Contemporary fiction is realistic fiction set in modern times, often focused on social issues. It aims to be as realistic as possible and may avoid exaggeration. Some fans prefer it over genre fiction for its realism, while others prefer escapist stories.
The term contemporary fiction describes stories set in modern times that do not bring any fictional elements. It is technically a type of realistic fiction, and the term “contemporary” is used specifically to distinguish it from realistic fiction with a historical setting, which is also generally common and quite popular. Contemporary fiction is usually focused on giving people a window into some corner of everyday experience and showing them what it would be like to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. Some of the stories may be politically motivated or designed to raise social awareness, while others exist solely for entertainment purposes.
When authors create contemporary fiction, they generally aim to make everything as realistic as possible. This often means avoiding any exaggerations, even those that might be convenient for audience satisfaction. Many fans who enjoy contemporary fiction appreciate this attention to realism and may even chastise stories that stray too far into unlikely scenarios.
Another common goal for authors specializing in this type of fiction is social relevance. For example, they often make stories that specifically focus on issues like race relations, sexism, crime, or poverty. These authors often hope that the experience of reading a story would give the reader a better understanding of these issues than they would get from a non-fiction story dealing with the same type of topic, which could potentially help the person develop more sympathy or better understanding. Genre science fiction stories often do this too, but it’s usually much less direct than the way it’s handled in contemporary realistic fiction.
Sometimes fans of contemporary fiction have a specific dislike for genre fiction. Some of these people may find it easier to identify with stories that seem more realistic, and others may dislike the tendency towards predictability or formulaic storylines that can sometimes present themselves in genre stories. Some literary critics also tend to favor contemporary fiction over genres in much the same way that film critics often favor serious dramas over genre films. On the other end of the spectrum, many fans of entertainment-oriented genre stories have no interest in reading contemporary fiction under any circumstances. Some of these folks may find the general reliance on outright realism too restrictive, while others are simply uninterested in any kind of fiction that lacks an escapist quality.
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