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Genre Types and Descriptions
Sci-Fi
Science fiction is one of the most creative genres. Anything is possible in this genre! It takes the audience on adventures from faraway galaxies to underwater worlds and everywhere in between, introducing them to otherworldly characters and technologies along the way. Science
fiction contains imagined elements that don’t exist in the real world. It spans a wide range of themes that often explore time travel, and space travel, is set in the future, and deals with the consequences of technological and scientific advances. Science fiction is typically divided into two broad categories: Hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi. Hard sci-fi media are based on scientific facts. They’re inspired by “hard” natural sciences like physics, chemistry, and astronomy. Soft sci-fi media can be two things: Either they are not scientifically accurate, or they’re inspired by “soft” social sciences like psychology, anthropology, and sociology. These terms are somewhat flexible, but they help the audience quickly understand the foundation of media and what to expect from it. There are also several sub-genres associated with science fiction: Fantasy,
supernatural, utopian, dystopian, space opera, space western, cyberpunk, and steampunk.
Fantasy
This genre features magical and supernatural elements that do not exist in the real world. Although some writers juxtapose a real-world setting with fantastical elements, many create entirely imaginary universes with their own physical laws and logic and populations of imaginary races and
creatures. Speculative in nature, fantasy is not tied to reality or scientific fact. Fantasy also includes a robust and ever-growing number of subgenres: high or epic fantasy (think The Lord of the Rings),
dark fantasy (think Coraline), fables and fairytales (think the Brothers Grimm’s Grimm’s Fairy Tales), and superhero (think MCU and DCU films, series, and comics). Some common tropes and characteristics of fantasy are good versus evil, the heroic (or villainous) quest for power or knowledge, tradition versus change, the individual versus society, man versus nature, man versus self, coming of age, love, betrayal, epic journey, and the unlikely and/or reluctant hero.
Adventure
Adventure is one of the oldest genres. This genre features relatively flat characters who undergo risk and danger. Adventure media often includes exotic locations, exploration, and puzzle-solving. A common format: hero meets girl or boy after enduring several trials only to be torn apart and then reunited after more adventures. Morality is often very black and white; plots are very linear. The heroes are generally not formally involved in law enforcement but often find themselves battling evil and/or criminals while walking the Earth. Vigilantes are common. This genre is also frequently blended with other genres—fantasy/adventure, historical/adventure, etc.
Romance
This genre comprises of two main elements: a central love story and an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. The main plot centers around individuals falling in love and struggling to make the relationship work. The creator of the narrative can include as many subplots as they want as long as the love story is the main focus. In romance, the lovers who risk and struggle for each other and their relationship are rewarded with emotional justice and unconditional love. Romance media may have any tone or style, be set in any place or time, and have varying levels of sensuality—ranging from sweet to extremely hot. These settings and distinctions of plot create specific subgenres within the broader romance genre, such as contemporary romance (set in the 1950s to present day), historical romance (set prior to the 1950s), young adult
romance (in which young adult life is an integral part of the plot), paranormal romance (in which fantasy worlds or science fiction elements are an integral part of the plot), etc.
Drama
These are serious narratives that hinge on events that regularly happen in everyday life. These media portray realistic characters in conflict with either themselves, others, or forces of nature. They usually focus on characters and how their lives arc over time. Drama is regularly paired with other genres because most media rely on character-driven stories to keep the audience involved. Drama frequently follows characters you would see as your friends, neighbors, and family dealing with the struggles of everyday life. They usually take place in a home, office setting, or with a group of characters forced to interact day to day. Some of the topics of drama media are current events, societal ills, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, drugs, poverty, politics, addiction, class warfare, sexual inequality or assault, mental illness, and corrupt institutions.
Historical
In this genre, the characters could be based on real or imaginary individuals. They typically would act appropriately for the time period in which the story takes place. The creator’s goal is to expose these characters of the past to the audience. The setting is perhaps one of the most important elements of any
historical fiction work. The audience should be placed in the period almost immediately. They should transcend into the setting of the narrative even more so as the plot develops. The plot must correspond to the time period as well. Typically, the historical events that take place will shape the plot. A narrative
about Rome around 45 BC may revolve around the life of Julius Caesar and his infamous dictatorship over the Roman people. World-building is another key code and convention of this genre. Think of world- building as creating a scene for the audience to step into and become a part of. The historical genre is meant to place the audience into the past and allow them to experience what it was like.
Horror
This genre is intended to create feelings of fear, dread, repulsion, and terror in the audience. World-building, especially in terms of atmosphere, is crucial in this genre. Horror also has roots in religion, folklore, and history; focusing on fears and curiosities that have continuously bothered humans for centuries. This genre feeds on the audience’s deepest terrors by putting life’s most frightening and perplexing things—death, evil, supernatural powers or creatures, the afterlife—at the center of attention.
Comedy
This genre covers any media whose general purpose is to create humor and
intentional laughs for the audience. Comedy usually features pratfalls,
wordplay, and uncomfortable situations. Sometimes, these stories lean the
opposite way of realism. The genre’s stakes are usually personal, and
violence is almost always done for laughs and not serious consequences.