What the hell is upmarket fiction?
I found myself asking this question yesterday after discovering the genre. According to Reedsy, upmarket fiction is “a fiction genre used by agents, publishers, and readers to describe books that blend elements from literary fiction and commercial genre fiction (like romance and thrillers). These stories generally have crossover appeal, addressing universal themes and topical questions in a nuanced and accessible way. Upmarket fiction is typically aimed at a wide but educated audience and is popular among book clubs.” (source)
As it turns out, this is precisely the type of fiction I am attempting to write.
On one hand, it's a relief to have this information. I was struggling to pinpoint the genre of my novel. But on the other hand, it made me realize how little I know about the terminology used in the publishing industry.
I’m currently reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. I stumbled upon the query letter that Van Pelt wrote to the Nelson Agency. This agency then sold the novel to Ecco (HarperCollins), securing a major, high-six-figure deal after a multi-house auction. (source)
Van Pelt began her query letter with the following: “REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is upmarket fiction with a dash of whimsy complete at 88,000 words.”
Boom. Straight to the point: title, genre, length.
The rest of the letter introduces the main characters and conflicts in the novel, offers examples of comparable novels, and provides a short bio of the author.
So, I guess now I’ve learned two things: 1) what upmarket fiction is, and 2) how to write a query letter that captures enough attention from an agent to land a six-figure deal.
One step at a time.
What the hell is upmarket fiction?
I found myself asking this question yesterday after discovering the genre. According to Reedsy, upmarket fiction is “a fiction genre used by agents, publishers, and readers to describe books that blend elements from literary fiction and commercial genre fiction (like romance and thrillers). These stories generally have crossover appeal, addressing universal themes and topical questions in a nuanced and accessible way. Upmarket fiction is typically aimed at a wide but educated audience and is popular among book clubs.” (source)
As it turns out, this is precisely the type of fiction I am attempting to write.
On one hand, it's a relief to have this information. I was struggling to pinpoint the genre of my novel. But on the other hand, it made me realize how little I know about the terminology used in the publishing industry.
I’m currently reading “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt. I stumbled upon the query letter that Van Pelt wrote to the Nelson Agency. This agency then sold the novel to Ecco (HarperCollins), securing a major, high-six-figure deal after a multi-house auction. (source)
Van Pelt began her query letter with the following: “REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is upmarket fiction with a dash of whimsy complete at 88,000 words.”
Boom. Straight to the point: title, genre, length.
The rest of the letter introduces the main characters and conflicts in the novel, offers examples of comparable novels, and provides a short bio of the author.
So, I guess now I’ve learned two things: 1) what upmarket fiction is, and 2) how to write a query letter that captures enough attention from an agent to land a six-figure deal.
One step at a time.
