Why Stories Work

What is genre fiction and why should writers care?

Genre fiction most often focuses on a central protagonist involved in conflict with another character over a specific goal or decision. Some genres are most often plot-driven (for instance, action-adventure stories), while some genres are most often character-driven (for instance, women's fiction). But even character-driven stories in genre fiction have a plot.

If fiction was fruit, then genres would be specific types of fruit: grapes, oranges, apples, etc. Some readers enjoy certain genres better than others, just like they enjoy certain fruits better than others. Picking a certain genre to write in has the built-in benefit of a potential readership. Plus, editors and agents appreciate submissions that intelligently fit the genres they specialize in and marketing committee's "menu plans."

Also, genres are easy for bookstores to classify. That means your book (should you choose to write within a genre) will be shelved in the most likely place for readers interested in similar stories to find it. This holds true for brick-and-mortar stores as well as popular online retailers. Genres can be broken down into smaller categories, resulting in hundreds of subgenres from which a writer can choose. Here's a short list of some the genres and subgenres classified by Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com:

Action & Adventure

Fairy Tales

Family Saga

Historical

Horror

• Ghost stories
• Gothic Horror
• Inner Demons
• Lost, Abandoned, and Alone
• Sacred and Profane
• Supernatural
• Vampires
• Werewolves & Other Beasts

Movie Tie-Ins

Mystery

• Crime
• Detective
• Multicultural Detectives
• Police Stories
• Women Detectives

Political

Religion & Spirituality

• Biblical
• Historical
• Mystery
• Romance
• Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Visionary Fiction

Romance

• African American & Multicultural
• Anthologies
• Contemporary Christian Romance
• Contemporary
• Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost
• Gothic
• Historical
• Historical Christian Romance
• Regency
• Religious
• Romantic Suspense
• Sagas
• Series
• Time Travel

Sea Adventures

Science Fiction & Fantasy

• Alternate Realities
• Fantasy
• High Tech and Hard Science Fiction
• Social Science Fiction
• Space Exploration

Sports

Thrillers

• Action
• Africana
• Aviation
• Christian
• Espionage
• Financial
• Legal
• Medical
• Men's Action and Adventure
• Military
• Mob
• Political
• Psychological Suspense
• Pulp Adventure
• Assassin & Terrorist Thrillers
• Conspiracies & Cover-Ups
• Nail-Biters
• Stalkers & Serial Killers
• Supernatural & Strange Science

War

Western

• Adventure
• Christian
• Coming of Age
• Contemporary
• Native American
• Religious & Inspirational
• Cowboys and Ranchers
• Explorers
• Family Sagas
• Frontier
• Gunslingers
• Historical and Legendary Figures
• Humorous and Parodies
• Lawmen and Bounty Hunters
• Love Conquers All
• Lust in the Dust
• Mountain Men, Trackers, Hunters, and Trappers
• Outlaws, Vengeance and Vigilante Justice
• Pioneers and Homesteaders
• Prospectors, Mines, and Gold Rushes
• Soldiers and Warfare
• Women of the West

Women's Fiction

• Divorce
• Domestic Life
• Friendship
• Mothers & Children
• Single Women
• Sisters