The Ultimate Guide to Writing Realistic Fiction

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Take a moment to think about a scene from real life. What comes to mind? Maybe you’re at a coffee shop filled with neatly dressed business professionals, disheveled college students, and baristas with tattoos and piercings. Or maybe you’re at a park passing time watching new parents pushing a stroller, fitness-focused runners, and an elderly gentleman on a slow walk with his beloved dog.

Whatever you’re imagining, you are surrounded by something special: regular people living normal lives filled with complexities that go far beyond the surface. Real-world issues are complicated, approachable, and relatable, all at once. This is what makes the ordinary so extraordinary, and it’s why realistic fiction is one of the most compelling genres to read.

So, what is realistic fiction? On the surface, the definition is rather straightforward. Realistic fiction is a literary genre that tells believable stories with relatable characters and plot lines. In a realistic fiction book, you encounter real people dealing with real circumstances that can happen. Now, I realize that’s a bit vague, so I’ll break it down and help you craft your own best-selling realistic fiction book.

Realistic fiction genres

Realistic fiction is a rather broad label that can be broken down into two main genre subcategories: literary fiction and historical fiction. Both genres flex the same elements of realism but have subtle differences. View them as fraternal twins, largely the same, but notably different.

Literary fiction

Literary fiction is character-driven and relies on symbolism, metaphors, and allegories to craft a relevant narrative that gives readers a deeper look at the ordinary world. Important to note, literary fiction is quite introspective and carries a sense of literary merit that genre fiction does not. A realistic fiction story is literary fiction because its topics involve real, pressing issues that resonate with contemporary readers.

Coming-of-age stories make for a perfect example of realistic literary fiction. In fact, they might be the most believable and relatable of all the different subcategories of realistic fiction. A coming-of-age tale chronicles one’s growth through the trials and tribulations that come from everyday life. This type of story reminds readers that a character doesn’t need to confront a supernatural force or a complex villain to grow. Rather, as a human being in contemporary life, you face a unique set of challenges that require growth and courage.

Meaningful stories

Before I get into specific books, I’d like to present a hypothetical example to suggest how meaningful a coming-of-age story can be. Think about a main character who is enduring the tumultuous years of college while suffering from a severe mental illness. He may not confront a traditional villain in a literary sense — but he faces something much more relevant and relatable. He battles his own demons and insecurities that oftentimes feel overwhelming.

As he transitions from boyhood to manhood, he learns that life is both unforgiving and rewarding — and the only way to fulfill his destiny is to face his fears with courage and tenacity. He must learn that his mental illness demonstrates his strength, not weakness. As he comes of age, he recognizes his unique purpose in life, and it can only be fulfilled if he fully commits to recovery.

A narrative like this shares a relatable, inspiring story. It also provides commentary on the mental health crisis today. The issues presented in coming-of-age novels, and all works of realistic fiction, should be relevant at the time a book is published.

With that in mind, think about Angie Thomas and her bestselling young adult novel, The Hate U Give. Her social commentary coming-of-age story touches on issues of race, class, and police brutality. Told through the eyes of an inner-city teenage girl who attends a predominantly white private school, the book shows readers what it’s like to grow up in two different worlds. The book is intensely relevant as it was written in reaction to the police shooting of Oscar Grant. That’s what makes realistic fiction such a powerful genre. A lot of people go through what these characters are experiencing. Relevance is a powerful concept.

Historical fiction

Historical fiction also classifies as realistic fiction. As the name hints, it tells a realistic story that occurs in the past. Historical fiction is realistic if the characters are relatable people who confront relevant issues associated with that era. As an author, it’s up to you to make the story believable. Do plenty of research and fully understand what life was like at the time of your story. A historical fiction novel taking place during World War II should accurately reflect everything from technology to social moods and political climate.

Anthony Doerr won the Pulitzer Prize for his historical fiction novel, All the Light We Cannot See. Doerr is still living in 2023 and did not live through World War II, but his epic wartime novel certainly aligns with a realistic fiction story. Thanks to his years of historical research, he tells a magnificent tale of two protagonists attempting to survive the devastation of a global catastrophe.

9 tips for writing realistic fiction

1. No matter your story, make it believable. Readers should be able to relate to fundamental aspects of your characters’ lives. Don’t be afraid to include your own experiences. I believe that writers write best when they write what they know — and realistic fiction offers the perfect platform to do that. Think about who you are, what your friends are like, what your family is like, etc. Use experience and social awareness to construct interesting characters.
2. Focus on the ordinary. Challenge yourself as a writer to inspire readers without any form of supernatural influence. Your message needs to be thoughtful, but pertinent. Readers should see their own lives play out through the text and feel validated through that.
3. Go deep beyond the surface. Consider Kate DiCamillo’s endearing book, Because of Winn-Dixie. It’s a story about a young girl who finds a stray dog at a Florida supermarket. DiCamillos takes these mundane acts — going to the supermarket and owning a dog — and uses them as a platform to explore thoughtful story ideas and themes like friendship, love, and forgiveness.
4. Be a student of the times. Do your research and fully understand the social and political climate of your story. I previously mentioned how important it is to research the era when writing historical fiction. You need to be a subject-matter expert on any time and place that you write about. Be sure to fact check everything!
5. Utilize real world events. Sure, your story is fiction — but the backdrop can very well be real. You can even use this as the inciting incident. Since 2020, we’ve seen plenty of examples of this through (you guessed it) the pandemic. Authors have crafted insightful realistic fiction novels reflecting the volatility of living through a pandemic.
6. Thoughtfully introduce conflict. Your protagonist might not be chasing down a dragon, but your story still needs stakes. Maybe your main character must put their life back together after the tragic loss of a loved one. Maybe they receive a life-threatening diagnosis. Or maybe they struggle to adapt to a new country as an immigrant. It’s your responsibility to demonstrate the high stakes of real life.
7. Keep your writing succinct. Consider writing either a shorter novel or a collection of short stories. There’s no need for hundreds of pages of worldbuilding. With realistic fiction, readers already understand the elements of everyday life — and this provides a nice opportunity to comprise various short stories instead of one epic novel. If you think your message packs the best punch in short story format, it probably does.
8. Illustrate! If your book tells a realistic story that children will relate to — like Jeff Kinney’s best-selling series Diary of a Wimpy Kid — strengthen the story by pairing it with illustrations.
9. Never fear that your story is “too ordinary.” If you add stakes, develop your realistic characters, and include relevant social commentary, your story will be both interesting and important.

Be confident in your story. By writing a realistic fiction novel, you make your voice heard. You are showing the world that there is beauty, power, and value in the ordinary. You are enforcing a fundamental truth: real people matter. Do not ever doubt the significance of your narrative. There will always be readers who believe in your story and identify with it. That’s what makes the realistic fiction genre so special.

What should you do after finishing your story?

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