The novel as a genre was introduced in the 1740s, when the English writer Samuel Richardson wrote and published what is considered to be one of the first English novels—Pamela or Virtue Rewarded. Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Swift's Gulliver's Travels are also sometimes referred to as the first novels published in English, mostly due to their structures. The novel came primarily as a fictional narrative, as opposed to the usual nonfictional narratives of the time (biographies, historical narratives, etc.), in which authors introduced imaginary characters and events.

In fact, this is one of the main characteristics of the novel as a genre—it allows the writers to unleash their imagination and create an interesting and fascinating story and even more interesting and fascinating characters that can captivate the readers and, most importantly, allow them to relate to their experience. In this context, the novel also gave the writers a chance to present love, romance, and human relationships in general in a more realistic fashion, unlike the classic romance narratives.

One of the main features of the novel is the prose style of writing, which the writers use to both introduce and develop the plot structure and the characters. Novels often use regular, common, everyday language, and, more often than not, lack hyperbolic elements, which are typical of medieval romance narratives.

Novels are also longer than fairytales or short stories and cover a plethora of different subjects and present a variety of different characters. Unlike other narratives, the novel doesn't limit writers' creative freedom and the possibilities are essentially endless.

Don Quixote, for instance, is considered to be one of the first modern novels. It does contain the classic elements of a chivalric romance narrative; however, many agree that Cervantes actually wrote the story as a parody of chivalric romance and the romance narratives, which tend to exaggerate and overdramatize events, sentiments, and even characters.