story Reality/Setting: What Kind of World Are You Building? 

Having established your commercial approach, time period, and target reader age, let’s turn to a dimension of genre that fundamentally shapes how your readers will experience your story world—the nature of reality within your narrative.

-Contemporary Realistic Fiction takes place in a world that operates exactly like our own. There are no magical elements, futuristic technologies, or supernatural occurrences. Examples include romance novels set in modern-day cities or family dramas in suburban neighborhood

-Fantasy introduces magical or supernatural elements that don’t exist in our world. This broad category includes everything from high fantasy (completely imagined worlds like Middle Earth) and urban fantasy (magical elements in our modern world) to related subgenres like supernatural, paranormal, and magical realism stories.

-Science Fiction explores speculative technologies, space exploration, or scientific concepts. Like fantasy, science fiction requires thoughtful worldbuilding, but with an emphasis on scientific plausibility (even if it’s stretching current scientific understanding). This category encompasses related subgenres like dystopian and utopian fiction.

E. Content Genre: What Emotional Experience Are You Delivering? 

Now that we’ve covered the framework elements that help position your book in the marketplace, let’s explore what I consider the most crucial dimension of genre – your story’s content genre

-Action stories promise an adrenaline rush and physical danger. They feature a hero fighting against powerful forces to achieve a worthy goal, with life-or-death stakes. Examples include adventure stories like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, superhero narratives like Marvel films, and disaster tales like The Martian by Andy Weir.

– Horror promises fear and dread. These stories feature a monster (supernatural or human) threatening the protagonist, with life-or-death stakes and often psychological torment. Think The Shining by Stephen King or Bird Box by Josh Malerman.

-Thriller promises excitement and suspense. These stories feature a hero battling a villain who’s targeting the protagonist directly, with life-or-death stakes and psychological manipulation. Examples include Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides.

-Mystery promises intellectual puzzles and the satisfaction of solving a crime. These stories feature a crime (usually murder) that must be solved by the protagonist, like in The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman or the movie Knives Out.

-Romance promises the hope and fulfillment of love. These stories feature two (or sometimes more) individuals overcoming obstacles to form a loving relationship, with a required happy ending. Examples include The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Other content genres include society performance, morality, status and worldview stories. Each delivers different emotional experiences and has different required scenes and conventions.

Final thoughts

See how knowing all these dimensions gives you clarity? Instead of saying “I’m writing… um… fiction?” you can articulate exactly what your story is and what readers can expect.

If you’ve been stuck starting and stopping drafts or paralyzed by uncertainty about what you’re writing, take 15 minutes right now to identify your story’s position in each of these five dimensions. This simple exercise might be just what you need to move forward with confidence.

I’ve written novels, short stories and poetry. This is how my creative process plays out. It’s a wild and wonderful ride and I wouldn’t change a thing. “They” say it’s better to specialize, have a niche, stick to one thing. So, perhaps in the long run, I won’t be as successful as the writer who writes mystery novel after mystery novel or romance after romance. What I will have been successful at is being true to myself and my creative process. And I hope you are able to do and be the same.

But having clarity about these dimensions of genre gives you the flexibility to make intentional shifts rather than accidental ones, helping you build a cohesive author brand even as your writing evolves.