What Makes A Book Literary: Understanding literary fiction
- Fiction Yogi
- Apr 29
- 8 min read
Updated: May 12
In this article we'll consider:
Language & style
Character before plot
The heart of literary fiction
Why the ambiguity?
Creating lasting impressions
Literary vs. genre fiction; what's the difference?
Outlining a literary novel
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When readers and writers talk about "literary fiction", it can sometimes sound like a coded conversation — full of implications about quality, importance, and even prestige. But what really makes a book "literary"? Is it the themes, the prose, the emotional impact? Or is it how a book engages with readers and the world?
How do you even know if the book you're writing would be classified as literary fiction or genre fiction?
While there are no strict guidelines, there are commonalities that tend to be recognized as making a work of fiction literary. Let's take a look at what those commonalities are, so that we may better understand the craft and aspiration behind it; and at the same time debunk some old myths.
1. The role of language & style in literary fiction
One of the most immediate markers of a literary novel is the language itself. In literary fiction, prose is not just a vehicle to move the plot along — it’s the core experience. Words are carefully chosen with precision, rhythm, originality, and resonance in mind.
A literary writer might linger over a description or craft sentences that build atmosphere, mood, or double meanings. Hence why the books sometimes take years to complete. Some may also bend the "rules" in terms of language, style, or narrative construction. Such as: Ali Smith's How to be Both (structure); Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange (language); Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho (prose style).
This doesn’t mean the writing has to be flowery, difficult, or dense; on the contrary, it often leans towards clarity and sharpness. But every sentence is considered. Finding new ways to convey the familiar is critical to writing literary fiction.
In a sense, literary fiction is written to be re-read — it requires readers to pay attention, read carefully, and pause to savour the craftsmanship rather than rush to the next plot point.
Example: Writers like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Jonathan Franzen, and Kazuo Ishiguro balance beauty and precision, creating subtle prose that feels inevitable yet deeply moving.
2. Character matters more than plot
In most literary fiction, character takes precedence over plot. While events do unfold — sometimes dramatically — the real focus is internal: what characters think, feel, fear, and desire. The "action" often lies in the shifting tides of relationships, values, or self-understanding, rather than in external events.
Unlike genre fiction, where characters might be swept along by circumstances (a murder mystery, a heist, a war), literary fiction typically reveals how characters wrestle with their inner worlds — and how that struggle shapes or destroys them.
Tip for writers: If you're writing literary fiction, think about what your characters want on a spiritual or existential level — not just their surface goals.
3. Exploring big themes: the heart of Lit Fic
Literary fiction often grapples with big, unanswerable questions. What does it mean to live authentically? How do memory and identity intertwine? How do love, death, injustice, or beauty shape human lives?
But while it raises questions, a literary novel won’t necessarily offer clear answers (or any answers); instead, it invites readers to think deeply about the issues and interpret meaning from them. The book will be trying to tell you something — you may just have to go hunting to find out what that is, and draw your own conclusions.
Tip for writers: In literary novels, the themes are not just background noise. They're woven into the fabric of character, setting, and narrative arc. Think: Orwell's 1984, Palahniuk's Fight Club, Martel's Life of Pi.
4. Embracing ambiguity: why literary fiction avoids easy answers
In literary fiction, ambiguity isn’t seen as a flaw — it’s embraced. Endings may be left open, characters morally grey, and problems left unresolved. Readers aren't guaranteed the comfort of closure or clarity; instead, they’re asked to sit with discomfort, paradox, and competing truths.
Why? you may ask. Well, because this more closely mirrors real life. Unlike in genre fiction, where we crave all the answers and a satisfying conclusion (generally where the good guys win and bad guys lose), literary fiction offers no such idealism. Instead, we're more likely to encounter messy, incomplete, or less-than-ideal endings that we might expect from our actual, everyday lives.
This isn't to say there are no happy endings in literary fiction. There certainly are, just as there are happy moments in real life. But they're unlikely to be neatly packaged; "happy" may mean satisfied, or settling for an alternative; or the story may end just prior to what could be a happy ending, leaving readers never knowing if that moment was achieved or filling in the gaps for themselves. Above all else, the ending will be realistic and unforced, arrived at as part of a natural progression.
Challenge for writers: Resist the urge to tie everything up with a bow — our minds always want to "solve the puzzle", but literary fiction resists granting us that privilege. Trust your readers to live with questions and/or draw their own conclusions.
5. How literary fiction creates lasting emotional impact
Perhaps the most essential — and the hardest to define — aspect of literary fiction is the emotional impact it leaves behind. A great literary novel doesn't just entertain; it lingers. It unsettles, illuminates, haunts. Readers might find themselves thinking about the characters weeks later, reflecting on passages, or re-evaluating their own lives.
This emotional resonance often arises from all the elements we've mentioned above: carefully crafted, original language; complex characters; profound themes; questions raised but left unanswered.
On a personal note, many literary novels have left their mark on me over the years (Less Than Zero, Frankenstein, Lolita, American Psycho, to name a small few), but none more so than the little-known book, A Dead Language, by Peter Rushforth.
I couldn't strictly define what it is about this book that left me thinking about it long after I'd finished reading — the characters definitely; the things left unspoken; the unique, funny, heart-breaking prose — and perhaps for other readers it wouldn't have the same effect as it did on me. But that's the beauty of all fiction: you never know which story is going to dig deep and leave its echo with someone.
6. Literary fiction vs. genre fiction: What's the real difference?
Let's start by saying that genre fiction very much can (and often does) contain elements of literary fiction (e.g. unique style, original prose, existential themes, commentary on human experience) — and likewise, literary fiction incorporates elements of genre fiction (e.g. romance, suspense, crime).
Where literary fiction differs from genre fiction, however, is it generally isn't written to fit into a specific marketable category or niche. For instance, while genres have clear expectations (e.g. a romance ending with a happily ever after; a thriller resolving the central crime or risk annoying readers), literary novels have more freedom to roam. When they lean on genre elements, it's to use them as frameworks to explore deeper human truths, not to fulfil reader expectations.
Perhaps for this reason, there aren't as many readers of literary fiction as there are of genre fiction. So this often means literary writers will prioritize longer-term goals such as, for example, the exposure and financial boost that comes from winning awards or receiving rave reviews from influential critics.
Unsurprisingly, many literary writers are traditionally published rather than indie authors. It's a difficult market to sustain a lucrative career in by yourself — particularly if each book takes time to complete, and given that book series (and the tried-and-tested marketing tactics that come with them) are rare in literary fiction. However, where there are readers who like your work, there's always a way.
If you're an indie literary writer, find your fans, diversify via multiple formats of your work, including translations and availability in marketplaces worldwide, and consider other ways to keep your readers engaged between novels, such as short stories, collaborations, anthologies, giveaways, or simply regular updates.
Common myths about literary fiction — debunked!
Before concluding, it's worth busting a few persistent and outdated myths:
Myth: Literary fiction is boring.
Reality: Good literary fiction grips readers emotionally and intellectually, even if it isn't action-packed.
Myth: Literary fiction is pretentious.
Reality: Don't be fooled by some of the old classics (Joyce's Ulysses I'm looking at you!). At its best, literary fiction is an act of deep empathy and curiosity about the human experience in any one of its guises; it's not restricted by class, race, culture or gender.
Myth: Literary fiction doesn’t sell.
Reality: While not an easy task (as we mentioned above), many literary novels (The Goldfinch, The Kite Runner) have found wide and devoted readerships.
Myth: Literary fiction is better/worthier than genre fiction.
Reality: This outdated view goes back to the 19th century elite literary circles and class divides, and novels now considered literary classics that speak to the language, culture and circumstances of a bygone age. In our modern day, this view simply no longer holds water.
Firstly, "better" and "worthy" are subjective. I grew up on genre fiction, and it taught me more about the world than the world outside my door ever could. I've heard many a fellow reader say that fiction saved them, or got them through a difficult period in their life, and they're not usually talking about literary fiction.
Yes, the language and style of literary fiction requires a different skillset, a degree of craftsmanship that can be breathtaking to read; however... the mental occupation of crime thriller mysteries; the relieving escapism of fantasy or romance; a child's excitement and stoked imagination when they read action/adventure; a teenager's relief at reading about characters just like them in a YA graphic novel — all these are, I would say, incredibly worthy works of fiction.
Secondly, there are genre fiction books that have become classics (Harry Potter, The War of the Worlds, Jamaica Inn); just as there are no doubt works of literary fiction that fell off a cliff and became obsolete.
In summary, there is no hierarchy between the two styles — just different approaches, which offer contrasting reading experiences and variety in fiction reading and writing that we can all celebrate and enjoy.
How to outline a literary novel
Not every literary writer is an outliner; but if you do wish to have some guidelines to keep you on track, then absolutely, it is possible to outline your literary novel.
Begin with character and theme, rather than strict plot points.
Identify your protagonist’s internal conflicts and core desires — what emotional or existential journey will they undergo? From there, think about the major emotional beats: what internal challenges will force them to grow, regress, or confront painful truths?
Instead of a strict sequence of plot twists, sketch pivotal scenes where change happens on the inside. Think in terms of emotional arcs and thematic threads: what questions will the novel raise, and how will the characters wrestle with them across the story? Use these themes as guideposts to weave character arcs and narrative movement together.
A flexible, character-driven outline — open to discovery and emotional nuance — creates the scaffolding that allows a literary novel to evolve organically while still feeling cohesive and purposeful.
Download a sample outline of a literary novel:
Finally...
Ultimately, what makes a book "literary" isn’t a checklist but a combination of intention, craftsmanship, and depth. Literary fiction dares to slow down, to ask questions without easy answers, to revel in the beauty and tragedy of what it means to be human.
For writers, avoid getting too tangled in labels. Whether you're crafting a high-concept thriller or a quiet, character-driven drama, the principles of literary craft — attention to language, character, theme, and emotional truth — can elevate any story, no matter what category it fits in.
And for readers, just dive in. Literary fiction isn’t about difficulty or elitism; it’s about connection. At its best, it's a mirror held up to life itself — unvarnished, dazzling, and real.
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Tina Williams of Fiction Yogi is a copyeditor and proofreader who works with writers at all stages, giving them the tools to improve their manuscript and level up their writing so they can meet their publishing goals.
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