Literary Fiction vs. Commercial Fiction

Commercial/Popular Fiction

Popular fiction is created to entertain by allowing the reader to escape into another world and experience fantasies and experiences without leaving their safe environment. It is written so readers believe the story is happening as it is written. Good fiction is written so the reader can ‘escape’ into the book, actually becoming the character for a while. This often leads to grammar mistakes in the attempt to write the internal monologue (thoughts) in the same structure as today’s society talks.

Good fiction is designed to be read quickly, easily, without needing to think too much. It is built on the reader’s reactions to the words and the emotional impact those words illicit. Grammar, structure, and ideals take a back seat to the emotional impact of the stories words. This gives birth to writing styles that ‘paint pictures with words’ or create a ‘movie in the mind’ of the reader.

However, passive writing, excessive narration, dialogue tags, and grammar errors in exposition are all considered ‘red flags’ to many editors, signaling a writer who has not studied the ‘craft of writing.’ The Chicago Style of Grammar is the Bible of the popular fiction industry, with a grade seven vocabulary level.

The social issues in mass market fiction are those that interest society today. They can usually be found on the cover of magazines, in television shows, and movies, but are almost always based on the five human motivations.

Literary Fiction

Literary fiction is written to challenge societies thoughts and beliefs. It encroaches into the reader’s personal space, upsetting them, and forcing them to think. It is okay for literary fiction to upset the emotions and touch emotional triggers, stirring up past pain and fears.

This style of fiction is well written, usually in an academic or Associated Press style of grammar, and a higher vernacular.

Literary fiction explores the human condition. It can be entertaining, and it does not need to inform, but it is challenging and thought provoking.

Narration and exposition, even an omnipresent form of narration, is permitted, and in some cases favored. This is because the topics are often so emotionally traumatic, that the writer ‘does’ want to create ‘one degree of separation’ between the reader and the characters in the story. The reader’s ability to remain detached is what enables them to view the situation logically, analytically, and in a though provoking manner, without worrying about engaging the emotions.