I’m teaching a Fiction Writing class at the local
college this fall, and the other day I set out to make a list of genres, with
definitions and examples. I ended up
getting sucked into a black hole, spending hours trying to contrast and compare
different lists that varied greatly from one source to another. Some insisted one genre was actually a subset
of another, another source declared the opposite. Dozens of subgenres muddied the waters as
well.
Those of us who are writers know that most books
don’t fit into one tidy genre anyway—there are blurred lines and overlapping
traits. But that doesn’t help the new
writer with an assignment to pick their favorite genre and study it. So this is MY attempt to classify some
popular genres; I’m not claiming there are no other ways to do so, and if
there’s one singular master list accepted by all, my hours of searching did not
locate it. One thing I noticed is that
Erotica was rarely given its own genre—it was usually listed as a subgenre of
Romance. Maybe it’s because I’m a
Romance author, but I think that’s wrong.
One key component of Romance is the HEA, and while some Erotica will
incorporate that, it’s not a requirement.
At my press, we have two different websites to showcase our offerings:
one for Romance, one for Erotica—and both genres have huge followings. So I gave them each their own category. Feel free to weigh in on how you organize and
define the genres! Keep in mind the word
“usually” should always be implied, and that I didn’t think it feasible to list
every subcategory. OK, here we go!
The genre refers to the constructs of the story;
things regularly done and expected in terms of technique, tone, and content.
A. Mystery/Detective/Crime
Fiction – focuses on the investigation and solution of a crime, the unraveling
of secrets.
·
Cozy mystery usually involves a woman
who is an amateur sleuth; these are fun reads with quirky and likeable
characters in a small town setting; not very graphic in terms of violence and
sex. An example would be Lillian Jackson
Braun’s The Cat Who…series.
·
Hardboiled detective fiction tends to
involve a professional detective with a cynical attitude; more graphic and
gritty; city setting with a focus on action.
An example is Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe.
B. Thrillers/Suspense – incorporate twists and
suspense along with fast-paced action; provides a rush of emotions; main
character is often a man whose occupation or career leads into the plot. An example is Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code.
·
Occupational Thrillers encompass
subgenres such as Legal Thrillers (John Grisham), Medical Thrillers (Robin
Cook), etc.
·
Many other subgenres, including
Ecothrillers, Espionage, Paranormal, Political, Psychological, Technothrillers.
C. Horror
strives to evoke fear, dread, and shock; purpose is to frighten readers; often
involves some supernatural elements.
Example is It by Stephen King.
 |
Stephen King is my
favorite Horror author -
I love his Fantasy novels too |
D. Speculative
Fiction – fairly difficult to define.
This genre revolves around real or imagined science or technology; the
world (or society) tends to be different from ours in a fundamental way; laws
are different; world-building very important.
·
Science Fiction deals with the more
plausible make-believe scenarios; science that might exist in the future.
·
A few other subgenres are Dystopian,
Apocalyptic, Post apocalyptic, Alternative History. The
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is an example of Dystopian.
E. Fantasy
– almost always deals with something magical.
An imaginary world, animals or people with unexpected powers;
world-building very important. An
example is C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
F. Historical Fiction – aims to immerse the
reader in a specific time period. This
genre is set in the past; the plot comes from the writer’s imagination, but the
setting and details of the time period are accurately portrayed. Sometimes includes real historical figures
interacting with fictional characters.
This genre requires a great deal of research. Ken Follett’s The Century Trilogy is an
example.
G. Romance
– fairly easy to define, as two key criteria must be met: the relationship
between the 2 main characters must be central to the plot, and there must be a
satisfying, happily ever after (HEA) ending, or at least happy for now. The Romance genre is about two people
overcoming significant challenges to be together; allows the reader to
experience the crackling chemistry, the sexual tension, and the emotional
roller coaster of falling in love.
·
Lots of subgenres, including Paranormal,
Historical, Sweet, Christian, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, Time Travel,
etc. Nora Roberts is a well-known and
prolific Romance author.
H. Erotica
– features sexually explicit details designed to arouse the reader. It is not pornography, there is a plot and
developed characters. The plot may or
may not include a relationship; the characters may or may not have an HEA. Captive
in the Dark by C.J. Roberts is an example.
I. Women’s
Fiction – includes topics that are important to women, i.e. all types of
relationships and friendships, love, careers, family, hopes, and dreams.
·
Chick Lit is a subgenre that promises a
fun read with realistic, modern characters.
The covers tend to be bright and distinctive. An example is Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding.
J. Young
Adult (YA) Fiction – targets the 12-18 age group; protagonist falls within that
age range.
·
“Edgy” YA deals with controversial or
difficult issues.
·
Other than that, the same subgenres of
adult fiction apply, i.e. Divine Fall by
Kathryn Knight (me!) is a YA Paranormal Romance.
 |
Young Adult
Paranormal Romance
is a popular genre |
Finally, a note about Literary Fiction – this
encompasses novels that are not genre fiction; stories that defy categorization
in a genre; the emphasis is often on the prose itself. An example is The Help by Kathryn Stockett.
There you have it, my attempt at defining genres
in commercial fiction. I hope it’s more
interesting than confusing...I love
comments, so weigh in with your opinion!
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1. Jane-Emily, by Patricia Clapp.
