Polymancer Studios Inc.: Genres

Genres That We Are Currently Accepting:

SCIENCE FICTION: These stories are a realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method.
- Alien Fiction: This subgenre of science fiction involves stories about alien cultures and is usually told from the alien's point of view.
- Alternate Histories: This subgenre simply asks the question, What if a historic event had turned out differently? and then proceeds to explore that alternate branch to a logical conclusion.
- Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic Scifi: This category focuses on the end of the world, or the world just after the end. Anything from planetary-wide disaster caused by galactic collisions to a nuclear holocaust or the aftermath of a devastating plague.
- Cyberpunk and Biopunk: Is set in a high-tech, often bleak, mechanistic and futuristic universe of computers, hackers, and computer/human hybrids. In these types of stories humans often have built-in computer jacks or software (wetware), and spend considerable time living in a virtual environment.
- Dieselpunk: Tales of this sort are set in an era or world where gasoline and diesel fuel power is in its heyday — usually the 1920s to 1950s, and often set in the United States — but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. The Rocketeer is a great example of this kind of science fiction.
- Disaster Novels: Stories in this subgenre revolve around an impending or actual disaster on an epic scale that threatens humankind.
- Distopias: Tales in this subgenre focus on societies where the worst that has happened. Usually this encompasses extrapolating trends the author sees as dangerous. During the 20th century many examples were written in reaction to the rise of Nazism, Communism, and Religious Fundamentalism.
- Dying Earth: Stories of this subgenre take place either at the end of life on Earth, or the End of Time, when the laws of the universe themselves fail. More generally, the Dying Earth sub-genre encompasses science fiction works set in the far distant future in a milieu of stasis or decline. Themes of world-weariness, innocence (wounded or otherwise), idealism, entropy, (permanent) exhaustion or depletion of many or all resources (such as soil nutrients), and the hope of renewal tend to predominate.
- First Contact: This subgenre explores the initial meeting between humans and aliens, ranging from horrific tales of invasions to stories of benign visitors bearing the secrets of advanced technologies and world peace (or irony, as in The Twilight Zone episode that ended, It's a cookbook!). The meeting may occur on Earth, in space, or on another planet. H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds helped define the alien invasion variant of this type of science fiction.
- Future Fiction: This subgenre of science fiction takes place in the present day or in the next few decades. Elements of the setting should be familiar to the reader, and the technology may be current or in development. These are often stories about nanotechnology or genetics
- Hard (Science) Scifi: Is a subgenre of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both.
- Humorous Scifi: Stories of this type may occur within any of these categories, or (often) spoof a subgenre. Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is one of the best-known examples of humorous science fiction.
- Lost Civilizations: This subgenre of science fiction involves the discovery of lost civilizations and cultures and then usually follows the consequences to the exploring culture because of the discovery.
- Military Science Fiction: Looks at combat in future locations (space, another planet), against a range of opponents (modified humans, aliens, machines), with futuristic, high-tech weaponry (including genetically modified soldiers). While some military science fiction focuses in on the aforementioned themes, many authors use this subgenre to address anti-war themes.
- Parallel Worlds: Tales of this sort usually take familiar elements of our present or past surroundings and turn something within the world on end so that it only slightly differs from our own. Then follows some storyline within that new environment.
- Religious or Spiritual Scifi: This is a new subgenre of science fiction that deals with the implications of real or fictional religions on the advancement of civilization towards the stars.
- Science Fantasy or Future Fantasy: This is a subgenre of science fiction is rare now but was popular in the 1930's and 1940's. It alters, breaks, or ignores known laws or scientific theories for the sake of the story. Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom novels (set on Mars) are a good example.
- Slipstream Scifi: Deals with mainstream themes but contains a speculative element. Margaret Atwood's novel The Handmaid's Tale is set in a speculative future, for example, but is marketed as a mainstream novel.
- Social Scifi: Is a subgenre concerned less with technology and space opera and more with sociological speculation about human society. In other words, it absorbs and discusses anthropology, and speculates about human behavior and interactions.
- Space Colonization: This subgenre explores humankind's expansion outwards into space and the establishment of outposts, colonies, or worlds for colonization.
- Space Fiction: This subgenre is set primarily in space or involves space travel.
- Space Opera: This is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing powerful (and sometimes quite fanciful) technologies and abilities. Perhaps the most significant trait of space opera is that settings, characters, battles, powers, and themes tend to be very large-scale.
- Space Western: Is a variant of Space Opera that transposes themes of the American Western books and film to a backdrop of futuristic space frontiers. These stories typically involve frontier colony worlds (colonies that have only recently been terraformed or settled) serving as stand-ins for the backdrop of lawlessness and economic expansion that were predominant in the American west.
- Spy-fi: This is a subgenre that includes elements of science fiction and espionage. It often uses a secret agent (solo or in a team) or superspy whose mission is a showcase of science fiction elements such as technology and ideas used for extortion, plots for world domination or destruction, weapons or gadgets and fast vehicles that can travel on land, fly, or sail on or under the sea. Spy-fi does not necessarily present espionage as it is practiced in reality. It is escapist subgenre that emphasizes glamor and adventure.
- Steampunk: Tales of this sort are set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used — usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England — but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.
- Super Humans Scifi: These stories deal with the emergence of humans who have abilities beyond the norm. This can stem either from natural causes or be the result of intentional augmentation. These stories usually focus on the alienation that these beings feel as well as society's reaction to them.
- Time Travel: In this subgenre of science fiction characters travel to the past or future, or are visited by travelers from either end of the spectrum. Topics range from Let's go see what the Pleistocene looked like to issues of paradox (what if you traveled to the past and killed your own grandfather?) and tampering (could stepping on a butterfly in the Paleolithic profoundly alter the entire future?). A variant of this subgenre is the alternate universes theme, in which each change in the timestream spins off a new universe.
- Traditional Scifi: This subgenre often is built around an author's conception of the human condition, both moral and genetic. Then, appropriate technology is added to suit the world that human beings of such a conception would live in. The details of this fiction is often a bit fuzzy, as unlike the computers and networks of Cyberpunk, it has no grounding in present-day technology.
- Utopias: Tales in this subgenre focus on societies that either believe they are perfect, or as perfect as can be attainable, then deals with some sort of problem that challenges these societies worldview.
FANTASY: These stories use magic and other supernatural elements as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common. Fantasy is generally distinguished from 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 between the three (which are subgenres of speculative fiction).
- Alternate World: This subgenre involves different worlds hidden within or parallel to our own. In past times these could be found in a mysterious country, some were envisioned inside a mirror, still others manifested through other means altogether. In a scientific era, often these worlds are in a parallel cosmos with fantastical elements.
- Arthurian Fantasy: Is a subgenre of tales are set in the world of King Arthur's legendary Camelot. Merlin, Lancelot, Ygraine and friends are involved in fresh adventures. These novels have been popular for centuries, and still are.
- Bangsian Fantasy: This subgenre takes its name from a 19th century author named Bangs. It deals all or mostly with the afterlife. Early legends speak of Hades, and it's been going strong ever since. A modern example is Philip Jose Farmer's series of novels in the Riverworld series.
- Celtic Fantasy: Is a subgenre that draws upon the rich lore of the Celtic peoples, mostly but not always from Ireland. C.J. Cherryh's book The Dreaming Tree and Charles De Lint's The Little Country are fine examples.
- Comedic Fantasy: Stories of this type are humorous or satirical. Many of Piers Anthony's Xanth novels are a great example.
- Contemporary Fantasy: This subgenre centers on the idea that magical creatures are hidden amongst us. These tales are set in modern times, and familiar situations.
- Elfpunk: This subgenre is a spinoff of scifi's cyberpunk movement but it has a fantastical element and a more outrageous tone.
- Court Intrigue: Is a subgenre set in royal castles, whether historical (but with magic), or in some recognizable alternate world.
- Dark Fantasy: This subgenre has a strong element of horror or a Gothic atmosphere.
- Dying Earth Fantasy: The fantasy version of these types of stories take place in just such a dismal setting. Often humanity is beset with ennui, as the world itself fades away.
- Fairy Tales: This subgenre is distinguished from other subgenres of fantasy by the works' heavy use of motifs, and often plots, from folklore.
- Fantasy of Manners: Is a subgenre related to the literary 'comedy of manners', and it depicts the elaborate rituals and relationships of some narrow social class. These stories downplay or omit nonhuman creatures.
- Heroic Fantasy: This subgenre revolves around the exploits of a conquering hero or band of heroes; yet it often turns the genre's heroic trope on its head, with forgivable villains and deeply flawed protagonists.
- High or Epic Fantasy: Is the subgenre that most readers feel defines the genre. It is stories where entire worlds are created, with long histories and vivid lifestyles, and a large cast of characters. Often these stories include hand-drawn maps that show the landscape, areas of interest, of course any competing realms.
- Historical Fantasy: This subgenre is fantasy's answer to historical fiction. A specific period from Earth's history becomes the setting, but with fantastical elements blended in.
- Historical High Fantasy: Is a subset of the 'historical fantasy' subgenre. Stories of this type are vast and detailed enough to resemble 'high fantasy'.
- Juvenile Fantasy: This subgenre describes stories written for a younger audience. Tolkien's The Hobbit is a stellar example, as are L. Frank Baum's Oz books.
- Low Fantasy: Is a subgenre where the tales are written, if not in conscious opposition to, then with a serious lack of, the sweeping vistas and serious heroism of the 'high fantasy' subgenre.
- Magic Realism: Is a subgenre in which magical elements or illogical scenarios appear in an otherwise realistic or even normal, everyday setting.
- Medieval Fantasy: This subgenre has stories set during medieval times, in between the ancient or Arthurian worlds and the Renaissance era. These tales feature knights and knaves, often together with sorcerers and dragons.
- Mythic Fantasy: This subgenre is a broad category. In general, these stories are set on our familiar Earth, and incorporate existing myths or legends. Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood and Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys do a wonderful job of bringing ancient myths into our modern world. Tolkein used the term 'mythopoeia' to decribe his own work, in that it's evocative of humanity's deepest myths.
- Mythpunk: Is a small subgenre; its name a derivative of cyberpunk. It features cyberpunk-style tales where the technological elements have been replaced by magical ones.
- Quest Fantasy: Is a subgenre in which the protagonist is involved in some perilous all-consuming quest.
- Romantic Fantasy: This subgenre blends elements 'fantasy' and 'romance' themes. There are plenty of examples, though often marketed as romance.
- Science Fantasy: Is a subgenre with the trappings of high technology, but also has pervasive elements of traditional fantasy.
- Series (shared world) Fantasy: This is a popular descriptive category. Such tales become part of a long series of novels (and often, short stories) whose publication can span decades, and be picked up by new authors after the originator's passing. For example, Terry Brooks' Shannara series joined up with his later Knight of the Word novels, for a vast future history. The 'shared' subgenre does just that, by inviting many authors to add stories to an existing 'world', with new subplots and characters joining the originator's familiar ones. Terry Pratchet's Discworld franchise is perhaps the most popular example.
- Superhero Fantasy: Is a subgenre that takes the familiar superheroes of Comic book fame and transports those elements to a fantastical environment.
- Sword and Sorcery: This subgenre features an action-packed aspect of fantasy, with powerful barbarians clearing a bloody swath across their pseudo-medieval worlds. Robert Howard's Conan novels are perhaps the best known.
- Urban Fantasy: These stories are set in a modern, urban environment. Werewolves live in abandoned subway stations, or pixies hide in the small spaces of a campus dormatory.
- Wuxia: This subgenre of fantasy originated in China. These stories are often set during Imperial times, and feature a hero skilled in the martial arts, who battles human (and sometimes supernatural) foes. A famous example is Wang Dulu's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
HORROR: Suspenseful, terrifying novels with a dark atmosphere and chilling plots. Contemporary settings and historical settings are preferred. Supernatural horrors (ghosts, vampires, demons, monsters, etc.) are common in this genre.
- Aliens: This subgenre revolves around a source of terror on or coming from another planet, whose inhabitants are encountered there, or travel to our Earth, if not both.
- Creepy Kids: These stories take the notion that children are suspicious and secretive by nature and then builds on the dread that implies and takes the results to the extreme.
- Cross Genre: This subgenre describes tales of horror that have almost-overriding elements of another major genre.
- Cutting Edge: Stories of this type go against the grain of traditional horror and usually feature a modern setting. Often this subgenre is associated with graphic novels, or new venues such as online postings.
- Dark Fiction: This subgenre is any fictional story that contains horror elements. It is a catchall category.
- Fabulist Horror: These kinds of tales often emphasize a different tone or setting, such as an old-fashioned style. Often they have a distinctive locale, such as the Caribbean. Sara Stamey's Islands is a good example.
- Gothic (English Gothic, Southern Gothic): The word Gothic was originally synonymous with horror, and epitomized by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Bram Stoker's Dracula are the works associated with this kind of horror. Many of these tales involve an evil from the past, as with haunted mansions or encroaching personal insanity. Most of Edgar Allen Poe's work fits this category. English and Southern Gothic tales are set in those locales, and traditionally have distinct styles.
- Hauntings: This subgenre features exactly this. Often the persistent ghost is a specific individual, somehow connected to the building or protagonist.
- Holocaust: Is a subgenre of horror that involve tales of mass tragedy due to human slaughter, some sort of plague, or supernatural means.
- Humorous Horror: These types of stories contain macabre elements that are often understated or exaggerated into parody.
- Lovecraftian (Cthulhu mythos, etc.): This subgenre is rooted in the pioneering fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. The originals and newer works have a distinct style, with florid prose and an overwhelming pessimism. Cthulhu is perhaps Lovecraft's most famous creation, an Eldridge demigod from the deep past.
- Mind Control: Stories of this type exploit this particular fear. The method may be sorcerous or technological, but the victims are compelled to act against their will and better natures — often while fully aware of what's happening.
- Noir Horror: Is a subgenre that invokes a gritty urban setting, much like its counterparts in other major genres. Weary, cynical characters populate these tales.
- Paranormal: This subgenre revolves around the trials and tribulations of mortal heroes, and emphasize a difficult battle against evil supernatural encroachment, whether by a saintly exorcist or high-tech ghost hunters.
- Psychological (surreal): This subgenre is usually written from a narrow viewpoint. Is the protagonist really seeing terrible things? or is he (less often, she) going insane? On the flip side, this subgenre can feature an insane protagonist, such as a tormented serial killer.
- Surreal Horror: These tales incorporate bizarre imagery, often drawn from vivid and threatening dreams.
- Quiet or Soft Horror: This subgenre uses emotions rather than external violence, to create the horror elements of the story. Many of the novels by James Herbert are good examples of this.
- Rampant Animals: Is a subgenre whose name says it all.
- Rampant Technology: This subgenre exploits humankind's fear that our created technology, gadgets, and mechanisms will turn against us in the end. Many such tales depict familiar devices running amok and usually without needing to be plugged in.
- Supernatural (ghouls, zombies, etc.): These stories focus on various kinds of monster from 'beyond', that come to ruin the lives of a suffering humanity. Often the setting is an isolated village, where the protagonist becomes stranded.
- Suspense or Dark Suspense (thriller): This subgenre features stories that contain few if any supernatural elements, but rather, a continual (usually unknown and growing) menace. Horror thrillers add action elements to the story. The hero may run far and fast, but he can't hide from the terror.
- Weird Horror: This subgenre is comprised of nothing but weird horrors come to terrorize humankind.
THRILLER: These are exciting, fast-paced novels filled with high tension and gripping characters. They should not contain supernatural elements.
- Aviation Thrillers: Tales of this subgenre focus on air flight, and the battle of human wits and technology against the force of storms, sabotage, or gravity. Elliston Trevor's The Flight of the Phoenix depicts an airplane rebuilt by hand to escape from the Sahara Desert is a good example of this type of story.
- Comedic Thrillers: These stories go against type by playing for laughs, if amid serious action. Hollywood often spoofs James Bond, with mixed results.
- Conspiracy: This subgenre has a secret. Perplexing forces pull strings in the life of the protagonist -- if not throughout the world. Usually the hero becomes a threat to the conspirators, and must escape their response. Often these stories depict the aberrations caused by secrecy, and the corrupting influence of power. Robert Ludlum's The Chancellor Manuscript is a famous example. (Sometimes the conspiracy is broken up, or at least revealed to the world; but in many stories it is not, and the broken protagonist is allowed to live).
- Disaster: These tales usually involve the response of those in power to an impending threat. Often some industrial carelessness provides the threat, and thus an incentive to cover it up. A policy that panic must be prevented through the use of secrecy gives the hero (often a reporter) something to pursue.
- Ecothriller: This subgenre, as the name suggests, involves some threat (natural, or more often man-made) to the environment. The damage may be local or worldwide. The science invoked might be rigorous, but either way, sometimes these novels are controversial.
- Espionage Thrillers: Stories of this type are not about the routine lives of actual spies or analysts, but rather the mythical havoc created by relentless agents and those who oppose them. This subgenre is usually set in periods of international tension, such as World War Two, the Cold War, and more recently the war against Islamic extremism (Quite often these authors have some real-life experience).
- Exploration: These stories were more popular when much of the globe was mysterious, and long before Google Earth. Even now the hero's stint in rugged mountains, or along jungle rivers, can provide a thrill.
- Legal Thrillers: Stories of this subgenre take place in and around the courthouse. Often a lawyer finds a new case to be anything but typical, and soon lives are at stake. Those who bypass the law are ultimately judged by it. Popularized in such works as John Grisham's blockbuster novel The Firm.
- Medical Thrillers: A subgenre well-described by its name. Often a doctor's life is threatened (perhaps because they helped a certain patient), or a mysterious (usually artificial) disease has broken out. Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen are leaders in this subgenre.
- Mercenary: Tales of this type center around a morally ambiguous type of character. Frederick Forsyth's novel The Dogs of War is a powerful example.
- Paranormal or Supernatural Thrillers: Stories of this subgenre bring in an otherworldly element, though usually in a restrained fashion. Often the hero or villain has (or at least claims to have) some psychic ability. Umberto Eco's novel Foucault's Pendulum is fantastically complex, and touches upon many elements of European occultism.
- Police Procedurals: Similar to a suspense thriller, but additional emphasis is placed on police methods, forensics and other means of tracking and capturing the killers. Sense of authenticity is important, and all details must be accurate.
- Political Thrillers: This is a popular subgenre, and often reflects poorly upon what Mark Twain called America's only native criminal class -- the U.S. Congress. Usually a low-level protagonist attracts unwelcome attention from the powerful and desperate. Jeffrey Archer's novel Shall We Tell the President? is another example.
- Psychological Thriller:Tales of this subgenre build up slowly, with ever-increasing doubt and tension, until some explicit action or explosion of violence takes place at the finale.
- Religious Thrillers: This subgenre evokes that compelling aspect of our psyches. Usually a sacred artifact or historical secret centers up the plot, and groups both known and secretive vie for dominance. Often the protagonist is drawn in through research into a seemingly innocent topic. Dan Brown's hit book The DaVinci Code is a good example and it has unleashed controversy -- and a horde of imitators.
- Survivalist Thrillers: These stories center upon such rugged specimens of humanity. A disaster has struck a specific group of people, if not the entire planet, and survival depends upon toughness and skill.
- Suspence Thriller: A dangerous criminal is on the loose and it’s one man’s (or woman’s) job to stop him before more people get hurt. Please note that this is not a Whodunit-type mystery. The question should not be who the killer is, but rather will he (or she) be stopped before killing again.
- Technothrillers: This subgenre is so large that it almost merits full genre status. In these tales there is the use of cutting-edge technology which always plays a key role in the premise and ongoing conflicts. Experience and advisors often lend authenticity, yet some of these novels slip badly on the science.
WESTERN: Westerns are exciting novels set in the Old West (before 1900 and west of the Mississippi River) with three-dimensional characters and strong plots. Westerns have themes of honor, redemption, revenge, and finding one's identity or place in life. Historical accuracy is important, but should not eclipse the story.
- Contemporary: Modern-day settings.
- Historical: Historical settings.
ACTION ADVENTURE: Action/Adventure stories include lots of activity and high-concept effects.
- Action/Adventure: Historically aimed at male readers. But no longer the case. Fast paced and designed for pure audience escapism. Primarily plot driven. Elements may include, a quest, lots of physical action, exotic locales, etc. Themes for action may include: revenge (hero wants revenge against wrongs done to him); Savior (hero will save the day in the form of a protector); superhero (larger than life protector with exceptional powers and prowess as well); the underdog (a misjudged, perhaps underestimated hero, who may have no realized exceptional power). Themes for Adventure may include discovery (the hero finds something thought impossible to prove the existence of); Expeditions (the hero is venturing into the unknown); Treasure Hunts (the hero is searching for something, a fortune in gold or an rare icon). Adventures are filled with risk and the unknown. It is outside the ordinary experience and may be hazardous. Today's action/adventure might also include such heroine-focused adventurers as Lara Croft.
ROMANCE: These types of novels revolve around a sensual romances with intriguing plots, strong writing, and a pace that grabs readers’ attention from page one and holds it to the very end. They should contain interesting, three-dimensional characters who are separated by emotional conflict or the twists and turns of the plot. And who in the end overcome the barriers keeping them apart and live happily ever after. Humor should be in the novel where appropriate, and originality — either in the plot, character, or writing style — that will differentiate the story from others of the genre without losing the distinct flavor of a romance are preferred. Traditional romances include a happily ever after (henceforth abbreviated as HEA) ending. Not all romances are traditional romances – some may include HEA, HEA-for-now, opened-ended possibilities. Some non-traditional romances may be referred to as dark romances.
- Contemporary Romance: Stories are set in the present day. Usually after the World Wars. They are fun and whimsical, and these books should showcase your sense of humor and focus on a modern couple in a zany situation.
- Dark Romance: These are nontraditional love stories. Possibly without a happy ending or happily-ever-after conclusion.
- Dark Fantasy: Stories of this type may include fantasy or paranormal elements of a darker nature, including vampires, demons, satyrs, witches, warlocks, etc.
- Fantasy Romance: These stories take place in other realms or other worlds. They often include magic and may include magical creatures, elements of mythology, etc. Dragons, elves, and any kind of fantastical creature you can dream up are all welcome in this fast-growing offshoot of paranormal.
- Futuristic Romance: Futuristics contain all the elements of romance, such as a beautiful heroine, dashing hero, some conflict that separates them, a happy ending, etc. — but they are set in lavish lands on distant worlds. Avoid long descriptions of science-fiction-type hardware, technology, etc.
- Gothic: See Gothic Genre.
- Historical Romance: Most of these stories take place during a specific time period in history with all the clothing, etiquette, and events of that period. Usually before WWII. See Nostalgic Historical for events fifty to one hundred years in the past. Historical background, details of costume, etc., should be accurate; however, we discourage long descriptions of battles, the political climate of the period, or a treatise on contemporary social history. Our readers are much more interested in the developing relationship between the heroine and hero.
- Inspirational: Stories that inspire the reader and evoke hope for love. They often contain religious beliefs in context.
- Multicultural: Characters of different cultures are brought together, or characters from a nondominant culture are explored in depth.
- Nostalgic Historical: These usually taking place in the recent past, approximately fifty years in the past, including the World War II era up to and possibly including the 1950's and 1960's, etc.
- Paranormal Romance: These contain other world elements, such as ghosts, spectres, ESP abilities, unexplained phenomenon, etc. and may either be a historical or contemporary romance with magic, witches, ghosts, vampires, etc., as a subsidiary element. It must have a happy ending.
- Regency: Stories set in a time period that encompasses a particular set of morals, manners, and societal structure of the early 1800's. Often set in England.
- Religious: The love story is governed by religious rules and customs (See Inspirational above).
- Romantic Suspense: Stories of this natiure contain elements of suspense and intrigue that drive the romance forward. In romance, this would be character or relationship driven as opposed to plot driven.
- Time Travel Romance: A hero or heroine travels through time and falls in love. For present-to-past time travel, traditional guidelines for the historical romance apply. The challenge here is to maintain credibility during the transition between the present and the past. The fun is seeing another way of life through the eyes of someone from a different time. The conflict and resolution of the romance arise from the fact that the hero and heroine are from different eras, but should involve more than the secret that one comes from the future.
  Beware of philosophizing about the meaning of time, and how the past affects the present. No time machines, please.
- Urban Fantasy: See Urban Fantasy included within Fantasy.
- Western Historical: Usually the background is set in or similar to the American Old West.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS: There are mystery children's stories, journey children's stories, etc. Stories geared toward a specific audience, at a specific reading and comprehension level.Themes include such subjects as accomplishment (the hero or heroine did something all by him or herself); animals (many or all of the characters may be animals as in, for example, Charlotte's Web); special beings (as the Main Character may meet up with a wolf, a faerie, Santa Claus, or any other type of unusual character). Categories include: Picture Books (pre-readers, ages infant-5); Early Reader Books (ages 5-7); Chapter Books (short chapter books, ages 7-9; longer chapter books, ages 9-12) overall for ages 7-11; and Young-Adult Fiction (ages 13-18).
- Picture Books: Concept books, pattern books, or board books. Few words, or wordless.
- Traditional Literature: The majority of this subgenre includes folktales and fairytales. They are usually one-dimensional, meant to convey a life lesson in story form. Some are cultural, passed down through time and retelling of generations. Further breakdown of this subgenre would include: myths, legends (similar to the Folktale and Fairy Tale Genre listed below).
- Fiction: This subgenre includes most genres of fiction (such as fantasy and science fiction, contemporary and historical, etc.). One subgenre peculiar to Children's Fiction is the School Story. This subgenre typically involves a plot where the locale is a public school or boarding school setting.
- Nonfiction: Self-explanatory, written in a manner for the age-appropriate reader.
- Biography or Autobiography: Self-explanatory. Written in a manner for the age-appropriate reader.
- Poetry and Verse: Self-explanatory. Subject matter age-appropriate.
COMEDY: Usually exaggerate situations, language, and characters for effect.
- Dark Comedy: A story with disturbing elements and morbid or grimly satiric humor.
- Farce: A work in which improbable plot situations and exaggerated characters are used for humorous effect.
- Parody: A mockery or work that imitates the style of another for comic effect or ridicule.
- Satire: Irony, sarcasm, or caustic wit used to attack or expose.
- Screwball: Impulsively whimsical or foolish or a totally unsound crazy scheme.
- Slapstick: Comedy of physical action; i.e., hero steps on the end of a rake and gets hit in the head.
CRIME: Centered on characters that have done something wrong or are at least are accused of doing so that the real criminal gets away. The criminals feel they operate outside the law and are entitled to what they have stolen or justified in what they have done.
DRAMA: Serious stories that portray realistic characters in realistic settings. Can also be over-the-top, exaggerating the seriousness of the problem and the character's reactions to those problems.
- Over-the-Top: Exaggerated problems and reactions to them are presented; characters may be drama queens.
- Realistic: The drama is very real and of the everyday or day to day type of routine.
FOLK TALES OR FAIRY TALES: Stories that have been passed down to us over the years by real people. There are many types of folk tales, including fables, tall tales, myths, and fairy tales.
- Fables: These are brief stories that teach a lesson or moral. The characters are usually animals, but they are given human characteristics. A good example is Aesop's Fables.
- Fairy Tales: These usually have magical elements with characters that could be fairies, giants, or elves. Many times magical deeds are performed. A an exmaple of this is Beauty and the Beast.
- Legend: This is a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but unauthenticated.
- Myths: These are stories created to explain some phenomenon of nature. Many incorporate gods and goddesses. The story of King Midas is a myth.
- Parable: This is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson.
- Tall Tales: These are folk tales that have a key element of exaggeration, such as Paul Bunyan.
GOTHIC: Stories of the macabre that invoke terror. They feature terrifying experiences in ancient locations such as castles, crypts, and dungeons. As well they often examine gender roles. This subgenre combines elements of both horror and romance. Prominent features of Gothic fiction include terror (both psychological and physical), mystery, the supernatural, ghosts, haunted houses and Gothic architecture, castles, darkness, death, decay, doubles, madness, secrets, and hereditary curses. The stock characters of Gothic fiction include tyrants, villains, bandits, maniacs, Byronic heroes, persecuted maidens, femmes fatales, madwomen, magicians, vampires, werewolves, monsters, demons, revenants, ghosts, perambulating skeletons, and more.
GRAPHIC NOVELS: A book (original or adapted) that takes the form of a long comic strip or heavily illustrated story of 40 pages or more, produced in paperback. Though called a novel, these can also be works of nonfiction.
- Anime: Japanese animation.
- Manga: Japanese Comics.
HISTORICAL EPIC: This mixes detailed historical research with imagined characters. Epics are often historical in nature and cover a large expanse of time set against a rich, vast setting. Think of somewthing like Gone With The Wind.
MILITARY OR WAR FICTION: Stories in which the primary theme/action/focus of the plot takes place in a field of armed combat, or in a domestic setting (or home front) where the characters are engaged with the preparations for, or recovery from, war.
MYSTERY: These include crimes, detectives, or private investigators, an investigation process to uncover the crime, and finally the identification of the culprit.
- Amateur Detective: Stories about nosey neighbors and inquisitive civilians who get involved in an Amateur Detective story. Sometimes they are meddlers.
- Caper Novel: Tales centered on the commission of a crime or scam.
- Cozy: These take place in country houses and villages, with peaceful and genteel exteriors. There is minimal violence and everything is nicely wrapped up by the conclusion.
- Detective: Stories of this type have a protagonist; usually a licensed private investigator or ex-cop, who works alone or with a larger agency.
- Hard-Boiled: These are gritty noir stories with grim details and revovle around tough, hard-nosed detectives.
- Police Procedural: In these tales there is a protagonist; who is usually on the police force, and the crime is solved by using the forces' resources and procedures.
- Soft-Boiled: A subgenre where Hard-boiled is infused with a sense of optimism and light humor.
- Suspense: In these stories there is an emphasis on action and anticipation, and may be more of a psychological-based drama.
- Whodunit: This is the traditional or classic mystery, often thought of as noir mystery – including the classics of the thirties and forties style of writing.
NON-FICTION: Not fictional writing.
- Autobiographies: This is the history of an individual's life and accomplishments. It may be limited to a specific event, time, or place, or be more all-encompassing. The difference is that these stories are written by the person who experienced the event. Possibly written with the assistance of a second party. They are self-portraits.
- Biographies: These are books about a person's life, or a segment of a person's life. A biography would be written by a secondary party, not the person who experienced the event. They can relate to contemporary or historical events.
- Cookbooks: Compilations related to cooking, with detailled recipes, and about creating menus. They are primarily on the subjects of cooking, baking, and mixing ingredients, in a variety of ways.
- Crafts: Books about creating craft items, designing projects such as embroidery, woodcrafts, ceramics, etc.
- Creative Nonfiction: These are a hybrid of literature and nonfiction that is they are based on true-life events – they are a true story dramatization. The nonfiction elements are based on facts, and the fiction elements are based on setting, scene, place, and serve to bring out the characterization. Typically this subgenre might include Biographies, Autobiographies, Journalistic reporting. See below for definitions.
- Essays: These are short prose that makes a point, states an opinion, or describes an event. A Persuasive Essay may be one-sided and directed at converting the reader to a certain belief or idea. A Political essay might make a statement regarding social or political views. The primary focus would be to support and explore the social view, political view, or to possibly consider it's failings.
- History: Books focused on historical events, both world and local. American history would focus on historical events that took place in the United States; British history would focus on historical events which took place in the British Empire or the British Isles; World history would include books related to cultures from around the globe.
- How-to: These are self-explanatory, in essence they describe how to do something.
- Journalistic Reporting: This style of book, reports the news through a creative retelling of the events as they happened rather than giving just the bare, minimum facts; It is a more first-hand, personal look into the events.
- Memoirs: These are limited autobiographies. Many times they speak of a specific event or chain of events in their lives.
- Music, Art, or Architecture: Books of the kind, cover the present as well as historical information about the subject they are dealing with, including examples.
- Persuasive: These works are generally one-sided and directed at converting the reader to a personal point of view, belief, or concept.
- Political: Also considered social writing. Thesze books make a statement regarding social or political views or ways of being. The primary focus of the work is to support a social or political view or critiques it. There is an element of exploration within them.
- Religion: Books within the nonfiction genre of religion will look at modern religions as well as ancient religions.
- Science and Technology: There are a gamut of subjects withing these topics, going from natural science, to astronomy, to Internet technologies.
- Self-help, Psychology, or Sociology: Self-help books usually describe how to improve one's own life in some way, either by raising your self-esteem, increasing your health, or learning a new skill. Psychology and sociology books describe how people behave and interact.
- Travel or Geography: Books of this sort include descriptions of the terrain, the sights, the culture, the locale and customs of individual places such as countries, cities, towns, or rural destinations. Travel books are geared toward people planning to travel, possibly with details about restaurants, hotels, and local attractions. Geography is more limited in scope to discussing terrain, relevant statistics about an area, etc. – it usually does not include travel planning.
- True Crime: Books of this nature are a narrative that follow the crime from the criminal's or the detective's perspective. They are a re-telling of events surrounding the nature of the crime.