A Guide to Choosing Your NaNo Genre
Note: this was written several years ago, the genre designations for NaNo have changed a bit. Leaving it up because it has some good points, and is mildly amusing.
When a story comes to you, do you automatically know what kind of story it is? Where it would fit on the shelves of a bookstore? Or do you focus on the story, and worry about labels later?
If you already know your genre, good for you. You will be spared the hours, days, weeks, or minutes of agony that can go into deciding where your book belongs in the world.
If you do not know what genre you are writing, this article will help you.
A lot of books don’t fit neatly into one genre. And sub-genres can go on into eternity. So my mission is to help you decide which genre your novel most resembles. To begin, let’s look at the genres that have their own forums on NaNoWriMo.org:
Adventure
Chick Lit
Erotic Fiction
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Horror & Supernatural
Literary Fiction
Mainstream Fiction
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Religious, Spiritual & New Age
Romance
Satire, Humor & Parody
Science Fiction
Young Adult & Children’s Lit
Other Genres
Before we begin separating the wheat from the other, equally worthy wheat, we have to get one thing straight. Some stories are character-driven and some are plot-driven. It’s fairly simple to tell which kind of story you are writing.
Character-driven stories are more subtle and the main point of the story is the personal growth of one or more main characters. By the end of a character-driven novel the main character will have learned something important about him or herself, possibly made a huge change, and will usually be a better person for it.
Plot-driven stories can have characters who develop, but it’s not necessary at the same level. Plot-driven stories are more about characters responding to external forces, which may or may not leave them time for personal growth. Plot-driven stories tend to have faster pacing than character-driven stories. Plot-driven stories also tend to have more explosions.
Most novels will contain elements of both styles but will lean more towards one than the other.
Another useful tool for identifying your genre is the Happy Ending Test. The type of ending your story will have can be helpful in ruling out some genre choices. If you don’t know how your novel will end, this tool will not be very useful.
By the way, if I’m wrong about any of this, you can contact me for a full refund.
Now let’s examine each genre according to its parts.
Adventure stories are plot-driven and have a lot of action. If your plot consists mainly of blowing things up, and/or keeping one step ahead of villains, this is your genre. Adventure itself can be a difficult word to define but usually involves some kind of physical peril for your characters. Happy ending optional. Tragic ending possible, but depressing. Cliffhanger ending is a good idea as this sets up a sequel.
Chick Lit is a somewhat demeaning name but we’ll ignore that for the moment and concentrate on the important part. Chick Lit is a subgenre of Women’s Fiction (itself a subgenre of Mainstream Fiction) wherein the characters tend to be young women in their 20s to 30s who have plenty of money and good looks, but apparently can’t find a good man. Usually character-driven, this genre covers such topics as relationships, family dynamics, alcohol, jobs, life in the city (frequently New York City) and a deep devotion to shoes. Chick Lit is often high on humor and can contain deep insights into the minds of young women in America today. Contrary to popular belief, Jane Austen was not the mother, grandmother, or wacky great-aunt of Chick Lit; though if she were alive today, she might very well enjoy one of these books with a good martini on occasion. Happy ending necessary, but does not have to involve a romantic relationship.
Erotic Fiction is…well, quite frankly it’s about sex. Quite often, it’s about graphic sex. It is thought to be a rule that Erotic Fiction does not contain such things as plot, three-dimensional characters, or an actual story. That is sometimes the case, but not always.
Depending on the skill of the writer this can be character-driven but is more often plot-driven. Erotic Fiction is often confused with Romance. The best way to tell if you are writing Erotic Fiction is to have a die-hard Romance fan read your work. If she blushes deeply and says “that’s disgusting” you are probably writing Erotic Fiction. (note: there are men who read Romance novels, but you will be hard-pressed to find one who will admit it) Happy ending preferred, I think.
Fantasy is a fun genre in that it’s the only one where you can have elves, fairies, gnomes, and talking plants and no one raises an eyebrow. Fantasy and magic go hand in hand. If your novel has magic and fantastical worlds and creatures, you are writing fantasy. If your novel has magic but none of the other traditional trappings of fantasy, then you are looking at Magical Realism. Magical Realism may or may not fit in the Fantasy genre. If you are writing Magical Realism and don’t want to be surrounded by dwarves, wizards and flying horses, you might try the forums that include the words supernatural and spiritual. Getting back to fantasy…those who write in this genre usually have no doubt about the identity of their novels. Can be either character or plot-driven. Happy ending optional.
Historical Fiction consists of fiction set in history. How far back is a matter of some debate. I have heard everything from 50 years back from the present to “it’s not historical fiction if anyone living can remember it.” I say if you weren’t born yet it is history to you. Historical fiction has a multitude of sub-genres because, let’s face it, there’s been a lot of history. Generally speaking there are four main types of HF: works involving characters who are, or are based on, actual persons from history; works involving characters wholly invented by the writer; alternative history; and Phillipa Gregory. Aside from the timeline issues, it is usually apparent to the writer that they are writing Historical Fiction. It is equally composed of character-driven and plot-driven stories. Happy endings allowed only if they are historically accurate.
Horror & Supernatural should speak for itself, but I’ll speak for it anyway. Some people may think that this should be two separate genres, but I’m for keeping them together because nothing can be more horrifying than the supernatural (except maybe spiders). Horror stories usually consist in tormenting main characters, killing secondary characters, and having ultra scary villains. Blood is usually present in vast amounts. The supernatural part of the equation is evident by things that cannot be explained rationally through science, logic, or the internet. These stories are almost always plot-driven. Happy endings possible, but would be kind of a letdown after all that terror.
Literary Fiction is serious writing that makes people think. Always character-driven, usually complex and layered. While humor can be present in Literary Fiction, these stories are by no means light-hearted. Literary Fiction offerings are never described as “the feel good book of the year.” Complicated, sober, and sometimes morbid themes abound in this genre. Writing in this genre borders on art and frequently wins major literature awards. If you are using a motif, you are probably writing Literary Fiction. Happy endings possible but seriously discouraged.
Mainstream Fiction is a mixed bag. The term is generally used to denote massive sales potential. Stories that will appeal to the average book buyer will be considered mainstream. Usually lighter than Literary Fiction, Mainstream can and does encompass many other genres. Adventure, Romance, Fantasy, Horror, and Chick Lit can all be Mainstream, as can Young Adult (Harry Potter, anyone?), Mystery, Thriller, and Humor. Which genres are considered Mainstream varies over the course of time. Often character-driven, but sometimes plot-driven, these novels can belong to a particular genre or be a mix of several. Happy endings expected for the most part, because the average reader likes them.
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. If there is a crime early in your story, this is probably your genre. It is worthwhile to note that Thriller and Suspense can overlap with Horror depending on the story progression. Novels in this genre will be mostly plot-driven. Police and private detectives feature prominently in this genre, and there is an unwritten rule that the case must be solved by the end of the book. The bad guy must be caught. The suspense must be over…at least until the sequel. Happy endings allowed but less interesting than bittersweet, world-weary endings.
Religious, Spiritual & New Age. If your characters worship anything, including themselves, this is the genre for you. Religion or spirituality will feature heavily in these stories. Doesn’t matter what the religion is, if it’s a major part of the story, then your novel belongs here unless the only reason religion is prominent is due to historical or cultural accuracy. If you are making a spiritual point, this is your genre. Can overlap with other genres. Will nearly always be character-driven. Happy, or at least, peaceful endings encouraged.
Romance. This genre is easily identified by the fact that the central story is all about a love connection. Man and Woman meet and are instantly attracted to one another but have to overcome such devastating obstacles as intense hatred of each other, evil relatives, war, sickness, character flaws, and/or unconsciousness. Character or plot-driven, and varying in level of graphic-ness as regards love scenes. Happy endings required.
Satire, Humor & Parody are the ultimate genres for the joker in you. This is where the funny people write. Biting sarcasm and just plain goofiness are allowed and even encouraged here. These stories can be either character or plot-driven. Happy endings tolerated, most of the time.
Science Fiction is the realm of the future, of other worlds that depend on advances in science that modern society has yet to achieve. A few things that indicate you might be writing Sci Fi: the world of your novel is mostly or entirely composed of robots/androids; your characters regularly interact with beings from other planets; the primary mode of travel is by personal aircraft or spacecraft; your characters refer to“Earth that was” or blink in confusion when someone mentions such archaic technology as a microwave. Time travel stories also fall into this genre. Largely plot-driven. Happy endings are ok, unless your characters have moved beyond earth-bound notions of“happiness” or “endings.”
Young Adult and Children’s Lit denotes anything written for or about those human beings who have the misfortune of being under the age of 18 years. Like Mainstream Fiction, this can encompass other genres. I once read that you write the story that comes to you and if it’s too complicated for adults, it’s a children’s book. Approximately 50-50 split between character and plot-driven stories. Happy endings strongly encouraged. You don’t want to disappoint the children, do you?
Other Genres: the oddball, grab-bag of genres. If your genre isn’t listed above, then you get this lovely forum all to yourselves. Variations of the major genres can also qualify as “other.” Plot-driven or character-driven. All endings welcome. Other is a very accepting genre.
So now you know where your novel fits into the wide world of labels and shelving. Or maybe you don’t. If you have found this article helpful, or even entertaining, my work is done. If not, I apologize and no you can’t get back the time you spent reading this.
See you around the forums.
Kate
When a story comes to you, do you automatically know what kind of story it is? Where it would fit on the shelves of a bookstore? Or do you focus on the story, and worry about labels later?
If you already know your genre, good for you. You will be spared the hours, days, weeks, or minutes of agony that can go into deciding where your book belongs in the world.
If you do not know what genre you are writing, this article will help you.
A lot of books don’t fit neatly into one genre. And sub-genres can go on into eternity. So my mission is to help you decide which genre your novel most resembles. To begin, let’s look at the genres that have their own forums on NaNoWriMo.org:
Adventure
Chick Lit
Erotic Fiction
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Horror & Supernatural
Literary Fiction
Mainstream Fiction
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Religious, Spiritual & New Age
Romance
Satire, Humor & Parody
Science Fiction
Young Adult & Children’s Lit
Other Genres
Before we begin separating the wheat from the other, equally worthy wheat, we have to get one thing straight. Some stories are character-driven and some are plot-driven. It’s fairly simple to tell which kind of story you are writing.
Character-driven stories are more subtle and the main point of the story is the personal growth of one or more main characters. By the end of a character-driven novel the main character will have learned something important about him or herself, possibly made a huge change, and will usually be a better person for it.
Plot-driven stories can have characters who develop, but it’s not necessary at the same level. Plot-driven stories are more about characters responding to external forces, which may or may not leave them time for personal growth. Plot-driven stories tend to have faster pacing than character-driven stories. Plot-driven stories also tend to have more explosions.
Most novels will contain elements of both styles but will lean more towards one than the other.
Another useful tool for identifying your genre is the Happy Ending Test. The type of ending your story will have can be helpful in ruling out some genre choices. If you don’t know how your novel will end, this tool will not be very useful.
By the way, if I’m wrong about any of this, you can contact me for a full refund.
Now let’s examine each genre according to its parts.
Adventure stories are plot-driven and have a lot of action. If your plot consists mainly of blowing things up, and/or keeping one step ahead of villains, this is your genre. Adventure itself can be a difficult word to define but usually involves some kind of physical peril for your characters. Happy ending optional. Tragic ending possible, but depressing. Cliffhanger ending is a good idea as this sets up a sequel.
Chick Lit is a somewhat demeaning name but we’ll ignore that for the moment and concentrate on the important part. Chick Lit is a subgenre of Women’s Fiction (itself a subgenre of Mainstream Fiction) wherein the characters tend to be young women in their 20s to 30s who have plenty of money and good looks, but apparently can’t find a good man. Usually character-driven, this genre covers such topics as relationships, family dynamics, alcohol, jobs, life in the city (frequently New York City) and a deep devotion to shoes. Chick Lit is often high on humor and can contain deep insights into the minds of young women in America today. Contrary to popular belief, Jane Austen was not the mother, grandmother, or wacky great-aunt of Chick Lit; though if she were alive today, she might very well enjoy one of these books with a good martini on occasion. Happy ending necessary, but does not have to involve a romantic relationship.
Erotic Fiction is…well, quite frankly it’s about sex. Quite often, it’s about graphic sex. It is thought to be a rule that Erotic Fiction does not contain such things as plot, three-dimensional characters, or an actual story. That is sometimes the case, but not always.
Depending on the skill of the writer this can be character-driven but is more often plot-driven. Erotic Fiction is often confused with Romance. The best way to tell if you are writing Erotic Fiction is to have a die-hard Romance fan read your work. If she blushes deeply and says “that’s disgusting” you are probably writing Erotic Fiction. (note: there are men who read Romance novels, but you will be hard-pressed to find one who will admit it) Happy ending preferred, I think.
Fantasy is a fun genre in that it’s the only one where you can have elves, fairies, gnomes, and talking plants and no one raises an eyebrow. Fantasy and magic go hand in hand. If your novel has magic and fantastical worlds and creatures, you are writing fantasy. If your novel has magic but none of the other traditional trappings of fantasy, then you are looking at Magical Realism. Magical Realism may or may not fit in the Fantasy genre. If you are writing Magical Realism and don’t want to be surrounded by dwarves, wizards and flying horses, you might try the forums that include the words supernatural and spiritual. Getting back to fantasy…those who write in this genre usually have no doubt about the identity of their novels. Can be either character or plot-driven. Happy ending optional.
Historical Fiction consists of fiction set in history. How far back is a matter of some debate. I have heard everything from 50 years back from the present to “it’s not historical fiction if anyone living can remember it.” I say if you weren’t born yet it is history to you. Historical fiction has a multitude of sub-genres because, let’s face it, there’s been a lot of history. Generally speaking there are four main types of HF: works involving characters who are, or are based on, actual persons from history; works involving characters wholly invented by the writer; alternative history; and Phillipa Gregory. Aside from the timeline issues, it is usually apparent to the writer that they are writing Historical Fiction. It is equally composed of character-driven and plot-driven stories. Happy endings allowed only if they are historically accurate.
Horror & Supernatural should speak for itself, but I’ll speak for it anyway. Some people may think that this should be two separate genres, but I’m for keeping them together because nothing can be more horrifying than the supernatural (except maybe spiders). Horror stories usually consist in tormenting main characters, killing secondary characters, and having ultra scary villains. Blood is usually present in vast amounts. The supernatural part of the equation is evident by things that cannot be explained rationally through science, logic, or the internet. These stories are almost always plot-driven. Happy endings possible, but would be kind of a letdown after all that terror.
Literary Fiction is serious writing that makes people think. Always character-driven, usually complex and layered. While humor can be present in Literary Fiction, these stories are by no means light-hearted. Literary Fiction offerings are never described as “the feel good book of the year.” Complicated, sober, and sometimes morbid themes abound in this genre. Writing in this genre borders on art and frequently wins major literature awards. If you are using a motif, you are probably writing Literary Fiction. Happy endings possible but seriously discouraged.
Mainstream Fiction is a mixed bag. The term is generally used to denote massive sales potential. Stories that will appeal to the average book buyer will be considered mainstream. Usually lighter than Literary Fiction, Mainstream can and does encompass many other genres. Adventure, Romance, Fantasy, Horror, and Chick Lit can all be Mainstream, as can Young Adult (Harry Potter, anyone?), Mystery, Thriller, and Humor. Which genres are considered Mainstream varies over the course of time. Often character-driven, but sometimes plot-driven, these novels can belong to a particular genre or be a mix of several. Happy endings expected for the most part, because the average reader likes them.
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. If there is a crime early in your story, this is probably your genre. It is worthwhile to note that Thriller and Suspense can overlap with Horror depending on the story progression. Novels in this genre will be mostly plot-driven. Police and private detectives feature prominently in this genre, and there is an unwritten rule that the case must be solved by the end of the book. The bad guy must be caught. The suspense must be over…at least until the sequel. Happy endings allowed but less interesting than bittersweet, world-weary endings.
Religious, Spiritual & New Age. If your characters worship anything, including themselves, this is the genre for you. Religion or spirituality will feature heavily in these stories. Doesn’t matter what the religion is, if it’s a major part of the story, then your novel belongs here unless the only reason religion is prominent is due to historical or cultural accuracy. If you are making a spiritual point, this is your genre. Can overlap with other genres. Will nearly always be character-driven. Happy, or at least, peaceful endings encouraged.
Romance. This genre is easily identified by the fact that the central story is all about a love connection. Man and Woman meet and are instantly attracted to one another but have to overcome such devastating obstacles as intense hatred of each other, evil relatives, war, sickness, character flaws, and/or unconsciousness. Character or plot-driven, and varying in level of graphic-ness as regards love scenes. Happy endings required.
Satire, Humor & Parody are the ultimate genres for the joker in you. This is where the funny people write. Biting sarcasm and just plain goofiness are allowed and even encouraged here. These stories can be either character or plot-driven. Happy endings tolerated, most of the time.
Science Fiction is the realm of the future, of other worlds that depend on advances in science that modern society has yet to achieve. A few things that indicate you might be writing Sci Fi: the world of your novel is mostly or entirely composed of robots/androids; your characters regularly interact with beings from other planets; the primary mode of travel is by personal aircraft or spacecraft; your characters refer to“Earth that was” or blink in confusion when someone mentions such archaic technology as a microwave. Time travel stories also fall into this genre. Largely plot-driven. Happy endings are ok, unless your characters have moved beyond earth-bound notions of“happiness” or “endings.”
Young Adult and Children’s Lit denotes anything written for or about those human beings who have the misfortune of being under the age of 18 years. Like Mainstream Fiction, this can encompass other genres. I once read that you write the story that comes to you and if it’s too complicated for adults, it’s a children’s book. Approximately 50-50 split between character and plot-driven stories. Happy endings strongly encouraged. You don’t want to disappoint the children, do you?
Other Genres: the oddball, grab-bag of genres. If your genre isn’t listed above, then you get this lovely forum all to yourselves. Variations of the major genres can also qualify as “other.” Plot-driven or character-driven. All endings welcome. Other is a very accepting genre.
So now you know where your novel fits into the wide world of labels and shelving. Or maybe you don’t. If you have found this article helpful, or even entertaining, my work is done. If not, I apologize and no you can’t get back the time you spent reading this.
See you around the forums.
Kate