Literary fiction

Literary fiction, mainstream fiction, non-genre fiction, serious fiction,^[1] high literature,^[2] artistic literature,^[2] and sometimes just literature,^[2] are labels that, in the book trade, refer to market novels that do not fit neatly into an established genre (see genre fiction) or, otherwise, refer to novels that are character-driven rather than plot-driven, examine the human condition, use language in an experimental or poetic fashion, or are simply considered serious art.^{[3][4]: 115, 131 [5]}

Literary fiction is often used as a synonym for literature, in the exclusive sense of writings specifically considered to have considerable artistic merit.^[6] Literary fiction is commonly regarded as artistically superior to genre fiction, the latter being a form of commercial fiction written to provide entertainment to a mass audience.^[7][8][9]

Some categories of literary fiction, such as historical fiction, magic realism, autobiographical novels, or encyclopedic novels, are sometimes termed "genres" without being considered genre fiction. Some authors are also seen as writing literary equivalents or precursors to established genres while still maintaining the division between commercial and literary fiction, such as the literary romance of Jane Austen^[8] or the speculative fiction of Margaret Atwood. Some critics and genre authors have posited even more significant overlap between literary and commercial fiction, citing major literary figures argued to have employed elements of popular genres, such as science fiction, crime fiction, and romance, to create works of literature.^[10] Slipstream genre is sometimes located between the genre and non-genre fictions.