Book Genre Generator
This book genre generator does two things. Spin a random genre with its tropes and a writing prompt, or paste your manuscript to find out what genre your book is, with its subgenre and Amazon categories.
- Free, no sign-up
- 48 hand-picked subgenres
- Reads a whole manuscript
- Checks your word count
Example: what genre is Pride and Prejudice?
We opened two whole novels from Project Gutenberg and pressed "Find my book's genre". The answers are unedited. Notice the length check: at about 128,000 words, Pride and Prejudice would be long for a debut romance today. For what agents look at beyond length, see how hard it is to get a book published.
Pride and Prejudice
Age category: Adult, because it focuses on adult courtship, marriage, inheritance, and social position. Genre: Romance → historical romance Also fits: classic fiction, social satire Positioning: Literary, for its finely observed character work, ironic narration, and social critique. Setting: Historical (more than 50 years ago); early 19th-century England. Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, mistaken first impressions, opposites attract, matchmaking and marriage pressure, class divide Why: The opening frames the story around a wealthy single man and local marriage prospects; Elizabeth and Darcy move from mutual dislike toward affection; inheritance and social rank shape marriage choices. Confidence: High Amazon categories to try: Suggestions to confirm in KDP: Literature & Fiction > Romance > Historical; Literature & Fiction > Classics; Literature & Fiction > Humour & Satire Length: At 127,360 words, this is notably longer than the adult-fiction range of 80,000–89,999 words and exceeds the workable range of 70,000–109,999.
144 words
Frankenstein
Age category: Adult, because the novel explores complex ethical and philosophical questions and is written for an adult readership. Genre: Fiction → Gothic science fiction Also fits: Classic literature, philosophical fiction Positioning: Literary, for its layered narration, elevated prose, and sustained reflection on ambition, responsibility, and isolation. Setting: Historical (late 18th century, more than 50 years ago). Tropes: forbidden knowledge, creation of life, creator and creation, alienation, revenge Why: Victor discovers how to “bestow animation upon lifeless matter”; the creature recounts being shunned and seeking companionship; Walton warns against ambition and the pursuit of scientific discovery. Confidence: High. Amazon categories to try: Fiction > Classics > Gothic Fiction (suggestion to confirm in KDP); Fiction > Science Fiction > Classic (suggestion to confirm in KDP); Fiction > Classics > Literary Fiction (suggestion to confirm in KDP). Length: 75,042 words is below the stated 100,000–115,000-word science fiction and fantasy range; it is a workable length within the broader adult-fiction range of 70,000–109,999 words.
161 words
Book genres and subgenres at a glance
Lists of "the main genres" vary. Reedsy counts about 50 genres, while Amazon has thousands of categories. These are the eight big fiction genres the random generator draws from, with the subgenres in its deck.
| Genre | Subgenres | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| Mystery | Cozy mystery, Police procedural, Locked-room mystery, Hardboiled private eye, Historical mystery, Classic whodunit | 80,000–89,999 words |
| Thriller | Psychological thriller, Spy thriller, Legal thriller, Techno-thriller, Chase thriller, Conspiracy thriller | 80,000–89,999 words |
| Romance | Contemporary romance, Regency romance, Romantic comedy, Romantic suspense, Paranormal romance, Romantasy | 80,000–89,999 words |
| Fantasy | Epic fantasy, Urban fantasy, Sword and sorcery, Fairy-tale retelling, Portal fantasy, Dark fantasy | 100,000–115,000 words |
| Science fiction | Space opera, Dystopian, Cyberpunk, Time travel, First contact, Post-apocalyptic | 100,000–115,000 words |
| Horror | Gothic horror, Haunted house, Cosmic horror, Psychological horror, Folk horror, Creature horror | 80,000–89,999 words |
| Historical fiction | War novel, Family saga, Biographical novel, Historical adventure, Alternate history, Literary historical | 80,000–89,999 words |
| Literary fiction | Coming-of-age, Upmarket women's fiction, Satire, Magical realism, Epistolary novel, Domestic drama | 80,000–89,999 words |
Genre, subgenre and tropes: what's the difference?
A genre is the shelf a book sits on: romance, mystery, horror. A subgenre narrows it by setting or flavor, such as a Regency romance or a cozy mystery. Tropes are the familiar story patterns readers look for, like enemies to lovers or the locked room.
Some genres make a promise. The Romance Writers of America define every romance by two things: "a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Break the promise and readers feel cheated, whatever the shelf says.
Editor Alyssa Matesic suggests naming a book with a simple formula: the age category, the setting and the genre, for example "adult historical mystery". The genre finder above answers each of those parts. She explains it in this video:
Amazon categories and BISAC codes
- Amazon KDP lets you choose 3 categories for each book, and they decide where Amazon shelves it (KDP help). The genre finder suggests three paths to try; confirm them in KDP's own category picker. Weighing KDP itself? See the pros and cons of self-publishing on Amazon and how to publish a book for free.
- BISAC codes are the subject codes publishers and bookstores use, such as FIC027000 for general romance. The Book Industry Study Group recommends no more than three per book, most specific first, and updates the list every autumn. Look yours up in the official BISAC list.
- Comparable titles are best found by hand. Agents want recent books, and AI tools are known to invent titles that don't exist, so the genre finder doesn't suggest any.
FAQ
Book genre questions
How do I figure out the genre of my book?
Ask what readers will expect from it and where it would sit in a bookshop. Then name it as age category plus setting plus genre, such as adult historical mystery. Paste your blurb or manuscript above for an answer with reasons.
Is there an app that can identify book genres?
Yes: the genre finder on this page reads anything from a blurb to a whole manuscript and gives the age category, genre, subgenre, tropes and Amazon category suggestions, free and with no sign-up.
What genre book should I write?
Write in the genre you most love to read, since you already know its promises and tropes. If you want a nudge, spin the random genre generator for a subgenre and a writing prompt.
What are the main literary genres?
Lists vary. The big fiction shelves are mystery, thriller, romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, historical and literary fiction, each with many subgenres. Reedsy counts about 50 genres in all.
What is the difference between genre and subgenre?
The genre is the broad shelf, like mystery. The subgenre narrows it by setting, tone or style, like a cozy or historical mystery.
How many Amazon categories can I choose on KDP?
Three per book, chosen in KDP's category picker. Changes can take up to 72 hours to show.
How many BISAC codes should a book have?
No more than three, according to the Book Industry Study Group, with the most specific one first.
How long should a novel be for my genre?
Most adult fiction, including romance, mystery, thriller and horror, does best at 80,000 to 89,999 words. Science fiction and fantasy run 100,000 to 115,000, young adult 55,000 to 79,999 and middle grade 20,000 to 55,000 (Writer's Digest).
More for authors
- Plot Twist GeneratorSix twists, one of each kind, built from your own characters, with the clues to plant for each.
- Book Blurb GeneratorThree spoiler-free back-cover blurbs from your plot or manuscript, in 70 languages.
- Synopsis GeneratorA one-page synopsis for agents and publishers, ending included, from your notes or whole manuscript.
- Translate a BookUpload a whole PDF, EPUB or DOCX book and get the translated file back in the same format.
Taking the book to new readers?
Upload the manuscript as a Word file, PDF or EPUB and get it back translated into one of 70 languages, in the same format. You see the exact price before you pay.
Drop your book
PDF, EPUB or DOCX up to 100 MB. See the price before you pay.
Drop your file here
or click to browse your computer