19 Popular Creative Writing Genres with Examples

If you love writing, you’ll love this list of 19 popular creative writing genres. From memoirs to short stories to poetry, you’re sure to find a genre that interests you. And if you’re not sure where to start, take a look at some of the examples below to get an idea of what’s possible. Ready to get writing? It can’t hurt to have a few of these genres in your arsenal!

19 popular creative writing genres with examples

While novels, short tales, and poems are only a few of the many genres of creative writing that exist, each is suited to a certain set of circumstances and levels of personal expression. Try them all and choose which ones you like best.

Short Fiction

In comparison to vignettes, short fiction has a more “story.” There are both short tales and contemporaneous fan fiction included. Learning about the structure of fiction, including plot, characters, conflict, and setting, is a great way to do it. Writing brief fiction might even earn you money. A&P, by John Updike, is a good example of this kind of book.

Science Fiction

Any tale set in the future, in the past, or in other realms is included in this genre. Scientific and complex technological ideas are featured throughout the story. New worlds must be created, and genre-specific terminology must be used, according to the writers. The setting should determine the plot’s definition. There are several sub-genres of science fiction. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells is one of its great examples.

Action adventure

This genre encompasses any scenario in which the character is put in physical danger, with thrilling near misses and heroic and daring acts thrown in for good measure. The pace is rapid, and the stakes are high as time ticks away. oAt the conclusion of the narrative, there is usually a period of respite for the reader. The Odyssey by Homer is an amazing example.

Drama

This category encompasses both the fake and true forms of play. Character dialogue is used to convey the majority of a play’s narrative. The reader is left to create the rest, despite the fact that it makes reference to sound and movement. Drama includes screenplays, written stage plays, ten-minute plays, and film scripts. As an example, you may use Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

Mystery

Most popular mystery novels, especially those in a series, attract a considerable audience. Mystery stories begin with a hook that piques the reader’s attention, maintains the audience’s interest with steady pacing, and provides a satisfactory conclusion that answers all of their lingering inquiries. Cozy mysteries, true crime books, whodunnits, scientific puzzles, hardboiled detective tales, and police procedurals are just a few of the most popular mystery subgenres.

Thriller/suspense

A character in jeopardy dominates these stories. Pursuit and escape are central to this genre. The protagonist must flee from, combat against, or overcome one or more “dark” characters in the plot, which is filled with cliffhangers. Physical or psychological dangers to the protagonist, or both, may exist. The plot itself relies on the setting. This is a popular assessment of the book. A sub-genre of techno-thrillers is Techno-Thriller.

Romance

These love stories revolve around two individuals who are in love. Some of their traits include sensual tension, desire, and idealism. The two are kept apart for the majority of the story, but they do ultimately reunite. There are numerous sub-genres to choose from, including paranormal, historical, modern, category, fantasy, and Gothic. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë is a great example to refer to!

Young adult fiction

The greatest novels in the YA fiction genre share the same powerful characters and accelerating storylines that readers in grades 9 through 12 will appreciate. From science fiction to romance to crime novels to fantasy, they’re all great reads. Overlaying current literary cliches are often teenage motifs like adolescence or rebellion. J.K. Rowling With her Harry Potter series, Rowling has had a lot of success in the young adult genre.

Ghost/horror/paranormal

These are high-pitched, terrifying tales about being chased and escaping. Supernatural or demonic entities must be defeated by the protagonist. The satanic-type adversaries are used in all occult sub-genres. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (1959) is an amazing example to refer to!

Speculative fiction

These stories take place in a variety of imaginary worlds, unlike the actual universe. Science fiction, fantasy fiction, horror fiction, supernatural fiction, superhero literature, utopian and dystopic literature, and apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic literature are all examples of this genre.  Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, is a great example worth considering!

Fantasy

Kingdoms, rather than universes, are the subject of these tales. bioThe writing process must involve a lot of world-building. These novels are characterized by myths, otherworldly magical concepts, and ideas. Historical periods, such as the Dark Ages, are frequently used as inspiration.

Children’s fiction

Audiences too young for the young adult genre are targeted by children’s fiction. Picture books for non-readers lead to shorter tales for early readers and middle-grade fiction, which is what children’s fiction is all about. It’s worth noting that, while both adult and younger readers, picture books are not the same as funny books or graphic novels. Children’s fiction includes the fairy tale subgenre as well.

Memoir, biography, and an autobiography

These books are about people’s lives and include nonfiction stories. In the case of autobiography and memoir, the author of the book is the subject. Someone other than the subject has written the biography. These books are based on facts that are commonly backed up by multiple sources.

New adult fiction

College-aged characters and storylines appear in New Adult (NA) novels, rather than adolescent ones. Above YA, it’s the next age level. It explores the fears and uncertainties of leaving home and living on your own for the first time. The line between romance and erotica is often blurred in NA literature, which focuses on sex.

Novellas

A novella delves into great detail about all of the elements of the story, longer than a short story but not quite as long as a novel. It might or might not include chapters. A novella is a good example of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.

Poetry

Poetry may include both spoken and written poetry. Poetry’s foundation is built on a combination of rhythm, imagery, metaphor, and other methods used to convey abstract notions to readers. Nonetheless, it may take many forms. Haikus, as well as sonnets, can be structured; free verse may seem to read like a story (prose poems) likewise.

Historical

These imaginary tales are set against actual historical events. Some historical figures are made up and presented as fictional characters. A love relationship in a historical setting with complications is the subject of Historical Romance.

Family Saga

Ongoing storylines about two or more generations of a family are the focus of this genre. Businesses, purchases, homes, adventures, and family hexes are among the themes of the plots. They are almost always historical, and their resolutions are frequently in modern circumstances. There is a chronology in most of these books.

Literary fiction

The plot is less important to this kind of story than the characters’ and themes’ inner lives. It is focused on the human condition. It’s tough to market literary fiction, and it’s continuing to lose popularity. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s This Side of Paradise is one of the best examples of this genre. Creative nonfiction is a fairly new genre that was created in 2006. It is the most precise category to describe essayistic, nonfiction narrative style used within creative writing and literature courses. Creative nonfiction can be described as an anthology of creative works (stories, poems, or plays) with one main theme: life experiences from various perspectives and cultures throughout history.

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Final Words

These instances demonstrate that writing a story cannot be done in a certain way. In fact, the only thing you should be sticking to when you are ready to write your next creative piece is your imagination!

We hope this blog has helped you in understanding how different genres work and what makes them different from each other. While some of the above-mentioned genres may not appeal to everyone, others have been successful time and again in capturing readers’ attention. What works for one person might not work for another but the key here is being sure about what kind of writing style suits you best before diving into the world of storytelling!