Genre Classifications in the book industry - Children's books

Children’s literature holds many sub-genres under its umbrella. Broadly, these works are categorised by the age of the target reader.

Genre categories are the key way that a book is organised and found by readers. Crime lovers might head straight to the crime section of the bookshop for their next great read, history buffs will search in the history section of an online retailer, and so on. As an author, it’s essential to know your genre, not only so that you are able to pitch your book successfully, but also so that your book can make its way into the hands of your ideal reader. The best way to determine the genre of your work is to identify other books that are comparable in theme, style, and tone.

Most publishers and bookstores will use one of the broader or overarching genres listed below as a classification for selling purposes. Sub-genres, however, are more often used as keywords in metadata for online categorisation and digital marketing in order to improve discoverability and more directly target your readership. They can also be helpful for booksellers to know where to position your book in-store. While there are occasional differences in the words chosen to describe a genre, the genres listed below are relatively standard to the book industry. 

This list is not exhaustive. However, you should position your work within one of these categories to ensure that your work is marketable to publishers and booksellers, and discoverable to your readers. For example, if your book is perfect for lovers of dystopia, classify it as dystopian fiction so they can find your work!

Board books are short, hard-paged, often interactive books intended for babies and toddlers, aged 0-3 years old. Board books are highly illustrated with minimal text, and often incorporate tactile elements, such as lifting flaps, pull-tabs, sliders, and sound buttons. They are geared towards early education and often feature the alphabet, numbers, colours, shapes, and other educational material. Board books are also regularly adapted, and sometimes abridged, from picture books. 

 

Examples: Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, The Cheeky Toddler Alphabet by Davina Bell.

Picture books are aimed at young children, usually aged 2-6, and combine visual and textual narratives. Pictures tend to impart age-appropriate lessons or depict moral direction (action and consequence), emotion (kindness and empathy), social interaction, relationships, and diversity. They can also be humorous and interactive, or focused on mindfulness and quiet for bedtime. 

 

Examples: Kissed by the Moon by Alison Lester, The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name by Sandhya Parappukkaran, This is a Ball by Beck Stanton & Matt Stanton.

Junior fiction is aimed at children aged 5-8. These books are designed for independent reading, usually featuring a protagonist within the same age range. They combine visual and textual narratives, usually in a black-and-white cartoon-style format, and sometimes in three-colour or full-colour depending on the target age range. Typically a single narrative, these books explore topics such as friendship, school, hobbies, sports, pets, and family. Ongoing series with recurring characters are extremely popular in this sub-genre. 

 

Examples: School of Monsters series by Sally Rippin, The Wild Life series by Philip & Laura Bunting, The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey.

Middle-grade fiction is aimed at children aged 8-12. These books typically feature a protagonist within the same age range, and the plot conflicts and character issues are relevant to this age range. They explore themes relating to children’s real lives, even when fantastical, such as school, sibling rivalry, fitting in, early puberty, family dynamics, and friendships. Popular sub-genres for middle-grade readers include fantasy, mystery, historical, and action/adventure. 

 

Examples: No Words by Maryam Master, Friday Barnes: Girl Detective by R.A. Spratt, Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda.

Young adult fiction is aimed at teenagers aged 12-18. Young adult books cover all genres, but popular sub-genres include murder mystery, romance, horror, and fantasy. The narratives are more complex than books for younger readers, with sub-plots in addition to the main story. The issues addressed may cover topics such as high school, coming-of-age, mental health, friendships, sex, and relationships. Young adult is regularly read by adult readers as well, however this does not change the target age range and content. 

 

Examples: How It Feels to Float by Helena Fox, The Boy From the Mish by Gary Lonesborough, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff.

Genre classifications in the book industry - adult fiction

Genre categories are the key way that a book is organised and found by readers. Crime lovers might head straight to the crime section of the bookshop for their next great read, history buffs will search in the history section of an online retailer, and so on. As an author, it’s essential to know your genre, not only so that you are able to pitch your book successfully, but also so that your book can make its way into the hands of your ideal reader. The best way to determine the genre of your work is to identify other books that are comparable in theme, style, and tone.

Most publishers and bookstores will use one of the broader or overarching genres listed below as a classification for selling purposes. Sub-genres, however, are more often used as keywords in metadata for online categorisation and digital marketing in order to improve discoverability and more directly target your readership. They can also be helpful for booksellers to know where to position your book in-store. While there are occasional differences in the words chosen to describe a genre, the genres listed below are relatively standard to the book industry. 

This list is not exhaustive. However, you should position your work within one of these categories to ensure that your work is marketable to publishers and booksellers, and discoverable to your readers. For example, if your book is perfect for lovers of dystopia, classify it as dystopian fiction so they can find your work!

Contemporary fiction is any general (or non-specific genre) fiction set post-WWII. Therefore it usually encompasses a large array of books that could also fall into other more specific categories. 

 

Examples: Homecoming by Kate Morton, Yellowface by Rebecca F. Kuang, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.

Commercial fiction is a descriptor used for books that have the largest breadth of  audience from a commercial selling perspective; the book can be sold through all types of retailers from Discount Department Stores (DDS) like Kmart or Big W, as well as online retailers and bookstores. As DDS’ only stock a very limited and bestseller-type book, this descriptor helps to identify books that have the right package and pitch to be sold in this way. Books with high sales, or high sales potential, fit this category. 

 

Examples: books by authors such as Judy Nunn, Di Morrisey, Colleen Hoover, John Grisham, Peter Fitzsimons, and big-name celebrity biographies. 

Literary fiction describes novels that do not fit neatly into an established genre and otherwise refers to novels that are character-driven, rather than plot-driven. These novels examine the human condition, and use language in an experimental or poetic fashion.

 

Examples: The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The Yield by Tara June Winch, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey.

Historical fiction describes stories that are set in the near or distant past. The general rule is considered to be 50 years or more in the past. A key feature of this genre is that it often pays close attention to the manners, social conditions, and other details of the depicted period. There can be added elements of romance, fantasy, science fiction, or time travel. 

 

Examples: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, That Deadman Dance by Kim Scott, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent.

Magic Realism narratives blend the real and fantastical. Marvellous and magical events occur in worlds that are otherwise realistic and believable.The genre is recognised to have been birthed as a part of Latin American literature, however it is now commonly applied to literature from other cultures with similar themes and tropes.  

 

Examples: The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, Lanny by Max Porter, Carpentaria by Alexis Wright.

Autofiction (autobiographical fiction) combines aspects of both autobiography and fiction; the author may blend true aspects of their life with fictional settings, characters, and events. It is important to note that while autobiographical elements may be incorporated, the work is considered fiction. 

 

Examples: The Outline Trilogy by Rachel Cusk, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, Theory and Practice by Michelle de Kretser.

Mythic stories rework the characters, tropes, and/or symbols of mythology, legends, fables, and fairy tales. 

 

Examples: Ransom by David Malouf, The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, Psykhe by Kate Forsyth. 

Science fiction (or ‘sci-fi’) deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced technology, science, time travel, parallel universes, space exploration, extraterrestrial life and artificial intelligence.

 

Some sub-genres include:

  • Hard sci-fi has a strong emphasis on scientific detail and/or technical accuracy.

Examples: Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson, The Three-body Problem by Cixin Liu. 

 

Literary sci-fi differs from hard sci-fi in that while it features science and technology, its narratives are more focussed on character, relationships, and sociology/psychology. 

Examples: Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. LeGuin, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. 

 

  • Alternate history stories take real-life historical events and change an element, such as the people involved or the ending, to play with the imagined fallout. It can also be a sub-genre of fantasy. 

Examples: Terra Nullius by Claire G. Coleman, 11/22/63 by Stephen King. 

 

Cyberpunk/biopunk combines advances in technology and science with dystopian realities and societal collapse. 

Examples: Neuromancer by William Gibson, Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich.

 

  • Dystopia explores worlds wherein an oppressive power (whether individual or corporate) dictates social and political structures, often at the expense of the wider population. 

Examples: Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, The Power by Naomi Alderman, Wool by Hugh Howey.

 

  • Climate fiction (or ‘cli-fi’) deals with climate change and global warming. Some cli-fi stories feature science fiction and dystopian or utopian themes, set in the near or far future, but others are set in the here and now. 

Examples: How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue, Juice by Tim Winton, The Overstory by Richard Powers.

 

  • Space opera as a genre features melodramatic warfare and risky adventures, and most commonly is a narrative epic. 

Examples: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, Dune by Frank Herbert, Skyward series by Brandon Sanderson.

Fantasy novels feature magical and supernatural elements such as witches and wizards, dragons, mythology, folklore, and history. Fantasy relies on narrative world-building and is often epic or serial in nature. 

 

Some sub-genres include:

  • Alternate history — See: Sci-fi

 

  • Dark fantasy has a typically gloomy tone and borrows elements from horror. The characters are often wary of dark and unknown forces, typically supernatural and otherworldly. 

Examples: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat. 

 

  • High fantasy is often characterised by an epic journey of good versus evil. Its settings are often alternative and secondary worlds. 

Examples: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, The Old Kingdom series by Garth Nix, The Mirror Visitor series by Christelle Dabos. 

 

  • Low fantasy, in contrast to high fantasy, features stories wherein magical elements impact the ‘real and normal world’. ‘Low’ does not describe the quality of work but rather the lesser presence of traditional fantasy elements. 

Examples: The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. 

 

  • Historical fantasy novels are typically set prior to the 20th century and, like low fantasy, incorporate fantastic elements into a realistic historical period or narrative. 

Examples: The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang, The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman.

Romance narratives are centred around romantic love and relationships. The story usually ends with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic conclusion: the couple ends up together. Popular tropes include love triangles, enemies to lovers, fake relationships, and close quarters/‘one bed’.

 

Some sub-genres include:

  • Romantasy is a blend of romance and fantasy, this subgenre combines a central romantic relationship with the fantastical and magical elements to varying degrees. In a book store it is most often shelved in the fantasy section.

Examples: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout, When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker. 

 

  • Gothic romance narratives are brooding and foreboding, wherein a relationship is affected by mysterious and seemingly supernatural circumstances. 

Examples: Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz, Master of Salt and Bones by Keri Lake.

 

  • Contemporary romance stories, or romantic comedies, are set in the modern day. They are often humorous and follow typical romantic conventions such as emotional tension, vulnerability, intimacy, disappointment, and ultimately a happy ending. 

Examples: Beach Read by Emily Henry, The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth, The Marriage Forecast by Nina Kenwood.

 

  • Historical romance novels apply the romantic narrative conventions to a specific historical time period. Regency-era novels are particularly popular. 

Examples: A Woman of Courage by Tania Blanchard, Reputation by Lex Croucher.

 

  • Time travel romance stories are often blended with fantastical or science-fiction elements. The central romance can unfold across decades and dimensions as one or more characters travel in time. 

Examples: This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone, One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. 

 

  • Queer romance Is an ever-growing sub-genre celebrating LGBTQIA+ love stories with characters learning to live their truth and claim their identities.

Examples: Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuinston, Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake, Him by Sarina Bowen. 

Horror is designed to evoke fear, fascination, and revulsion in the reader. Horror fiction may contain supernatural elements, such as ghosts, monsters, and demons, or may contain realistic elements such as serial killers. In this genre, horror can be physical, in the form of gore, or psychological, and can be classed in fantasy or another genre depending on how it leans. 

 

Examples: Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez, Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk, The Roo by Alan Baxter.

Crime/Mystery fiction focuses on criminal acts that are either being committed or have been committed. The story may follow the investigation of the crime/s, either by an amateur or a professional detective. Suspense and mystery are often key elements of the genre. 

Examples: Scrublands by Chris Hammer, The Dry by Jane Harper, Peace by Gary Disher. 

 

Some key sub genres include:

  • Cosy crime differs from other crime genres by not lingering on the more gritty or violent parts of crime, and focuses more on the thrill of the investigation. 

Examples: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill, It Takes A Town by Aoife Clifford.

 

  • Noir fiction is particularly dark in theme and in subject matter or setting.

Examples: Raven Black by Ann Cleeves, The Wrong Woman by J.P. Pomare.

 

  • Locked room (sometimes called ‘impossible mysteries’ there is a mystery or crime to solve, but it has restrictions, for example a murder has taken place in room or building where a perpetrator seemingly could not have entered. The puzzle must be solved. 

Examples: The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson. 

 

  • Legal crime books focus on the proceedings of an investigation, with particular reference to the impacts on courtroom proceedings and the lives of characters.

Examples: Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin, Prima Facie by Suzie Miller.

Thrillers evoke feelings of excitement, suspense and sometimes fear. The story typically follows the victim of a crime or a person tasked with solving a crime, as they work towards a resolution.  Depending on the level of terror, thrillers can border on horror. The genre contains dark and serious themes and spends much of the narrative focusing on building suspense before reaching a climax.

 

Some key sub-genres include: 

  • Espionage (sometimes know as spy thrillers) are full of intrigue, high-stakes drama and moral complexities, often focused on characters on the edge or outside of legitimate political or security organisations. 

Examples: Slow Horses by Mick Herron, The Greater Good by Tim Ayliffe. 

 

  • Political thrillers are centred on some kind of political power struggle, with high stakes and suspense are the core of the story. 

Examples: The Marmalade Files by Chris Uhlmann and Steve Lewis, Born to Run by John M. Green

 

  • Psychological thrillers are character-driven stories where a protagonist faces inner turmoil due to external events. 

Examples: Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz, Dark Mode by Ashley Kalagian Blunt.

Action & Adventure stories often include highly detailed action sequences as well as narratives in which the protagonist must adventure to a distant location. 

 

Examples: Eruption by James Patterson and Michael Crichton, Ice Station by Matthew Reilly, The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich. 

Short stories are most often published in collections written by a single author and related to one another through subject matter or genre. They can be written in any genre and ultimately are linked through signature characteristics of the author’s voice. Most short stories range in length from 1,000 to 10,000 words and feature one main protagonist and plotline. 

 

Examples: The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The High Places by Fiona McFarlane, Always Will Be by Mykaela Saunders. 

Genre classifications in the book industry - adult non-fiction

Genre categories are the key way that a book is organised and found by readers. Crime lovers might head straight to the crime section of the bookshop for their next great read, history buffs will search in the history section of an online retailer, and so on. As an author, it’s essential to know your genre, not only so that you are able to pitch your book successfully, but also so that your book can make its way into the hands of your ideal reader. The best way to determine the genre of your work is to identify other books that are comparable in theme, style, and tone.

Most publishers and bookstores will use one of the broader or overarching genres listed below as a classification for selling purposes. Sub-genres, however, are more often used as keywords in metadata for online categorisation and digital marketing in order to improve discoverability and more directly target your readership. They can also be helpful for booksellers to know where to position your book in-store. While there are occasional differences in the words chosen to describe a genre, the genres listed below are relatively standard to the book industry. 

 

This list is not exhaustive. However, you should position your work within one of these categories to ensure that your work is marketable to publishers and booksellers, and discoverable to your readers. For example, if your book is perfect for lovers of dystopia, classify it as dystopian fiction so they can find your work!

Narrative non-fiction, also known as creative non-fiction or literary non-fiction, is a true story written in the style of a novel, or factual prose written in a compelling way. These books can have crossover with other non-fiction genres such as memoir, science, psychology, and others. Like ‘commercial fiction’, narrative non-fiction is not usually used for categorisation in a shop, however it is a helpful descriptor for metadata and for those selling the book; it distinguishes the type of non-fiction from others. 

 

Examples: Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe, The Believer: Encounters with Love, Death & Faith by Sarah Krasnostein, The Arsonist by Chloe Hooper.

A biography is an account of a person’s life written by someone else. At a consumer level, this is often used as the overarching category for any book written that focuses on one person’s story. They are often written within a historical framework, displaying the unique social and political conditions that existed during the subject’s life. Biographies can be written about people who are alive or dead. Most often, they are about significant individuals, including politicians and celebrities. 

 

Examples: Joan Lindsay by Brenda Niall, Frank Moorhouse: A Life by Catharine Lumby, Jimmy Little: A Yorta Yorta Man by Frances Peters-Little.

 

  • An autobiography is a biography written by a person about themselves. The author writes their own true life story, detailing their experiences and how they came to discover themselves through their experiences. It draws on historically accurate research and descriptions. An autobiography can be written by someone who is in the public eye (such as a politician or celebrity) or by someone who has had an interesting and challenging life. 

Examples: A Periodic Tale by Karl Kruszelnicki, The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku, Some People Want to Shoot Me by Wayne Bergmann and Madelaine Dickie. 

 

  • Memoir is closely related to autobiography, however memoirs are written based on the memories of the author and how they felt during particular moments in their life. While autobiography tends to be a more objective record of specific events and details, memoir often focuses on one stage of life or one issue that threads through different stages of the author’s life. 

Examples: The Shape of Dust by Lamisse Hamouda with Hazem Hamouda, Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks, Australian Gospel by Lech Blaine.  

Historical non-fiction consists of true accounts of historical eras, events, and people. Books in this genre may focus on a particular person or event, or on a broader period of time. Historical non-fiction books may also contain images, used to illustrate the subject matter, such as photographs of historical figures, or images of artefacts. 

 

Examples: Emperor of Rome by Mary Beard, The Golden Road by William Dalrymple, Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe, The Battle of Long Tan by Peter Fitzsimons. 

True crime is a non-fiction genre in which the author describes and analyses true cases of criminal activity. True crime can have a biographical element, as the author may examine the life, including childhood, of the perpetrator and/or the victims of the crimes. True crime tends to focus on murder, with serial killers being a popular subject matter within the genre. 

 

Examples: The Winter Road by Kate Holden, Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann, This House of Grief by Helen Garner. 

Self-help books are written with the intention to instruct readers on solving personal problems. Books in this genre can cover a range of subjects, such as improving one’s financial situation or personal habits, as well topics such as relationships and mental health, and can be separated into sub-categories such as Personal Finance, and Psychology. 

 

Examples: Life Skills for a Broken World  by Dr. Ahona Guha, The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin, The Way We Are by Hugh Mackay.

Mind, Body, Spirit books cover a variety of topics including complementary therapies, astrology, tarot, spiritual guides, witchcraft and wicca. Some of these books also cross over with self-help, but overall they are focused on people’s desire to connect with deeper parts of themselves and spirituality. 

 

Examples: Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Hippies in the City by Rita Balshaw, Tarot and Oracle decks.

Health books can focus on general health and wellbeing issues or on specific conditions and how to combat them. This genre also encompasses diets and dieting. Books are often written by professionals trained in a health field, or by patients who have lived experience. 

 

Examples: Food For Life by Tim Spector, The 10:10 Plan by Sarah Di Lorenzo, 4 Weeks to Better Sleep by Dr Michael Mosley.  

Science and nature writing cover books written for the general public (non-academic) about a variety of scientific topics, such as space and space travel, astrophysics, evolution, and population science. This section also includes books focused on the natural world and environmental issues. 

 

Examples: The Great Dead Body Teachers by Jackie Dent, Deep Water: The World in the Ocean by James Bradley, Climate Capitalism: Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions by Akshat Rathi.

Travel books feature information about places and destinations travellers may want to visit. They can be in the form of guidebooks, detailing the must-see sights, restaurants and hotels of a particular destination, or in the form of travel narrative which includes elements of memoir as the author details their own experiences of travel. 

 

Examples: Swimming Sydney by Chris Baker, Pardon My French by Rachael Mogan McIntosh, The Passenger series.

Cookbooks are kitchen reference guides with instructions on the preparation and cooking of food. Cookbooks tend to be focused on a particular theme, such as cuisine from a particular culture or region or dietary requirement. Cookbooks can be written by anyone, from home cooks to popular chefs. 

 

Examples: RecipeTin Eats: Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Beatrix Bakes by Natalie Paull, Australian Food by Bill Granger. 

Craft and hobby books are similar to cookbooks in that they include ideas about different types of craft, the necessary supplies required, and step-by-step instructions on how to make a particular project. The books are often centred around a core theme, such as a particular type of craft (e.g. knitting, painting, jewellery making) or seasonal event. 

 

Examples: Shitty Craft Club by Sam Reece, The Oil Painter’s Colour Handbook by Todd M. Casey, Sew it Yourself with DIY Daisy by Daisy Braid. 

Art, design and photography books focus on some form of artistic or design expression. These books may be educational, teaching readers how to create art or design something; about the technical aspects of the medium or art form; about individual artists or designers; or about the history and meaning of famous pieces and collections of art and design. Topics covered may include painting, sculpting, clothing design, architecture, interior design, and others. 

 

Examples: Create by Ali Heath, 65,000 Years: A Short History of Australian Art by Marcia Langton & Judith Ryan, Aura by Laura Reid.

Business and management books are usually written by CEOs or Company Directors and share advice and strategies for success in business and leadership. They are often quite prescriptive, with clear outlines or points for how to succeed. These books can also incorporate elements of personal finance. 

 

Examples: Principles by Ray Dalio, The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape, Think Again by Adam Grant. 

The sports and leisure non-fiction genre is made up of a wide range of books, containing information on different sports and how they’re played, as well as biographies of significant players or coaches of popular sports. Other popular sports and leisure non-fiction books may be about the history and origin of a sport. 

 

Examples: Surf Like A Woman by Pauline Manczer, Showing Up by Nedd Brockmann, Top Knocks by Brad Hodges.

Reference non-fiction books contain relevant, accurate information on a given subject and can be used for research purposes. They can be on any subject matter, including business, finance/economics, history, travel, politics, science, and technology. 

 

Examples: The Family History Book by Cassie Gilmartin and Shaun Gilmartin, Atlas Obscura by Joshua Foer, Ella Morton and Dylan Thuras, How Language Works by David Crystal.

Gift and humour books are written to move, inspire, or entertain the reader. They are short, often highly illustrated, and can take the form of advice, jokes, cartoons, photos, or be about a comedian whose life is written in a humorous manner. They are designed to be impulse purchases, speaking to a particular demographic or interest, and are usually displayed prominently at a shop counter for last-minute gifting. 

 

Examples: Other People’s Homes: Suburban Kerb Appeal by Sandy Weir, Go the F*ck to Sleep by Adam Mansbach, Best Australian Political Cartoons 2024 by Russ Radcliffe.

Essays and criticism covers a diverse, ad hoc collection of books. These can be by a single writer on a range of topics, or a group of writers on a specific topic (which overlaps with Anthology, see below). Topics can range from literary criticism to cultural observations, modern life, and ethical dilemmas. 

 

Examples: Opinions by Roxanne Gay, Root and Branch by Eda Gunaydin, The Quarterly Essay published by Black Inc.

Genre classifications in the book industry - other

There are three unique categories found in bookshops and online that sit outside the main categories of Children’s, Adult Fiction and Adult Non-Fiction.

Genre categories are the key way that a book is organised and found by readers. Crime lovers might head straight to the crime section of the bookshop for their next great read, history buffs will search in the history section of an online retailer, and so on. As an author, it’s essential to know your genre, not only so that you are able to pitch your book successfully, but also so that your book can make its way into the hands of your ideal reader. The best way to determine the genre of your work is to identify other books that are comparable in theme, style, and tone.

Most publishers and bookstores will use one of the broader or overarching genres listed below as a classification for selling purposes. Sub-genres, however, are more often used as keywords in metadata for online categorisation and digital marketing in order to improve discoverability and more directly target your readership. They can also be helpful for booksellers to know where to position your book in-store. While there are occasional differences in the words chosen to describe a genre, the genres listed below are relatively standard to the book industry. 

 

This list is not exhaustive. However, you should position your work within one of these categories to ensure that your work is marketable to publishers and booksellers, and discoverable to your readers. For example, if your book is perfect for lovers of dystopia, classify it as dystopian fiction so they can find your work!

  • An anthology is a collection of short stories, poems, or essays written by various authors, compiled based on form, subject matter, or theme. 

 

Examples: This All Come Back Now: An anthology of First Nations speculative fiction edited by Mykaela Saunders, Another Australia edited by Winnie Dunn.

 

  • Poetry is a writing form which allows for feelings and ideas to be given emotional and visual intensity by the use of distinctive word choice, style, and rhythm. Books in this genre include several poems written and compiled by the author or anthologies of poetry by various authors, often on a single theme. 

 

Examples: Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen, how to make a basket by Jazz Money, The Book of Bird Poems edited by Ana Sampson.

 

  • Graphic novels combine visual elements and textual narrative in a comic-strip format. Graphic novels can be of almost any genre, including autobiography or non-fiction, as the genre is dictated by medium rather than content. 

 

Examples: Maus by Art Spiegelman, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, Under-Earth by Chris Gooch.