Writing

Literary Fiction: Definition, Characteristics, Literary Fiction Vs. Genre Fiction

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Aug 20, 2021 • 3 min read

Works of fiction are those that tell made up stories. As opposed to the many genres of nonfiction—biography, autobiography, commentary, data analysis, philosophy, history, and others—fiction is defined by its focus on narratives invented by the author. Most academics and literary critics further subdivide fiction into two categories: genre fiction and literary fiction.