Genres of all Shapes and Sizes

1. Fantasy

   1. 1. Often inspired by popular fairy tales such as Cinderella, Puss in Boots, and the Snow Queen

      2. Mythical creatures and more specifically magic is what sets this genre apart from others

      3. Some variations of this genre include:

         1. 1. High Fantasy - this is often set in another world with its own timeline

            2. Urban Fantasy - fantasy set in modern times, can use advanced technology but it depends on the story

            3. Medieval Fantasy - this is what I picture as the typical fantasy story, it is set in medieval times and follows most of the customs of that time but, magic often plays a prominent role

            4. This genre has quite a bit of freedom in where you want to take your story, and not as much research is required except in Medieval Fantasy where you may be concerned with accuracy

      4. Examples of this genre:

         1. 1. Timeless Fairy Tales by K.M. Shea

            2. Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan

            3. Elven Cursed by A.G. Silver (once it is published XD)

            4. Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

2. Science Fiction (Sci-fi)

   1. 1. Deals with futuristic concepts, technology, and extraterrestrial beings

      2. Often times not set on earth and set in the future

      3. Depending on your interest in accuracy, research regarding technology and space is usually necessary

      4. Examples of this genre:

         1. 1. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

            2. Any Star Wars novels (there are quite a few)

            3. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

3. Historical Fiction

   1. 1. Always set in a past time

      2. Pays attention to the manners, social conditions, and other details of the depicted period

      3. Other than nonfiction, this genre probably requires the most research and accuracy (but if you really want to write this genre don’t let this stop you!)

      4. You can base characters off of historical figures but you don’t have to

      5. Examples of this genre:

         1. 1. The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

            2. Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

            3. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

There are many more genres than these three, but it would be too long for just one post. Also, many books aren’t just one genre! For example, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer are amazing and they are Fantasy and Sci-fi. Don’t make yourself confine your writing to one genre.

To all those of you participating in NaNoWriMo keep up the great work, you are almost halfway through the month! Next week, Silver Arc has an extra fun post planned! I will be joining A.G. for a little “interview” so if you have any questions send an email to silverarcblog@gmail.com and we will try to answer it.

Have a great week readers and keep up the great work!