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Over the years we have all no doubt become acquainted with the various genres that exist in adult fiction novels. From romance to mystery, to science fiction, we know all about these. But have we ever taken the time to wonder which ones are the most popular with the public, this might be information that an aspiring writer would most definitely be interested in knowing. Well, before going into the tops five it might be surprising to know that the genre that is most popular when polling individuals about which genre they like to read the most, and the one that makes the most profit per year isn't the same. That answer is a bit different, so when going over the list ranking by popularity we will also give a projection of annual profit. 


1. Fantasy 

Whether it be a story of sorcery or taking place in a mystical land where creatures such as dragons, and unicorns actually exist this genre has captured the imagination of people of all ages. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that we can all escape from our day to day struggles to be transported to another realm where the impossible is possible. So, the genre is definitely number one however profit wise it ties at number 4 grossing around 590.2 million in 2018. 



2 Science Fiction 

Some could argue this is the same as Fantasy and these two genres have been clumped together quite a bit, but there is a difference. Sci-fi is also about advancements of science and technology it is about what the future could be like, or what it could be if we aren't careful. Several extraordinary authors over the years have contributed to the genre such a Carl Sagan and Ray Bradbury. Tied with Fantasy for the amount of money grossed annually which puts it number four on an overall annual profit list. 

3. Mystery/ Suspense 

Again could be two different things but tend to be of the same class of books. Individuals seem to flock to who done its where they can try to figure out who committed the crime before finding out toward the end of the book. Then there is the suspense-filled book which has several twists and turns these can usually involve a mystery of their very own to solve as the reader, maybe trying to find out what is at the heart of a secret being kept throughout the novel. As far as annual profit the genre tends to gross around $728.2 million ranking which makes it the second highest grossing book genre. 

4. Romance 

The classic story of boy meets girl. Sometimes taking place in a historical setting, but always filled with angst for the couple to overcome in order to find their way to each other. This is actually the number one best seller overall making $1.44 billion in 2018 and including the erotica form of the genre. 

5. Horror 

There is something about being scared and having a novel do just that. This genre has a loyal following all it's own with some well-known authors such as Stephen King and Wes Craven to name a few. Ironically it ranks number five in overall sells as well with grossing around $79.6 million in 2018