A novel-in-verse is a novel written entirely in poetic form. It may be a long, unbroken poem, or a series of individual poems. While the genre retains other conventional novel elements, such as developing characters and advancing a cogent plot, it may be communicated more abstractly than a prose novel. A novel-in-verse may portray characters and conflict primarily through internal narration or dialogue; the plot may be advanced through individual moments rather than progressing along a linear flow of events. This type of novel often tells an emotional story more so than a concrete one (although they are not mutually exclusive), encouraging readers to make connections via personal interpretation.

Blank or free verse is commonly utilized in this genre, but the author may experiment with multiple poetic forms. Blank and free verse are similar yet distinct from each other with regard to meter and rhythm. While both blank and free verse usually do not rhyme, blank verse strongly adheres to a consistent meter to create a particular rhythm. By contrast, free verse does not structure itself according to rhyme or meter.