Fiction Genres and Characteristics

FANTASY Contains elements that are not realistic Contains elements that are not realistic Talking animals Talking animals Magical powers Magical powers Often set in a medieval universe Often set in a medieval universe Possibly involving mythical beings Possibly involving mythical beings

HISTORICAL FICTION Stories centered around the basis of a partially historical situation Stories centered around the basis of a partially historical situation A novel set in a historical period A novel set in a historical period

MYSTERY A novel involving: A novel involving: Strangeness Strangeness Solving a puzzling event or situation Solving a puzzling event or situation Something unknown Something unknown Solving a crime Solving a crime a person who investigates wrongdoing a person who investigates wrongdoing A person or persons employed to obtain secret information A person or persons employed to obtain secret information

REALISTIC FICTION Stories that take place in modern times Stories that take place in modern times Characters are involved in events that could happen Characters are involved in events that could happen

SCIENCE FICTION Stories that often tell about science and technology of the future involving partially true fictions, laws, or theories of science Stories that often tell about science and technology of the future involving partially true fictions, laws, or theories of science Potential Settings: Potential Settings: In the future In the future In space In space On a different world On a different world In a different universe or dimension In 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 life In almost every case, it is told from 1st person point of view focuses on the most significant events and people in the writer’s life shorter 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 tone give readers insight into the impact of historical events on people’s lives only a small section of a person’s life

ESSAYS Short pieces of non-fiction Focus is usually on a specific thing or theme A Modest Proposal

HOW -TO Explain how-to do something Lose weight Cook Get rich Be happy Get 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