The document defines and provides examples of 8 common types of fiction: 1) Science fiction, 2) Mystery, 3) Historical fiction, 4) Thriller, 5) Young adult, 6) Realistic fiction, 7) Romance, and 8) Horror. Each type is characterized by its setting, characters, plot elements, and themes. Examples of 1-2 sentence stories are given to illustrate each fictional genre.

1. Types of Fiction
Week 1

2. Types of Fiction
• 1. Science fiction
• Science fiction stories often take place in the future and involve fictional
aspects of science and technology. Characteristics of science fiction include:
• Space or time travel
• Futuristic setting or alternate history
• Advanced technology
• Exploration of societal issues within our current societal model (Dystopian
society)
• Example: It's the year 2473, and Dell is an engineer on a spaceship that's
traveling to the distant planet of Moton. While en route to Moton, he gets
word that a meteor has decimated 80% of the population back on Earth. It is
now up to him and the rest of his crew to successfully make it to the new
planet in order to create a thriving settlement for the remaining people on
Earth to live.

3. Types of Fiction
• 2. Mystery
• Mystery is a genre of fiction that focuses on solving crimes and mysterious events. Ordinarily,
the protagonist is a detective, and the remaining characters are suspects until proven
otherwise. Common characteristics of the mystery genre include:
• A mysterious crime or death that needs to be solved
• Suspects that have motives that the detective must evaluate
• Clues left by the author that show the reader possible outcomes about who the murderer
might be
• Red herrings, or clues that lead the reader to false conclusions about the murder
• Example: Detective Miranda Lane is investigating a recent case. After the police discover a
woman's body behind a local Boston restaurant, Detective Lane finds a strange note in her
jacket pocket. Even more startling is the note's contents: the place and name of the woman
Miranda was supposed to visit the night before her murder. Soon, Detective Lane is rushing
through a series of clues to find the killer before they attack again.

4. Types of Fiction
• 3. Historical fiction
• Historical fiction is a story that takes readers to a particular time and place in the
past, typically at least 50 years or more in order for it to be considered historical
fiction. Although the story takes place in the past, the plot itself is one that didn't
actually happen in history.
• Common characteristics of historical fiction include:
• A combination of historical and fictional experiences
• A setting that exists in a historical time and place in the past
• Mostly fictionalized characters, but occasionally there is a character that is based
on a historical figure from that time period
• Example: The year is 1918, and the commander has sent Jacques to the front lines
of the war in Belgium. With no combat experience and a terror of what comes
next, this is the story of how Jacques conquers his fears and overcomes the
unthinkable in order to survive.

5. Types of Fiction
• 4. Thriller
• The thriller genre generally has a fast-paced storyline and tension and suspense from
beginning to end. There are many sub-genres within the thriller genre such as the
psychological, political and spy variety to name a few. Some characteristics of the thriller
genre include:
• Suspense incorporated throughout the novel
• Plot twists to keep the readers guessing as they read
• Cliffhangers at the end of each chapter that leaves the plotline at a climactic moment in
the story
• Ending climax to answer the questions readers build up throughout the story
• Example: Shannon Holmes can't wait to marry the love of her life, Sheldon. They have a
date, and all the preparations are in place. Everything is perfect until Shannon finds out
that Sheldon has been married for the past seven years and his wife lives in a town only
an hour away. She doesn't know what to think or how to feel. All she knows is that she's
going to play along in his twisted game in order to find out the truth behind his lies.

6. Types of Fiction
• 5. Young adult
• Writers create and market young adult fiction to readers between the ages of 12 and 18. The
plotline can be realistic or can contain magical elements, but in most young adult fiction the
protagonist faces challenges and changes that are relatable to an adolescent. Common
elements in the young adult fiction genre include:
• A teenage protagonist
• A love triangle in which the protagonist must choose between two potential love interests
• Conflicts in the story that are age-appropriate for the audience such as trying to feel like they
belong, succeeding in a sport or having a romantic relationship
• Example: Paige is your typical 16-year-old—she just wants to feel like she belongs and to one
day fall in love with a boy. When a new, handsome student named Owen starts school in the
middle of the year, she thinks he might be everything she's been looking for. She gets to
know him, and they become fast friends. Paige believes they could become more, but when
her best friend Lily tells her she also has feelings for Owen, Paige realizes she's in a difficult
situation. She must choose whether she is willing to risk her lifelong friendship for a boy she
just met.

7. Types of Fiction
• 6. Realistic fiction
• Realistic fiction is a type of fiction in which a story is told that could easily happen in
today's society. It contains believable characters and events and takes place in an actual
setting, but the storyline itself is one that has never actually happened. Characteristics of
realistic fiction include:
• Conflicts that the reader could face in everyday life
• A setting that takes place in the present-day and is an actual location or a fictional place
that could be real
• Characters that seem like actual people you might encounter
• Conflicts that are solved realistically
• Example: Bethany has a perfect life. She lives off the coast of Monterrey in a beautiful
home with a wonderful husband and two small children whom she loves dearly. She has
everything she's ever wanted until one day she wakes up and has completely forgotten
who she is. With the help of a group of doctors and her husband, will she be able to
remember who she is and everything she holds dear?

8. Types of Fiction
• 7. Romance
• The romance genre can take place during any time period and may contain a
realistic plot line or have magical elements, but the primary element of a romance
novel is that there is a central love story throughout the novel. Other characteristics
include:
• A hero or main protagonist with whom the other main character falls in love
• Many conflicts throughout the story making it difficult for the characters to be
together
• An emotionally satisfying conclusion
• Example: Carol is in her late 20s and single. One day, she sees her old high school
crush, Jack, walking down the street. After a few minutes of talking, they realize how
beneficial it would be for them to pretend to be engaged. Her parents would stop
bothering her about settling down, and he could attend his ex-girlfriend's wedding
with a fake fiance at his side. Carol soon realizes she has feelings for Jake and has to
remind herself that this plan is just an arrangement, but she begins to wonder if it
could turn into something real.

9. Types of Fiction
• 8. Horror
• The horror genre's purpose is to create feelings of terror and excitement in the reader. Common
characteristics include:
• Explorations into the darker aspects of humanity
• Main characters who readers can identify with and who often have haunted pasts and emotional
traumas
• Supernatural elements such as ghosts or demonic forces
• A goal to provoke terror in their readers
• Example: Kenneth just got a job as a night nurse at Grace Gables Mental Hospital. Although he's looking
forward to starting his career, he's worried his dark past will come back to haunt him, quite literally.
When he begins to see things that no one else can see—ghosts that call to him in the night—he starts
questioning his own sanity and begins to lose track of what's real and what isn't.

10. Types of Fiction
• Fantasy:
• Fantasy is a type of fiction that focuses on magical and supernatural elements that do not
not exist in the actual world. There can be elements of romance, action and mystery in
fantasy, and typically include the following characteristics:
• Magical elements or characters of magic, like sorcerers, witches or werewolves.
• Conflict involving good versus evil
• Imaginary worlds, often similar to medieval settings
• Mythical characters or beings like elves, dragons or talking animals
• Example: Foxx is a lowly elf who lives in the land of Myrial. With no powers of his own, and
destined to work on the farms for the rest of his life, he has accepted his fate. One day as
he picks oranges in the family orchard, a fairy named Ozlo appears and tells him that he's
been chosen to save the rest of his kingdom from Magda, the greatest evil force the
kingdom has ever seen. Although skeptical at first, Ozlo, convinces him that he alone can
save the kingdom of Myrial from this evil.