Translation guide
The most common and natural way to say 'novelist' in Japanese is 小説家 (しょうせつか). This is a neutral, standard term. Other options exist for specific contexts, such as literary authors or writers of light novels.
A person who writes novels as a profession or serious pursuit.
The standard, neutral word for 'novelist'. Used in most contexts.
She is a famous novelist.
I want to become a novelist.
A broader term for 'writer' or 'author', often used for novelists as well. It can refer to writers of any genre, but in context it frequently means a novelist.
He makes a living as a writer (novelist).
A somewhat old-fashioned or humble term for 'writer', including novelists. It has a literary or self-deprecating nuance.
I'm just a humble writer.
A novelist who writes literary fiction, often with artistic or highbrow connotations.
Refers to a literary scholar or a person of letters, but can also mean a literary author/novelist. It emphasizes the literary aspect.
He is a renowned literary figure.
A 'literary giant' or 'great writer', used for historically significant novelists. Not for contemporary or ordinary novelists.
A novelist who writes light novels, a popular genre targeting young adults with anime-style illustrations.
The English loanword ノベリスト is rarely used in Japanese and sounds unnatural. Stick with 小説家 or 作家.
夏目漱石は日本の文豪です。
Natsume Soseki is a great Japanese literary figure.