Because of its emphasis on historical truth, it shares characteristics with the historical novel, except that characters in a historical novel may be fictional.

Literary Examples: Twelve, The Terror, The Edinburgh Dead, A subgenre in which it is assumed aliens or otherworldly beings originally ruled our planet and will someday return to destroy all of humanity. Every work of fiction falls into a sub-genre, each with its own style, tone, elements, and storytelling devices. One you might want to add to it is “Flash Fiction” (not only because I am a purveyor of it) since it seems to be growing fast. It is often contemporary Fantasy, with the major difference being horror elements included. The term genre fiction is sometimes used disparagingly to differentiate popular fiction from high literary works. Literary Examples: Career of Evil, G Is for Gumshoe, Maisie Dobbs, While typically heavy on characterization, this subgenre of mystery shows a unique, foreign culture with culturally diverse characters. Humans may start a colony for various reasons such as the Earth's overpopulation, an uninhabitable Earth, the discovery of other worlds, acquisition of resources, or threat of human extinction. Parody: a story mocking the pretensions or weaknesses of a particular author, Satire: a story that pokes fun at human shortcomings such as arrogance, greed, and vanity, 29. The psychological novel deals with the emotional and mental aspects of its characters. You will often find intricate plots and lineages in this subgenre, along with a protagonist who is often reluctant to be a champion and from humble beginnings. The story usually takes place in the capital of the empire and often includes elements of dystopian science fiction. A subgenre in which there are robotics and AI. The word "low" is in reference to the prominence of traditional fantasy elements within the work, rather than being a remark on the work's quality. These stories show a magical futuristic world, leaning toward soft science. John Grisham’s novels may be classified either as mystery or legal thrillers, illustrating a cross-over between genres. the best advice I can give is to try as much as possible to write like your heroes because that way you are using your influences to find your way to your own true voice. It has been described by critic and philosopher Colin Wilson as the "greatest novel of the twentieth century",[48] and was a central influence on C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy. Literary Examples: Uprooted, Cinder, Ella Enchanted, This subgenre contains stories that rely heavily on the Comedy of Manners, which focuses on social commentary. Fantasy is generally distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of scientific and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap among the three, all of which are subgenres of speculative fiction. I was trying not to overlap too much with this post. But it is helpful to know whether the fiction is speculative or based in history or whether the characters are going to have a happy ending. Literary Examples: A Study in Emerald, Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows, The Rhesus Chart, A subgenre of horror in which man-made creations become a source of terror. Main themes involve leaving home and the challenges of living independently. Thanks for this Mark.

A subgenre of science fiction in which man and machine are combined, either literally or metaphorically, and there are multiple forms of virtual reality. Literary Examples: The Golden Tresses of the Dead, Crewel and Unusual, Death by Committee, A subgenre in which a professional chef is involved, usually as the protagonist. Writing Prompts: ComedyLiterary Examples: Stainless Steel Rat Omnibus, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Finders Keepers: The Definitive Edition. There is also often a woman in peril theme that is prevalent in this subgenre. There is overlap with this subgenre and apocalyptic fiction. Common plots include business, properties, family curses, and adventure. Speaking of the genre Allegory, we all should be aware of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Tragicomedy: a story with both humorous and heartbreaking aspects, 35. Writing Prompts: ContemporaryLiterary Examples: We Shouldn't, Unmarriageable, Faking It. Literary Examples: The Sandman: Book of Dreams, Gardens of the Moon, The Blade Itself, This subgenre of fantasy is for stories told like fairy tales for adults or that are modern retellings of classic fairy tales.

A number of major literary figures have written either genre fiction books, or books that contain genre fiction elements. Pratchett's other most notable work is the 1990 novel Good Omens.

For the most part, all my favorite books could be called science fiction or they could be called literary fiction. Literary Examples: Dracula, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wuthering Heights, A subgenre within horror in which ghosts or demons haunt a particular house or another setting, such as the woods or near an ancient burial ground. This genre requires more research. "Coming of age" scenarios are often present. Famous biography writers include: Plutarch, Samuel Johnson, Thomas Carlyle, Martin Gilbert, Norman Mailer, Elizabeth Gaskell, Carl Sandburg, and Thomas Moore. Literary Examples: Prarie Justice, Prairie Crossing: A Novel of the West, West Winds of Wyoming, A subgenre of western in which a protagonist endures and survives a massacre or some other horrible event, and must find those who are responsible for it to achieve justice. This subgenre of fantasy offers a fictional account set within a real historical period, often with actual historical events included although rewritten to include some element of magic or fantasy. Books in the subgenre of Urban Fantasy are set primarily in the real world and contain aspects of fantasy, such as the discovery of earthbound mythological creatures, coexistence or conflict between humans and paranormal beings, and other changes to city life. Fiction refers to a story that comes from a writer’s imagination, as opposed to one based strictly on fact or a true story. Each genre follows a rough set of guidelines as to their length, type of characters, settings, viewpoint choices, plots, and themes. The plot often focuses on the glamour, adventure, and daring attitude of spies (think, James Bond), including romantic interludes with beautiful women. Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily!

Genres of Fiction: Drama is the genre of literature that’s subject for compositions is dramatic art in the way it is represented. A subgenre of science fiction written for younger audiences, with protagonists who are early adolescents or younger. .. Many stories in this subgenre are set amongst real historical events, offering a parallel viewpoint to famous historical characters from the past.

Literary Examples: The Legend of Deathwalker, The Crimson Queen, The Wolf of the North, This subgenre contains fantasy set in a fictional world, with a focus on epic characters or settings. These stories usually contain elements of adventure, and the worlds visited are usually isolated from our own world, containing their own history and unique geography. A subgenre of science fiction in which the world has become the opposite of a utopia and the protagonist must liberate himself/herself (or an entire community) from it. This subgenre can also include settings that are science fiction or fantasy, or any world with extraordinary elements that are magical.

There is usually humor and cleverness involved, along with a sense of adventure. Literary Examples: Steelheart, Renegades, Vengeful, This subgenre contains medieval-type adventures, with an element of romance that is often part of the story. A subgenre in which the relationship between lovers occurs in a fantasy world that contains magic (and/or magic creatures). This subgenre is often referred to as paranormal horror and shares crossover tropes with science fiction. Many authors of historical mysteries focus on particular eras or periods, such as Elizabethan England or Ancient China. @croydon - I don't actually think it matters all that much.

Fantasy stories from legends focusing on Arthurian, Celtic, or Dark Ages historical timelines generally fall within this subgenre. A subgenre of romance in which a character travels through time to encounter his or her love interest. The police investigation attempting to prevent or solve the crimes may also be chronicled, but it is not the primary focus of the story. By this time, it was standard practice for bookstores to divide fiction sections by genre. William Morris was a popular English poet who also wrote several fantasy novels during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Common tropes are sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent adventures, along with elements of magic and the supernatural. This genre requires in-depth research for accuracy in relaying the given time period.