Fiction Genres and Fiction Genres and CharacteristicsCharacteristics

FANTASYFANTASY

Contains elements that are not realisticContains elements that are not realisticTalking animalsTalking animalsMagical powersMagical powersOften set in a medieval universeOften set in a medieval universePossibly involving mythical beingsPossibly involving mythical beings

HISTORICAL FICTIONHISTORICAL FICTION

Stories centered around the basis of a Stories centered around the basis of a partially historical situationpartially historical situation

A novel set in a historical periodA novel set in a historical period

MYSTERYMYSTERY

A novel involving:A novel involving:StrangenessStrangenessSolving a puzzling event or situationSolving a puzzling event or situationSomething unknownSomething unknownSolving a crimeSolving a crimea person who investigates wrongdoinga person who investigates wrongdoingA person or persons employed to obtain A person or persons employed to obtain

secret informationsecret information

REALISTIC FICTIONREALISTIC FICTION

Stories that take place in modern timesStories that take place in modern timesCharacters are involved in events that Characters are involved in events that

could happencould happen

SCIENCE FICTIONSCIENCE FICTION

Stories that often tell about science and Stories that often tell about science and technology of the future involving partially technology of the future involving partially true fictions, laws, or theories of sciencetrue fictions, laws, or theories of science

Potential Settings:Potential Settings: In the futureIn the future In spaceIn spaceOn a different worldOn a different world In a different universe or dimensionIn a different universe or dimension

Non-Fiction Genres and Characteristics

BIOGRAPHIES

a true account of a person’s life, written by another person

usually told from a third person point of view

requires a lot of research in order to present accurate information

honesty and balance

AUTOBIOGRAPHIES

the writer’s account of his or her own lifeIn almost every case, it is told from 1st

person point of viewfocuses on the most significant events

and people in the writer’s lifeshorter autobiographical narratives

include journals, diaries, and letters

MEMOIRS

a form of autobiographical writing writer shares his or her personal

experiences and observations of significant events or people

often informal or even intimate in tonegive readers insight into the impact of

historical events on people’s livesonly a small section of a person’s life

ESSAYS

Short pieces of non-fictionFocus is usually on a specific thing or

theme

A Modest A Modest

ProposalProposal

HOW -TO

Explain how-to do somethingLose weightCookGet richBe happyGet a date …and so many more

Non-Fiction by topic

Science Politics

Glenn Beck’s Common Sense – Glenn Beck Religion

Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis History

The Greatest Generation – Tom Brokaw Profession Philosophy

Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell Freakonomics – Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner