List of Literary Genres and Definitions

Click photo to view source.

While it may seem obvious, tracking novel genres and subgenres can be a tricky feat. For simplification, here’s a handy guide of literary genre terms and definitions.

First, let’s start with the basics:

• Genre—A type or category of literature or film marked by certain shared features or conventions.
• Subgenre—Subdivisions featuring more precise examples of a broader genre (i.e. Urban Fantasy is a subgenre of Fantasy)

Second, a list of the main novel genres out there:

• Action—Similar to Adventure, but the protagonist usually takes a turn which leads to a desperate situation. Action is often linked with Adventure. Common subgenres:  Military Fiction; Western Fiction
• Adventure—Includes a protagonist who travels to epic/distant places to accomplish something. Common subgenres:  Manga; Superhero Fiction; Action/Adventure
• Comedy—Focuses on funny or comical events. Common subgenres:  Parody; Romantic Comedy
• Crime—Is a genre where a crime is or has been committed. It can also be about a criminal’s life. Common subgenres:  Detective Story; Murder Mystery; Courtroom Drama; Legal Thriller; Gangster
• Erotica—Focuses on human sexual relationships and accounts with the intent to arouse the reader—may be both fictional and factual stories.
• Faction—Literature where settings or other elements of the story are based on real historical figures. The facts are blended with the story with fictitious elements.
• Fantasy—Includes magic or supernatural forces rather than technology, though it often includes elements of other genres, such as science fiction. Common subgenres:  Urban Fantasy; Dark Fantasy; Fable; Fairy Tale; Epic/High Fantasy; Heroic Fantasy; Legend
• Historical—A story about a real person or event. Common subgenres:  Biography; Alternate History
• Horror—A story intended to frighten the audience. Common subgenres:  Ghost Story; Monster Story; Occult Story; Slasher; Survival Horror
• Mystery—Often associated with the crime genre, but there is a distinction. A mystery novel can be without crime, such as with stories containing supernatural elements.
• Paranoid—Looks at how forces in power can manipulate the subjective nature of reality. The forces can be internal or external (government conspiracy vs. mental illness, for example)
• Political—Focuses on political affairs. Common subgenres:  Utopian; Dystopian
• Romance—Involves chivalry and character relationships and/or adventures. Common subgenres:  Contemporary Romance; Historical Romance; Romantic Suspense; Paranormal Romance; Erotic Romance
• Science Fiction—Similar to Fantasy, but uses scientific understanding to explain the universe around the characters rather than magic. Common subgenres:  Hard Science Fiction; Soft Science Fiction; Punk (Retropunk, Steampunk, etc.)
• Speculative—Fiction that speculates about worlds that are unlike the real world in significant ways.
• Thriller—A story that usually includes a mix of fear and excitement. Common subgenres:  Distaster Thriller; Psychological Thriller; Crime Thriller
• Urban—AKA “Street Lit.” Stories are set in a city landscape and usually carries a dark tone. Common subgenres:  Urban Fantasy