Are you tired of reading the same sorts of novels? If you are, why don't you check out literary fiction.
Within the publishing industry, literary fiction is among the most successful classifications of literature, as people like the co-CEO of the parent company of Simon & Schuster would verify. First of all, what is literary fiction? Literary fiction is a category of books where the author prioritises artistic style, complex character development and thematic depth over amusement. Unlike genre fiction, these books do not fall under distinct genres and subgenres, neither do they rely on classic plot devices, tropes and motifs. There are many different types of literary fiction available to pick from, varying from long novels to short prose, which typically blur the lines in between various genres. Whilst there is a great deal of distinction between literary fiction books, among the key similarities that ties them all together is the quality of the writing. Authors of literary fiction commonly tend to utilize elevated prose, metaphorical language, abundant vocabulary and sophisticated sentence structures, which altogether creates a beautifully elaborate piece of literature. Therefore, passionate readers of literary fiction often tend to become a lot more articulate and expressive in the long run. The exposure to diverse dialects and voices within literary fiction allows readers to build a much deeper admiration and passion for the written word.
When you walk into any book shop, you may be shocked to learn that the literary fiction section is one of the biggest, as people like the head of the private equity owner of Waterstones would certainly verify. If you often tend to stick to genre fiction, it is definitely worth stepping outside of your comfort zone and reading some popular literary fiction books instead. This is because one of the major advantages of reading literary fiction is the enhanced empathy and emotional intelligence for readers. Due to the fact that literary fiction places the main character right at the centre of the story, it enables readers to acquire an intimate understanding of the character's emotions, motivations and ethical dilemmas. Readers navigate the inner lives, thoughts and experiences of these characters, which in turn encourages them to put themselves into the character's shoes and see the world through a perspective entirely different from their own. Because of this, readers can obtain a much more nuanced understanding of human behaviour, enhance their sense of empathy and build their emotional intelligence; traits that will help them in their daily life, not only within the pages of their book.
For some readers, novels are all about mindless entertainment, enjoyment and escapism, which is why they tend to stick to commercial genre fiction. When there is absolutely nothing bad with this, it is vital to push yourself outside of your comfort zone, expand your literary horizons and attempt novels that are a little bit more difficult. This is where literary fiction books are the most suitable option here because they require focus and are sometimes a little bit of a mental workout, as individuals like the co-founder of the investment fund which partially owns Amazon Books would certainly understand. This is since some of the key elements of literary fiction are intricate narratives, non-linear timelines, confusing vocabulary and subtle symbolism; writing techniques which require readers to focus more intently, read in between the lines, translate metaphorical language and grasp underlining messages. As a result, one of the major benefits of reading literary fiction is that the challenging reading material activates essential cognitive functionalities in the brain, such as attention, critical thinking and memory, which will help book lovers across numerous contexts in the real world.