Literary fiction

Literary fiction, serious fiction,^[1] high literature,^[2] or artistic literature,^[2] and sometimes just literature,^[2] encompasses fiction books and writings that are more character-driven rather than plot-driven, that examine the human condition, or that are simply considered serious art by critics.^{[3][4]: 115, 131 [5]} These labels are typically used in contrast to genre fiction: books that neatly fit into an established genre of the book trade and place more value on being entertaining and appealing to a mass audience.^[6][7][8] Literary fiction in this case can also be called non-genre fiction and is considered to have more artistic merit than popular genre fiction.^[9]

Some categories of literary fiction, such as much historical fiction, magic realism, autobiographical novels, or encyclopedic novels, are frequently 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^[7] 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.