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Definition of Genre and Fiction

A. Genre

Genre is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed upon conventions developed over time. Genre is most popularly known as a category of literature, music, or other forms of art or entertainment, whether written or spoken, audio or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria, yet genres can be aesthetic, rhetorical, communicative, or functional. Genres form by conventions that change over time as new genres are invented and the use of old ones is discontinued. Often, works fit into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions. Stand alone texts, works, or pieces of communication may have individual styles, but genres are amalgams of these texts based on agreed upon or socially inferred conventions. Some genres may be rigid with strictly adhered to guidelines while others may be very flexible.

A literary genre is a category of literary composition. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length. The distinctions between genres and categories are flexible and loosely defined, often with subgroups.

The most general genres in literature are epic, tragedy, comedy, and creative nonfiction. They can all be in the form of prose or poetry. Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a subgenre, but as a mixture of genres. Finally, they are defined by the general cultural movement of the historical period in which they were composed.

Genre should not be confused with age categories, by which literature may be classified as either adult, young adult, or children's. They also must not be confused with format, such as graphic novel or picture book.

Often, the criteria used to divide up works into genres are not consistent, and may change constantly, and be subject of argument, change and challenge by both authors and critics. However, even a very loose term like fiction ("literature created from the imagination, not presented as fact, though it may be based on a true story or situation") is not universally applied to all fictitious literature, but instead is typically restricted to the use for novel, short story, and novella, but not fables, and is also usually a prose text. Types of fiction genres are science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, realistic fiction and mysteries.

B. Fiction

Fiction is the classification for any story or setting that is derived from imagination—in other words, not based strictly on history or fact. Fiction can be expressed in a variety of formats, including writings, live performances, films, television programs, animations, video games, and role-playing games, though the term originally and most commonly refers to the narrative forms of literature (see literary fiction), including novels, novellas, short stories, and plays. Fiction is occasionally used in its narrowest sense to mean simply any "literary narrative".

A work of fiction is an act of creative imagination, so its total faithfulness to the real-world is not typically assumed by its audience. Therefore, fiction is not commonly expected to present only characters who are actual people or descriptions that are factually accurate. Instead, the context of fiction, not adhering precisely to the real world, is generally understood as being more open to interpretation.^[7] Characters and events within a fictional work may even be set in their own context entirely separate from the known universe: an independent fictional universe. Fiction is regarded as the traditional opposite of non-fiction, whose creators assume responsibility for presenting only the historical and factual truth; however, the distinction between fiction and non-fiction can be unclear, for example, in postmodern literature.^[8]

Literary fiction is fiction that is regarded as having literary merit, as distinguished from most commercial or "genre" fiction. The term and distinction has been criticisedby authors, critics and scholars, especially because a number of major literary figures have written genre fiction, including John Banville, Doris Lessing, Iain Banks, and Margaret Atwood.

CHAPTER II

EXPLORING THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GENRES FICTION

Fiction is a general term used to describe an imaginative work of prose, either a novel, short story, or novella. Recently, this definition has been modified to include both nonfiction works that contain imaginative elements, like Midnight in the Garden Of Good and Evil by John Berendt. However, in the truest sense, a work of fiction is a creation of the writer’s imagination.

The two main types of fiction are literary and commercial.

• Commercial fiction attracts a broad audience and may also fall into any subgenre, like mystery, romance, legal thriller, western, science fiction, and so on. For example, The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller (Warner, 1992) was a hugely successful commercial novel because the book described the fulfillment of a romantic fantasy that is dear to the heart of millions of readers. Written in a short, easy-to-read style, the book was as mesmerizing.

• Literary fiction tends to appeal to a smaller, more intellectually adventurous audience. A work of literary fiction can fall into any of the subgenres described in the following sections. What sets literary fiction apart, however, is the notable qualities it contains — excellent writing, originality of thought, and style — that raise it above the level of ordinary written works.

Mainstream fiction is a general term publishers and booksellers use to describe both commercial and literary works that depict a daily reality familiar to most people. These books, usually set in the 20th or present-day 21st century, have at their core a universal theme that attracts a broad audience. Mainstream books deal with such myriad topics as family issues, coming of age initiations, courtroom dramas, career matters, physical and mental disabilities, social pressures, political intrigue, and more. In addition to mainstream fiction, more narrowly defined categories of popular fiction appeal to specific audiences. These different fiction categories, which are described briefly in the sections that follow, are classed as a group as genre fiction. Each type of genre fiction has its own set of rules and conventions.

MYSTERY

Mystery is a popular genre, boasting a huge established audience. All mysteries focus on a crime, usually murder.A well-developed plot is an essential element of a good mystery. In this type of mystery, the audience tries to deduce who committed a crime or where a missing person or object might be found. In these stories, the setting may frequently change and the author may jump back and forth from one time period to another in order to reveal clues in a unique manner. Modern mystery often appears as detective stories.

 The action tends to center on the attempts of a wily detective-type to solve the crime. And the climax usually occurs near the end, in a leisurely setting where all the elements of the mystery are neatly assembled for the reader’s convenience. The solution, complete with surprises, is then delivered to the characters and the reader alike.

Mystery subgenres include spy, detective, and crime stories. You can find a vast network of mystery writers associations, conventions, and conferences, as well as publications to help mystery writers pursue their craft.Mystery fiction may involve a supernatural mystery where the solution does not have to be logical, and even no crime involved.

ROMANCE

Romance is a huge category aimed at diverting and entertaining women. In romance novels, you have elements of fantasy, love, naïveté, extravagance, adventure, and always the heroic lover overcoming impossible odds to be with his true love. Many romances, especially the gothic romance, have an easy-to-follow formula — a young, inexperienced girl living a somewhat remote existence is courted or threatened by an evil man and then rescued by a valiant one.

Other subgenres include historical, contemporary, fantasy romance, and romantic suspense. If historical detail and settings interest you, try writing a regency or historical romance. If you enjoy a dash of mystery or intrigue, then romantic suspense novels are for you. However, if you’re interested in more modern stories with sexual candor, then consider writing a contemporary romance.

Certainly, you have lots of opportunity in the field of romance writing, which is the largest, most diverse, and most popular of the commercial genres. And romance writers’ organizations can provide exact writing guidelines.First-class romance writers include Jude Deveraux, Victoria Holt, Judith McNaught, Daphne Du Maurier, Jennifer Greene, and Nora Roberts.

WOMEN’S FICTION

It’s common knowledge in the publishing industry that women constitute the biggest book-buying segment. So, it’s certainly no accident that most mainstream as well as genre fiction is popular among women. For that reason, publishers and booksellers have identified a category within the mainstream that they classify as Women’s Fiction.

At the Women's Fiction Writers Association women’s fiction is described as a story where the plot is driven by the main character’s emotional journey. Women’s Fiction includes layered stories about one or several characters, often multi-generational that tackles an adult character’s struggle with world issues resulting in emotional growth

From a writer’s perspective, some key characteristics of these books include a focus on relationships, one or more strong female protagonists, women triumphing over unbearable circumstances, and the experiences of women unified in some way.

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY

Science fiction/fantasydiffers from other forms of fictional literature because while it tells about supernatural events, the settings are based on science and scientific theories. Science fiction has become increasingly popular as the media produces an increase in science fiction films and television shows. In some educational circles, this genre is criticized because it presents a purely imaginary world to developing adolescents while others argue that in many cases the ideas expressed in works of science fiction have often become reality in later decades.

For example in the works of Jules Verne, which includes "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea," the author described technology that was nonexistent in his era, but is now readily used. Imaginative, thoughtful, and other-worldly, this robust category is made even more popular by the Star Wars and Star Trek series. Leading science fiction and fantasy writers include Ray Bradbury, Arthur Clarke, Isaac Asimov, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as the current, multi-best-selling, young adult author J.K. Rowling..

SUSPENSE/THRILLER

Suspense novels and thrillers are tense, exciting, often sensational works with ingenious plotting, swift action, and continuous suspense. In this genre, a writer’s objective is to deliver a story with sustained tension, surprise, and a constant sense of impending doom that propels the reader forward. Unlike mysteries, thrillers are dominated by action in which physical threat is a constant companion, and a hero (James Bond, for example) is pitted against a nefarious villain.

This genre includes the great espionage writers, including John Le Carre, Len Deighton, Ian Fleming, Clive Cussler, and Frederick Forsythe. It also includes the police procedurals of Patricia Cornwell, Tony Hillerman, and Lawrence Sanders, as well as the courtroom bestsellers of Scott Turow, Richard North Patterson, Steve Martini, and John Grisham, and the military thrillers of Tom Clancy and Stephen Koontz.

WESTERN

Known simply as westerns, these novels about life on America’s post Civil War western frontier usually involve conflicts between cowboys and outlaws, cowboys and Native Americans, or Easterners and Westerners. While this category still has a mass-market audience and a thriving regional market, it’s not the popular genre it was 25 years ago.Zane Grey and Louis Lamour, both deceased, are still among the popular western writers.

HORROR

Filled with gut-wrenching fear, this popular genre keeps readers turning the blood-filled pages. From a writer’s perspective, the defining characteristic is the intention to frighten readers by exploiting their fears, both conscious and subconscious: fears of supernatural forces, alien visitations, madness, death, dismemberment, and other terrifying notions.

Tracing its roots back to the classic tales of Edgar Allan Poe, the horror genre today is dominated by Stephen King, whose vast output of bestsellers under his name as well as his alter-ego Richard Bachman has dominated the bestseller lists for nearly 25 years. Other major horror writers include Mary Shelley, Roald Dahl, Clive Barker, Peter Straub, Dean Koontz, and Anne Rice.

While horror isn’t science fiction, the SFWA provides a great deal of information and community services aimed at horror writers.

YOUNG ADULT

This genre includes any type of novel with a protagonist in the 12 to 16 age range that speaks to the concerns of teenagers. Currently, J.K. Rowling and her amazing Harry Potter (Scholastic Press) books are dominating the field. Rowling’s accomplishment — a truly universal story, brimming with magic and fantasy as well as likable characters that readers identify with — is an amazing feat. Watch out for all the Harry Potter wannabes in the coming year.

REALISTIC and HISTORICAL

Realistic and Historical Fiction are similar types. While realistic fictional stories may seem real because events in the plot could happen and characters do not possess any supernatural abilities and behave like normal people, historical fiction also seems real though it is set in the past. Historical fiction often includes factual events like the Revolutionary War or the Holocaust but other elements of the story are created by the author.

TRADITIONAL

Traditional fiction involves the stories shared past generations, including folklore, fairy tales, myths and legends. Although some of these stories might be inspired by actual people, events or conditions, their charm often results from the magical elements that have weaved their way into the tales after generations for storytelling. The Greek Perseus myths, "Snow White," and the American Paul Bunyan fall into this category of fiction.

Subsets of genres, known as common genres, have developed from the archetypes of genres in written expression:

·         Classic – fiction that has become part of an accepted literary canon, widely taught in schools.

·         Crime/detective – fiction about a crime, how the criminal gets caught, and the repercussions of the crime.

·         Fable – legendary, supernatural tale demonstrating a useful truth.

·         Fairy tale – story about fairies or other magical creatures.

·         Fan fiction – fiction written by a fan of, and featuring characters from, a particular TV series, movie, or book.

·         Fantasy – fiction with strange or otherworldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality

·         Fiction in verse – full-length novels with plot, subplot(s), theme(s), major and minor characters, in which the narrative is presented in verse form (usually free verse).

·         Fiction narrative – literary works whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact.

·         Folklore – the songs, stories, myths, and proverbs of a people or "folk" as handed down by word of mouth.

·         Historical fiction – story with fictional characters and events in an historical setting.

·         Horror – fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread and sometimes fear in both the characters and the reader.

·         Humor – Usually a fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant to entertain and sometimes cause intended laughter; but can be contained in all genres.

·         Legend – story, sometimes of a national or folk hero, that has a basis in fact but also includes imaginative material.

·         Magical realism – story where magical or unreal elements play a natural part in an otherwise realistic environment.

·         Meta fiction (also known as romantic irony in the context of Romantic works of literature) – uses self-reference to draw attention to itself as a work of art while exposing the "truth" of a story.

·         Mystery – this is fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets.

·         Mythology – legend or traditional narrative, often based in part on historical events, that reveals human behavior and natural phenomena by its symbolism; often pertaining to the actions of the gods.

·         Mythopoeia – fiction in which characters from religious mythology, traditional myths, folklore and/or history are recast into a re-imagined realm created by the author.

·         Picture book – picture storybook is a book with very little words and a lot of pictures, picture stories are usually for children.

·         Realistic fiction – story that is true to life.

·         Science fiction – story based on the impact of actual, imagined, or potential science, usually set in the future or on other planets.

·         Short story – fiction of such brevity that it supports no subplots.

·         Suspense/thriller – fiction about harm about to befall a person or group and the attempts made to evade the harm.

·         Tall tale – humorous story with blatant exaggerations, such as swaggering heroes who do the impossible with nonchalance.

·         Western  – set in the American Old West frontier and typically set in the late eighteenth to late nineteenth century.

ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

·         Generally, Literature is divided into two (2) kinds, namely: Fictional and Non-Fictional Literature.

·         Fictional Literature is imaginary composed writing or work of art that is meant to provide information, education and entertainment to the reader. In other words, fictional literature is based on the writer’s imagination rather than reality.

ELEMENTS OF FICTION

(THE STORY)

Generally, fiction is any form of literature that tells aboutimaginary (invented, made up or unreal) people, places, or events.Short stories, novels, and folk tales are kinds of fiction:

Ø  A short story is a short fictional prose narrative built on a plot thatincludes the basic situation, complications, climax, and resolution.

Ø  In contrast, a Novel is a long fictional story that uses all theelements of storytelling, namely, plot, character, setting, theme, andpoint of view.

Ø  Oral or traditional literature has some form of stories often toldby word of mouth from generation to generation such as folk tales,legends, and myths which have now been written down as storiesfor us to read.

·         The Story, whether it is a short story, novel or fork tale, has the following

general elements that are used to analyze any written story:

1.     Author

The writer of any written work of art or fiction.

2.     Setting

This is the place and time in which the story unfolds or takes place. Setting is important in understanding the background and impact of the story or incidents in the story. If a story is well told, we will recall the setting later, long after we have put the story aside. Where the setting threatens the characters, it creates the conflict which is as important in fiction writing or literature

3.     Plot

This is a series or chain of related events that tells us ‘what happens’ in a story. When a plot is well built, it ‘enlighten’ us, that is will catches our curiosity (interest) about what will happen next. A good plot draws us

along after the narrator.

4.     Themes

This refers to the controlling, main idea or central insight in the novel or short story. Theme answers the question ‘What does it mean?’ a story’s theme is often hard to state, but it is what the author means or what the reader perceives to mean by the whole story. A theme is usually stated in a sentence or statement. This is so because a theme has to say something about the subject rather than just stated as a subject phrase.

5.     Characters

These are persons or animals involved in a story in order to show entertain and show us some truth about human experience and ourselves. A good character should be ‘alive’ to help us appreciate the story well. In a story, we can recognize a character by his/her/its appearance, actions and thoughts, reactions of others (what other characters say or do in relation to the character), and direct statement of the author (comments made by the writer of the story as the narrator).

However, the best story is one in which the narrator doesn’t tell much directly about what the character is like. Instead, you learn about the character indirectly by how the character acts and how others act toward him/her, and by noticing what he/she thinks and says.

Characterization refers to the kinds of characters the novel or short story has depending on the level of their development and involvement in the story of the book. For example, are the characters flat or round, protagonists or antagonists.

6.     Style

This refers to the way the novel or short story is written in order to have a desired effect on the reader or audience. It also refers to the techniques used by the writer of a literary work such as point of view, humor, fantasy, flashbacks, tone, and so on. Style of writing if understood and appreciated well, can help you to analyze the story very well.

Point of View: This refers to the style the writer of a story uses to narrate the story. In other words, writers usually chose who should tell the story or who should be the mouth piece in the story. So, you can tell the story from various angles by using points of view. There are three basic points of view often used in narratives: omniscient, third-person limited, and first-person.

The omniscient (unlimited) point of view is the point of view of a god-like (all-knowing) being who has created a fictional world and who can tell us everything that is going on in the minds of all the characters. The omniscient narrator is outside the story; he or she is not part of the action at all.

1.      The third-person (limited) point of view is where the writer has decided to tell the story from the limited point of view of a single person (participant) in the story. This kind of story reads as if a camera is zooming in on just one character. The writer uses the third person singular (he or she, or the actual name) of the character. This is very close to the omniscient point of view in that the writer still takes a prominent role.

2.      And in the first-person (limited) point of view, the narrator speaks as ‘I’, as a character in the story. This character can tell us only what he or she sees and hears and thinks about what is going on. In other words, the narrator is a participant in the story. The writer chooses to tell the story in the name of another fictitious person and uses the first person pronoun ‘I as witness and participant in the events that unfold in the story. In this case, the point of view is also limited in that the narrator can only tell what he or she sees or experiences rather than what others do.

7.      Languange

Language is part of style but it stands out to be the most important element of any fiction writing.

• Literary language is often used in fiction writing to ‘relish’ the story so that it is more clear, educative, informative, and indeed interesting or entertaining.

• Some of these language devices include figures of speech and symbolism such as images, symbols, irony, metaphors, similes, satire, and so on.