Experimental fiction is a genre that pushes the boundaries of traditional storytelling by employing innovative narrative techniques, unconventional structures, and unique approaches to language and form. These works often challenge readers' expectations about how stories should be told, experimenting with narrative perspective, time structure, language, and the relationship between author, text, and reader. Experimental fiction can include stream-of-consciousness writing, non-linear narratives, multiple perspectives, unusual typography, and other innovative techniques. What makes experimental fiction unique is its willingness to break conventional rules and explore new ways of telling stories, often creating reading experiences that are as much about the process of reading as they are about the content being read.

Experimental fiction has evolved alongside literary modernism and postmodernism. Early experimental works like James Joyce's "Ulysses" (1922) and Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway" (1925) introduced stream-of-consciousness and innovative narrative techniques. The mid-20th century saw the rise of more radical experiments with William S. Burroughs' cut-up technique and the French nouveau roman movement. Today, experimental fiction continues to evolve, incorporating digital media, interactive elements, and new technologies while maintaining its focus on pushing the boundaries of what literature can be.