Readers of different genres and subgenres have different opinions of what is acceptable in a novel. You need to figure it out before starting writing your novel. If you write a novel that isn’t acceptable to your target reader, then a publisher won’t accept your book. The publisher is in business to sell books, and they should respect readers tastes.
In novel writing, understanding your audience's expectations is important. Different readers, categorized by genre and subgenre, have distinct preferences and tolerances for various story aspects. These preferences, often unspoken, can significantly influence a novel's success and marketability. As an author, neglecting to consider these expectations can lead to failure to connect to your niche audience, potentially prevent your work's success. To ensure your novel is accepted with its intended audience, it's essential to analyze and calibrate the levels of key story aspects. By aligning these elements with your readers' desires an expectations, you increase the likelihood of writing a compelling and commercially viable story.
Before you start writing your novel, it's important to understand what your readers expect. This can save you a lot of time and effort later on. Here's how to figure out what's acceptable for your genre:
Understand the different story aspects. These include things like romance, sensuality, humor, spirituality, offensive language, action, adventure, violence, suspense, and mystery. We'll talk more about these in detail later.
Look at other books in your genre. What do they do with these story aspects? There aren't any official rules, so you'll need to read to understand what's common.
We can rate books on a scale of 0 to 10 for each aspect. For example, Pride and Prejudice has very little violence, so we'd rate it a 0. But it has a lot of romantic tension, so we'd rate that a 10.
For example, Casablanca has some violence, maybe a 5. Rambo has a lot more, maybe a 10. The amount of violence is what people expect.
Decide what your readers will accept. Think about how much of each aspect your ideal reader wants. For example, if you're writing a romance novel, they probably expect a lot of romantic tension, so you might want a range of 9-10.
You can experiment a little, but don't go too far. If you're unsure, read more books in your genre or talk to other writers, agents, or editors and maybe ask an AI ChatBot.
In the following sections, we'll explore the various story aspects and explain how their levels can vary across different genres.
Romantic tension is the underlying potential for love between characters in a story. It's the spark that keeps readers engaged and invested in the relationship's development. While it's a crucial element in many genres, its significance varies widely.
Romance Novels and Women's Fiction: These genres often demand high levels of romantic tension. Readers expect a central focus on the emotional connection between the protagonists and anticipate a satisfying romantic resolution.
Other Genres: A wide range of romantic tension is acceptable in most other genres. Some may feature minimal romantic elements, while others may have a complex romantic relationships.
Children's Fiction: Children's fiction typically avoids explicit romantic tension. While friendships and admiration can be shown, overt romantic themes are generally not suitable for young readers.
Sensuality refers to explicit sexual activity depicted in a story. The acceptable level of sensuality can vary significantly depending on the genre and subgenre.
Romance Subgenres: While romance novels often involve romantic themes, the level of sensuality can vary. Some subgenres, such as historical romance, may limit explicit content, while others, like erotic romance, may require a high degree of sensuality.
Children's Fiction and Religious Fiction: These genres generally avoid any explicit sexual content. Such depictions would be inappropriate for the target audience of these categories.
Other Genres: Most other genres tolerate a fairly wide range of sensuality. However, the appropriateness of explicit content can depend on the specific context and the overall tone of the story.
Humor is a versatile element that can enhance a story by introducing lighthearted moments, witty dialogue, or satirical observations. While humor is generally appreciated in fiction, its inclusion and style should be carefully considered.
Humor's Versatility: Humor can be incorporated into almost any genre, from lighthearted comedies to more serious dramas. It can help to break up tense moments, develop characters, or provide social commentary.
Individual Tastes: People's preferences for humor can vary significantly. What one reader finds hilarious may leave another indifferent. It's important to strike a balance that appeals to your target audience without alienating potential readers.
Wide Range of Acceptance: Humor is generally accepted across various fiction categories. Whether you're writing a romance novel, a thriller, or a historical drama, you can incorporate humor to suit the tone and style of your story.
Personal Choice: Humor is one of the few story aspects that you have significant control over. You can decide the amount, style, and frequency of humor in your novel, tailoring it to your own preferences and your understanding of your target audience.
Spirituality refers to a sense of connection to something greater than oneself, often involving a belief in a higher power or a transcendent force. The level of spirituality in a story can vary significantly depending on the genre and the author's intentions.
General Preference: In most genres, a lower level of spirituality is often preferred. Readers may be more receptive to stories that focus on human experiences and relationships without going into explicit religious or spiritual themes.
Religious Fiction: Religious fiction typically accept higher levels of spirituality, often incorporating religious beliefs and practices into the story. However, it's important to maintain historical accuracy and avoid promoting specific religious doctrines that might alienate readers.
Literary Fiction: Literary fiction often explores spiritual themes and philosophical questions. This genre can accommodate a wide range of spiritual perspectives, as long as the treatment is intellectually interesting and meets the high standards of literary quality.
Fantasy Subgenres: Some fantasy subgenres, such as high fantasy or epic fantasy, may feature high levels of spirituality. These stories often involve magical systems, divine beings, or other supernatural elements that contribute to a sense of transcendence. However, the spirituality in these genres can often take unconventional or imaginative forms, diverging from traditional religious beliefs.
Offensive language, including crude expressions or curse words, has become more widely accepted in contemporary fiction. However, the appropriate level of offensive language can vary depending on the target audience and the genre.
General Acceptance: Many readers in various genres are comfortable with a wide range of offensive language. This reflects a shift towards more realistic and inclusive portrayals of characters and situations.
Exceptions: Children's fiction and religious fiction typically avoid offensive language to maintain their suitability for younger audiences and to respect religious sensibilities.
Genre Expectations: Readers of military fiction, thrillers, and certain types of crime fiction often expect a higher level of offensive language. These genres may depict gritty or violent situations where such language is more appropriate.
When deciding whether to include offensive language in your novel, consider the tone and style of your story, the expectations of your target audience, and the potential impact on the overall story. While offensive language can add realism or create a certain atmosphere, it should be used with caution and in a way that enhances the story's impact.
Action/adventure refers to exciting sequences that involve physical challenges, danger, and suspense. These elements can include car chases, daring escapes, explosions, and other thrilling events. While action/adventure often involves physical excitement, it doesn't necessarily require violence.
Genre Expectations: Some genres, such as thrillers and certain types of mysteries, anticipate high levels of action and adventure. Readers of these categories often seek out fast-paced stories filled with excitement and suspense.
Genre Preferences: Other genres, like women's fiction and romance, generally expect less action and adventure. These categories may focus more on character development, relationships, and emotional depth.
Wide Range of Acceptance: Most other genres can accommodate a wide range of action/adventure elements. The level of excitement and physical challenges can be set to suit the specific tone and style of the story.
When incorporating action/adventure into your novel, consider the overall pacing, the character's motivations, and the plausibility of the events. Ensure that the action sequences are well-executed and contribute to the overall story, rather than feeling like filler or unjustified excitement.
Violence refers to acts that involve bodily harm, including injuries, bloodshed, and death. While action and adventure can often involve physical challenges, violence specifically focuses on the infliction of pain or suffering.
Genre Expectations: Violence is often expected and accepted in thrillers and many mysteries. These genres frequently explore dark themes, criminal activities, and dangerous situations that may involve violent acts.
Genre Restrictions: Violence is generally less acceptable in romance, women's fiction, religious fiction, and children's fiction. These categories typically aim for a more wholesome or uplifting tone and may avoid graphic depictions of violence.
Wide Range of Acceptance: Most other genres can accommodate a wide range of violence, depending on the specific context and the author's intentions. However, it's important to consider the sensitivity of your target audience and the potential impact of violence on the overall story.
When incorporating violence into your novel, ensure that it serves a purpose and is not justified. The level of violence should be appropriate for the genre and the tone of the story. Consider the impact on the characters, the emotional response of the reader, and the overall message you want to convey.
Suspense is the anticipation of something negative or dangerous. It creates a sense of tension and uncertainty, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Unlike action and violence, suspense doesn't necessarily involve physical excitement or harm.
Genre Expectations: Thrillers and mysteries often rely heavily on suspense to engage readers. The plot is typically filled with uncertainty, twists, and the threat of danger.
Genre Preferences: Romance, women's fiction, and children's fiction generally have lower levels of suspense. These genres may focus more on character development, emotional connections, and positive themes. However, some subgenres, such as romantic suspense, may incorporate suspenseful elements.
Wide Range of Acceptance: Most other genres can accommodate a wide range of suspense. The level of tension and uncertainty can be tailored to suit the specific tone and style of the story.
When building suspense in your novel, consider the pacing, the use of foreshadowing, and the gradual revelation of information. Create a sense of threat or danger, while also providing moments of respite to maintain tension. The goal is to keep readers guessing and invested in the outcome of the story.
An enigma is an unsolved puzzle, secret, or mystery that requires a solution. It creates a sense of intrigue and curiosity, prompting readers to seek answers and unravel the complexities of the story.
Core of Mysteries: Mysteries are inherently built around enigma. The central puzzle or crime is the driving force of the story, and the reader's goal is to solve it alongside the protagonist.
Thrillers and Enigma: Thrillers can incorporate varying levels of enigma. In some cases, the identity of the villain or the nature of the threat may be a mystery that the reader must uncover. However, thrillers can also be driven by other elements, such as the protagonist's personal journey or the high-stakes situation they find themselves in.
Enigma in Various Genres: Enigma can be a valuable tool in many genres, even those that don't typically revolve around mysteries. For example, in children's fiction and romance, long-buried family secrets can create a sense of mystery and intrigue.
Not a Requirement: While enigma can enhance a story in many categories, it is not a mandatory element in all genres, except mysteries. The decision to include an enigma depends on the specific goals of the author and the nature of the story.
When incorporating enigma into your novel, consider the level of complexity and the timing of the revelation. The puzzle should be challenging but ultimately solvable, and the solution should be satisfying and consistent with the overall story.
We've explored various story aspects and their typical levels in different genres. It's important to remember that there are countless subcategories and variations within each genre. So, It's impossible to have definitive guidelines for every aspect of story for every possible combination of category and subcategory.
Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the author to define their target audience, select the appropriate genre, conduct thorough market research, and determine the boundaries that are suitable for their specific story. By carefully considering these factors, authors can create stories that is acceptable for their intended readers and increase their chances of success.