Combined Fiction: At the Intersection of Genre & Literary

Typically in the literary world we recognize two broad categories of fiction writing: genre fiction and literary fiction (more detail here: https://writers.com/literary-fiction-vs-genre-fiction). But one of the beauties of story writing is the countless possibilities for interaction between these types of narratives. 

This can happen genre-to-genre or between genre and literary fiction as a whole. Many of us have read stories that seem to transcend their individual labels to become something lasting and impactful in our lives that we return to again and again, whether by rereading or recalling. What is it about these rare stories that seem to impress upon our hearts and minds so deeply? 

In order to begin answering this question, one must first explore the purposes of these broad categories of fiction and why we have these categories at all. As humans, we organize things within our world to understand them better, and it is no different in literature. Thus, there are two ways one can go about defining the fiction categories: by content or by purpose. 

For genre fiction, content is defined in terms of genre/plot type: fantasy, historical, magical realism, sports, mystery, and the list goes on. We group together works of writing that have fundamental similarities and give a name to those similarities in plot structure and archetype use. When we see a book with the label ‘war’ on it, we know immediately that this book will overall concern war and all it entails.

Literary fiction is a bit more obtuse and often associated with classic works of fiction. Sometimes we even call this ‘classic’ fiction, though a classic doesn’t have to be ‘literary’ to be considered one. Usually, the content of literary fiction is harder to break down into one specific genre, and is concerned with exploring particular elements of the human experience. Think of Conrad’s Heart of Darkness or Kate Chopin’s “The Awakening.” Both of these explore a certain human problem or experience that goes beyond any one genre type. 

Now that's a pretty basic explanation, but what really separates genre and literary fiction, I believe, is their purpose. What distinguishes these two is the intent of the story. As I understand it, for genre fiction, the core purpose of the story is to entertain the reader. Yes, literary fiction entertains too, but the main purpose for this fiction goes beyond entertainment for entertainment’s sake. Often, literary fiction involves some element of philosophical inquiry or thought–narratives which pick at some human quandary, some puzzling element about life in the world–oftentimes, these works pose more questions than they answer. 

This is not to say genre fiction asks no questions or makes no larger commentary about humanity, just that this isn’t the overarching purpose of the narrative. Genre fiction hooks us with action and tension; literary fiction hooks us with strange questions and uncomfortable implications.

So what happens when the high-stakes entertainment of genre fiction meets the thought-provoking challenges of literary fiction? Well, that’s when you get a truly explosive work. Literary fiction can be confusing and experimental–but what if it had the clarity and direction of a genre? Genre fiction can be stereotypical and shallow–but what if it had the depth and realism of a literary work? When this happens, you get a so-called modern classic. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, to name a few. 

There is also another series which stands as a testament to combined fiction. One that is found in the young adult section, but speaks as much about the world and humanity as Heart of Darkness, only a bit less intimidating. This is the Monstrumologist series by Rick Yancy, first published in 2009. Its genre is horror, historical (maybe), philosophical (certainly), and it will stay with you long after you’ve read the final book in the series. 

For me, I know a story or a poem is a good one–a really good one, a classic–when sentences or snippets of the piece resurface in my mind unannounced as I go through my life day to day, week to week. Recognized classics like Wuthering Heights and In Memoriam float to my mind’s surface now and then, as do pieces of the Monsturmologist (‘have I fallen off the plate?’). 

In this series, you have the heart-racing tension and action of genre fiction combined with the gruesome probings of the human psyche you find in literary fiction. Even while young Will Henry, the main character, is trudging through the underground tunnels of a monster’s lair, we are baraged with comparisons between the darkness of monsters and men, the light of reason and hope. 

Books like this make you think about yourself and how you’re living: ‘what is life, what is a good way to live, what should we believe, why are things the way they are?’ These questions and more are posed to us in these deeper stories, told through the familiar lens of a ‘teenage orphan’ trying to find his place in the world with his ‘mad-scientist’ caretaker. 

Here’s the clincher: Combined literary and genre fiction uses the mechanisms of genre in order to reveal more clearly and render more understandably the depth and challenge of literary fiction. Combined fiction takes the familiar and uses it in order to address the unfamiliar, which otherwise may be too obtuse or surreal to grasp.

Overall, there are stories we write for fun, and there are stories we write for thought. But they don’t have to stay separate. Part of being a writer is making connections and breaking boundaries, and types of fiction are no different. By adding a bit of that literary depth to our ‘action hero story’ we make it more than its genre. Or, by slipping in a little of the high-stakes tropes of genre fiction, we make our literary piece more easily understandable. And if you’re still a bit confused by all of this, grab a copy of The Monstrumologist–you won’t regret it.

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About the author: Skye Rozario Steinhagen is a latina poet from Iowa, who earned her MA in Theological Studies from the Harvard Divinity School in 2021. Her passions intertwine among English, Humanities, the Study of Religion, and Creative Writing. Her writing has appeared in ‘The Green Shoe Sanctuary,’ ‘Humana Obscura,’ and elsewhere. You can find more details here: https://skyeroze.wixsite.com/skyerozario.