​​

 

​

So, What Exactly Are Book Genres?

At its heart, a book genre is simply a way to categorize literature based on shared characteristics. Think of them as helpful labels that group books by style, subject matter, tone, format, or even the intended audience. They are the literary equivalent of sorting clothes by type – all the t-shirts here, all the jeans there.

​

For readers, genres are invaluable tools. They help you:

• Discover: Easily find books similar to others you've enjoyed.

• Set Expectations: Know roughly what kind of story, mood, or information you're likely to encounter (you wouldn't expect a laugh-out-loud comedy from a book labeled "Horror").

• Navigate: Make sense of the vast number of books available.

​

For writers and publishers, genres help target audiences, guide marketing efforts, and even influence writing style and structure.

​

Just How Many Genres Are There? (Spoiler: It's Complicated!)

Now for the tricky part: giving you an exact number of book genres is almost impossible! Why? Because it really depends on how specific you get and who you ask.

​

You might hear about a core list of the most popular genres – perhaps around 30 or 40. These are the big names like  Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller, Mystery, Young Adult, Biographies, etc.

If you look at the total number of main genres acknowledged across the board, that number might hover around 50 or so, encompassing broader categories.

​

However, the picture gets much larger when you dive into subgenres. This is where genres become incredibly specific. For example, within Romance, you find Contemporary Romance, Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance, and so on.

When you start accounting for these specific sub-categories, the numbers jump dramatically. Platforms dedicated to books might list over a hundred different categories, allowing readers to find incredibly niche interests like "Epic Fantasy with Dragons and Magic." And if you look at the sheer number of classification tags used by massive online retailers, you could easily find tens of thousands of unique combinations!

​

The Takeaway

While the exact number of genres is fluid and constantly evolving as new styles and topics emerge, the core idea remains the same: genres are there to help connect readers with the stories and information they're looking for.

Don't feel overwhelmed by the sheer quantity. Instead, view genres as a map to your next reading adventure. They aren't rigid boxes, but helpful signposts guiding you through the incredible diversity of the literary world. So go ahead, explore a familiar genre you love, or step outside your comfort zone and discover something new!

​

Below you will find a list of Genres and Sub-Genres that are "most common".