Viral Pages: Literary Trends that Defined the 2010s and 2020s

Literature has been an integral part of our lives, whether it is the syllabi of educational institutes or novels. As readers, we have an endless To-Be-Read (TBR) list with books of various genres piling up. While our choices are based on our mood at times, it is also influenced by friends and social media (especially Bookstagram) depending on the literary trends of the time. The 2010s saw the rise of crime fiction like Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Paula Hawkins’ Girl on a Train; and fantasy with George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, which eventually became the inspiration for the widely known television series Game of Thrones. Some trendy books of the decade were The Fault In Our Stars by John Greene, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson and The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by E.L. James.

Along with this online websites like Archive of Our Own (AO3) and applications like Wattpad serve as a global platform for reading and writing that is easily accessible. Both AO3 and Wattpad, along with similar sites, have heavily influenced literary trends in spite of their works (fanfiction) not being considered a part of literature. They promote the genre Romance and Fantasy or what we call it these days – Romanstasy, with subgenres like historical, vampire-werewolf (omegaverse) and dark romance (most notedly mafia the trope) being the famous ones. These platforms embraced the tropes and themes that were usually considered niche, taboo and underrepresented in traditional publishing. 

By the 2020s, these genres and subgenres continued their dominance with more representation of the LGBTQ+ community, along with thriller, mystery and sci-fi. In these past five years with the growing self-publishing, more writers, especially fanfiction writers, have been putting out their stories as paperbacks (an older but popular example being The Fifty Shades series which started as a Twilight fanfiction). These books not only become famous and gain loyalty for their writers but also offer a supportive environment for growth as writers. These works also become a larger part of conversations in fandoms. For instance, Coleen Hoover started with self-publishing, with Slammed (her debut novel). Her works were greatly reviewed on Bookstagram and BookTok and now her infamous It Ends with Us has become a movie which stars Blake Lively.

The recent years of 2020 have seen a major dominance of Young Adult and Adult fiction featuring tropes like slow-burn, enemies to lovers, fake dating, contract marriage, forbidden romance, forced proximity, friends to lovers, workplace romance, childhood sweethearts, age gap couple, billionaire romance and celebrity-ordinary coupling. The main element of the storyline is drama and smut, the majority of the time. Other elements include a strong character arc, especially the female protagonist, who is portrayed with agency and has layers. The protagonists are flawed and relatable, facing obstacles with courage and perseverance as they navigate identity, self-acceptance and their place in society. The narrative frequently explores the protagonist’s relationships, not just romantic but also with friends and family, which serve as catalysts for emotional development and self-discovery. Some New York Times bestsellers during these years include the Twisted Love series by Ana Huang, The Love Hypothesis and Love Theoretically by Ali Hazlewood, Icebreaker (from the Maple Hills series) by Hannah Grace and the Powerless series by Lauren Roberts.

A significant aspect of the fame is Bookstagram. In which aesthetics play the main role. Depending on the genre and the trope, creators choose to curate their content vis-à-vis a particular aesthetic. While it could be for the niche they have opted or it could be solely for the books they review. For instance, for The Love Hypothesis, academia or light academia is used because it is a medical romance which includes elements like notebooks, pastel tones, university campuses plus medical-themed props (mostly a stethoscope). The Twisted Love series on the other hand is decorated according to the tones of dark romance, that is deep blues, blacks, cityscapes at night, luxury cars, sharp suits, moody lighting and shadowy or blurry rooms or individuals. These visually pleasing contents, paired with reviews that emphasise the tropes, lead to a rather persuasive influence, thereby increasing the sales of the books. Further promoting the tropes and subgenres leading them to be accepted by traditional publishing companies.

With the visibly strong commercial benefits of such tropes and subgenres, publishing companies have embraced them with open arms. Even historically, publishers have been quick to adapt to changing reader tastes and societal norms. For example, the rise of more explicit and diverse romance novels in the 1970s and 1980s was driven by market tests showing that readers preferred bolder, more dramatic stories, which outsold tamer alternatives. The evolution of romance in the early 2020s also led to a change, where trope-based romance provides a familiar, emotionally satisfying framework that encourages binge reading and word-of-mouth recommendations. Publishers have recognised that these patterns are not only beloved by readers but also easy to market, as tropes can be quickly communicated through cover design, blurbs and social media content.

With seven months into 2025, the literary landscape stands as evidence of the power of trends, aesthetics and reader communities in shaping our reading choices and experience.  Fanfiction and genre fiction, once sidelined, now command mainstream attention and respect, blurring the lines between amateur and professional literature. Further, making the literature readers question where the benchmark is that used to guard and promote ‘literature’? No doubt that storytelling must be democratised and allow new voices but not based on trends and aesthetics. We, as readers, are empowered by digital connectivity, play an active role in trendsetting and amplifying narratives and not just mere consumers. As we move further into the decade, the interplay between digital culture and literature shows no sign of slowing. All in all, reader-driven trends are forging a more interactive and accessible era of storytelling; therefore we must be conscious of our choices.