different kinds of literary works

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Literary Genres

All fiction.

Stories composed in verse or prose, usually for theatrical performance, where conflicts and emotion are expressed through dialogue and action.

Narration demonstrating a useful truth, especially in which animals speak as humans; legendary, supernatural tale.

Story about fairies or other magical creatures, usually for children.

Fiction with strange or other worldly settings or characters; fiction which invites suspension of reality.

Narrative literary works whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact.

Fiction in Verse

Full-length novels with plot, subplot(s), theme(s), major and minor characters, in which the narrative is presented in (usually blank) verse form.

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 a historical setting.

Fiction in which events evoke a feeling of dread in both the characters and the reader.

Fiction full of fun, fancy, and excitement, meant to entertain; but can be contained in all genres

Story, sometimes of a national or folk hero, which has a basis in fact but also includes imaginative material.

Fiction dealing with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets.

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.

Verse and rhythmic writing with imagery that creates emotional responses.

Realistic Fiction

Story that can actually happen and is true to life.

Science Fiction

Story based on 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.

Humorous story with blatant exaggerations, swaggering heroes who do the impossible with nonchalance.

All Nonfiction

Biography/autobiography.

Narrative of a person's life, a true story about a real person.

A short literary composition that reflects the author's outlook or point.

Narrative Nonfiction

Factual information presented in a format which tells a story.

Informational text dealing with an actual, real-life subject.

Public address or discourse.

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Often confused with genre, literary form can be hard to define. Literary form is how a text is structured rather than how it is written or the subjects it covers. English literature can be categorised into several primary literary forms forms, each with unique characteristics and conventions. These include:Poetry (using…

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• A Raisin in the Sun
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Often confused with genre, literary form can be hard to define. Literary form is how a text is structured rather than how it is written or the subjects it covers. English literature can be categorised into several primary literary forms forms, each with unique characteristics and conventions. These include:

• Poetry (using rhythmic and aesthetic qualities of language),
• Prose (including novels, novellas, and short stories),
• Drama (scripted works for theatrical performance), and
• Non-fiction (factual writings such as essays, biographies, and journals).

Each of these forms has sub-forms that add to the richness of the literary landscape. This article will look at its meaning, examples and types of literary form.

Literary form: meaning

Literary form is how a text is structured and its general arrangement. Every literary form has a set structure which helps readers to classify it. Some literary forms are defined by their length, like the novel, novella and short story. Some forms are defined by the number of lines, like the sonnet or haiku. The literary form extends itself to prose fiction, drama, nonfiction and poetry.

Literary form in English literature

Some literary forms can often be incredibly similar. Apart from the number of words, there is little difference between a novel and a novella. Some literary forms have a distinctive structure. The screenplay and play are such forms with an emphasis on dialogue and stage directions.

During the twentieth century, the lines between literary forms became increasingly blurred. New forms, such as slam poetry, combined dramatic performance with poems. The resurgence of prose poetry meant that it could be hard to distinguish poems from short stories. Another new literary form that developed in the twentieth century was flash fiction.

Types of literary form

Some of the overall types of literary forms include fiction, drama, poetry, and non-ficton. Each form has their own sub-genres such as fantasy belonging to fiction and sonnets for poetry.

Fiction is essentially a story which is imagined and is distinctly separate from fact. Although fiction can be considered across other literary forms (poetry, drama), it is commonly used to describe narrative prose fiction. Forms of narrative prose fiction would include the short story, the novella and the novel. The only difference between these forms is their word count. Despite fiction being imagined, it can involve real characters from history. Some authors even include fictional versions of themselves in auto-fiction.

Drama is the presentation of a story through performance. The different forms of drama would originally include plays, ballet and opera. Since the twentieth century, new forms have developed, such as radio drama and screenplays for film and television. The term drama comes from the ancient Greek word for 'act'. The origins of Western drama developed in ancient Greece and in Asia. The first known drama was the Indian Sanskrit theatre.

Poetry is a literary form that is told in verse and traditionally in rhyme and meter. The earliest form of poetry is the epic, 'The Epic of Gilgamesh' (2,500 BCE) is thought to be written over four thousand years ago. There are possibly more varied forms of poetry than any other literary form. Almost every culture across the globe has evidence of early poetry.

Nonfiction is the attempt to present a factual story in prose form. It encompasses many forms, from autobiography and memoir to journalism and literary criticism. As nonfiction can be seen as an umbrella term for anything that aims to tell a true story, it includes many subjects (science, history etc). Those types of nonfiction are considered different genres rather than forms. In contemporary literature, there was the emergence of creative nonfiction, which used literary techniques to present true stories.

Contemporary literary forms

Contemporary literature is generally considered to be any form of literature produced after the second world war. At that time, new literary forms emerged largely through the fusion of existing forms. One example was the rise of creative nonfiction. Creative nonfiction is the use of narrative literary styles to depict fact. Different types of creative nonfiction include the travelogue , the memoir and the nonfiction novel .

In poetry, there were similar developments through the merging of existing forms. Despite originating in the nineteenth century, prose poetry saw a resurgence after World War II and can almost be seen as a new form. In 1984 the forms of drama and poetry were combined to create slam poetry. Slam poetry is the performance of poems to an audience which often involved crowd interaction and competition.

In narrative prose, an even shorter form of the story emerged in flash fiction . Flash fiction is a complete story which often concludes with a surprise ending. Flash fiction is the shortest form of narrative prose fiction and is normally no longer than 1000 words.

Literary form: examples

A few examples of texts in certain literary forms are:

Each type of literary form has its own various genres. Take a look at some examples of the genres below.

The primary literary forms of fictional narrative prose are the novel, novella , and short stories.

Novels are probably the most widely known example of the fictional literary form. A novel is an imagined narrative that is written in prose . One of the earliest examples of the novel in English was Daniel Defoe's (1660-1731) Robinson Crusoe (1719). However, the Japanese book The Tale of Genji (1021) by Murasaki Shikibu (973-1025) could be considered the first. Any fictional narrative written in prose and over 40,000 words is considered a novel.

One example of the novel is John Steinbeck 's (1902-1968) The Grapes of Wrath (1934). A story set during the American Great Depression that details the struggles faced by migratory workers.

The novella

The novella came to prominence in the nineteenth century and remains popular with readers today. Novellas can be known as short novels or long short stories due to their moderate length. The term novella comes from the Italian language for 'short story'. A novella is normally considered between 10,000 to 40,000 words.

One of the most famous examples of a novella is Franz Kafka's (1883-1924) Metamorphosis (1915). A surreal tale of a salesman who turns into a giant insect.

The short story

Short stories are any prose narratives that can usually be read in one sitting. Their length and word count can vary from anything from 6 words to 10,000. The short story is widely thought of to have developed in its modern form in the nineteenth century, but earlier examples date back to the century before. Historically, short stories would often first appear in magazines.

An early example of a short story is Edgar Allen Poe's(1809-1849) 'The Tell-Tale Heart' (1843). The story is told through a narrator who has committed murder.

Some of the literary forms that can be defined as drama are plays and opera.

Plays are dramatic works which are written to be performed on stage. As they are designed for performance rather than to be read, plays are often heavy in both dialogue and action . The literary form of plays dates back to ancient Greece, with playwrights such as Sophocles(497-406 BCE) and Euripides(480-406BCE) still having their work performed today.

Perhaps one of the most famous examples of the play is William Shakespeare 's (1564-1616) Romeo and Juliet (1597). A tale of star-crossed lovers divided by a bitter family feud.

An opera is a similar form to the play. However, all the drama is accompanied by music, and all the characters are played by singers. All dialogue and action are presented in song. The more literary element of the opera is known as the libretto, which is its narrative.

One example of an opera is Giacomo Puccini's (1858-1924) La Boheme (1896). An opera told in four acts about struggling bohemians living in Paris.

There are so many varied poetic forms that to go through them all would be exhaustive. Some examples of the literary forms of poetry include sonnets, villanelle , and haikus

The sonnet is a poem that consists of fourteen lines. The word sonnet comes from the Latin for 'sound'. There are two types of sonnet; the Petrarchan and the Elizabethan. The most famous of those is the Elizabethan, popularised by the playwright William Shakespeare .

A famous example is William Shakespeare 's ' Sonnet 18' (1609), a love poem which opens with the lines, 'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?'

A villanelle poem consists of nineteen lines which are made up of five tercets and a quatrain . Villanelle poems often depict more intimate subject matters.

A tercet is a three-lined stanza in a poem.

A quatrain is a stanza that consists of four lines.

Dylan Thomas'(1914-1953) 'Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night' (1951) is a popular example of the villanelle poem.

The haiku is a poetic form that originated in Japan and has a strict stricture. Haiku poems consist of three lines, with each having a specific number of syllables. The first and last lines each have five syllables, while the second has seven.

'The Old Pond' (1686) by Japanese poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) is an early example of the haiku form.

Two different genres of the nonfiction literary form include biography and creative nonfiction.

The biography is nonfiction prose which details a particular person's life. Biography is thought to be one of the oldest forms of prose literature, with early examples dating back to ancient Rome. An autobiography is a form of biography that the subject themselves write.

The Long Walk to Freedom (1994) by Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) is a famous example of an autobiography . It covers Mandela's early life and his 27 years in prison.

Creative nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is the use of fictional literary techniques to present a true story. Often creative nonfiction is told in a non-linear format to aid the story's narrative.

Truman Capote 's (1924-1984) nonfiction novel In Cold Blood (1965) is an early example of creative nonfiction. The book details the story of a family being murdered in Kansas.

Literary Form - Key takeaways

• Literary form is how a text is structured rather than what it is about.
• The four main types of literary form are; fiction, drama , poetry and nonfiction.
• Examples of literary forms would include the novel , the sonnet and the play .
• Contemporary literature saw a blend of literary forms with prose poetry and creative nonfiction.
• An example of a literary form in nonfiction is creative nonfiction.

Frequently Asked Questions about Literary Form

--> what is literary form.

Literary form is how a text is structured and arranged rather than its subject.

--> What are examples of literary forms?

Some examples of literary forms include; the novel, the play and the sonnet.

--> What are the 10 literary forms?

The 10 most well-known literary forms are;

• the short story
• the novella
• the sonnet 
• the villanelle
• creative nonfiction

--> What are the four types of literary form?

The four types of literary form are fiction, nonfiction, drama and poetry.

--> What are examples of contemporary literary form?

Slam poetry and flash fiction are examples of contemporary literary form.

Final Literary Form Quiz

Literary form quiz - teste dein wissen.

What is literary form?

Show answer

Show question

What are examples of literary forms?

What are the 10 literary forms?

• the sonnet 

Which literary forms are heavy on both dialogue and actions?

The screenplay and play are heavy on both dialogue and actions

What is fiction?

Fiction is any story that is made up, imagined.

What is nonfiction?

Nonfiction is the attempt to depict a true story in prose.

What are the four types of literary form?

What are the three main examples of the fiction prose form?

The three main examples of the fiction prose form are; the short story, the novella and the novel.

What is opera?

Opera is a dramatic literary form performed by singers and accompanied to music.

Which contemporary literary form combines performance and poetry?

The literary form 'slam poety' combines poetry with performance.

What is the minimum number of words used to be considered a novel?

The minimum number of words needed to be considered a novel is 40,000

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Literary genres are categories of literature that are generally determined by technique, length, tone, and content. When we list literary genres in broader terms, they can be more abstract, flexible, and loosely defined. However, as we get more specific and into subcategories, the distinctions and rules of the genre become crystal clear.

What are the different literary genres? Though we may think there are several types of literary genres, there are actually only 3 genres of literature. You may be wondering, what are the three genres of literature? Poetry, drama, and prose. That’s right. All the other genre types fit into one of these three categories. Students will typically encounter these genres of literature in English for most of what they read and write about in school. Therefore, they must be able to identify examples of genres in literature, know their key characteristics, and list the genres of literature.

Keep reading to learn more about the different literary genres examples, along with ways for students and teachers to storyboard their forms of literature examples. In the genres of literature chart below, each of the storyboards and examples can be copied and used in an assignment with your students.

Literary Genres Examples

Here are some literary genres examples for you to check out. Different literary genres have various purposes. As you read through these examples, notice how the techniques, lengths, tones, and contents change.

The genre of literature can be classified in many ways. In this section, we will take a closer look at 3 genres of literature: poetry, drama, and prose. Understanding literary genres in English literature will not only enhance your students’ reading experience but improve their writing skills too.

Types of Literary Genres

Poetry is a genre of literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language—such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre — to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the literal or mundane meaning. Poetry has a very long history, dating back to prehistoric times with the creation of hunting chants and burial songs.

Poetry is considered by many to be the most intense literature genre. It allows a writer to express their deepest emotions and thoughts in a very personal way. It relies heavily on figurative language, rhythm, and imagery to relay its message to readers. Poetry is a type of writing that uses beautiful language to express deep thoughts and feelings. Poetry can help you understand your emotions and thoughts better, and it also helps you learn how to write more expressively.

Sub-Genres of Poetry

• Songs and Ballads

Drama is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance. It is one of the kinds of literature which includes epic poetry, lyric poetry, and novel. Aristotle’s Poetics defines drama as “a representation of an action that is whole and complete and has a beginning, a middle, and an end.”

Drama is often performed on stage in front of a live audience, but it can also be presented in other forms, such as radio, film, and television. It is usually written by a playwright, although it can be adapted from other sources, such as novels, short stories, poems, or even real-life events. Or it can be read silently by individuals too.

It contains dialogue, and actors impersonate the characters. It is usually divided into acts or scenes and relies on props or imaginative dialogue to create a visual experience for the audience. Drama is a good place to start, as they are usually pretty easy to understand at face value and captivates the audience with cliffhangers and mind-capitulating events.

Sub-Genres of Drama

The prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It applies a natural flow of speech, and ordinary grammatical structure, rather than rhythmic structure, such as in the case of traditional poetry. The prose is typically written in paragraphs, although there are some exceptions, such as in the case of drama or fiction.

Prose can be found in books, magazines, newspapers, online articles, blogs, etc. It is the most common form of writing. Examples of famous works of prose include To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee & Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. The prose is simple, straightforward language. It can be either fiction or nonfiction . The prose is typically divided into paragraphs, and it uses regular grammar. It can be either serious or funny.

Fiction is narrative writing that originates from the author’s imagination. It is designed to entertain, but it can also inspire, inform, or persuade.

Sub-Genres of Fiction

• Short Story
• Myths and Legends
• Historical Fiction

Nonfiction is writing that is based on true events, people, places, and facts. It is designed to inform, and sometimes to entertain.

Sub-Genres of Nonfiction

• Autobiography
• Diaries and Journals
• Narrative Nonfiction

What Are the Three Genres of Literature?

The main examples of genres in literature are poetry, drama, and prose. Poetry is a genre in literature that uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning. Drama is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance. The prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It applies a natural flow of speech and ordinary grammatical structure, rather than rhythmic structure, such as in the case of traditional poetry. Genres of literature in English then fall into subcategories, which make up the three genres of literature.

Forms of literature examples are:

• Poetry: Ballads, Lyric, Epic, Dramatic, Narrative
• Drama: Tragedy, Comedy, History, Melodrama, Musical
• Prose: Fiction (Novel, Novella, Short Story), Nonfiction (Autobiography, Biography, Essay)

Genres of Literature Chart

Genre types subcategories can be explained as the following:

Literature types and genres are essential to know to understand all the different types of written works available. Each type has its own purpose and style. Whether you’re looking for a light read or something more heavy and informative, there’s definitely a literary genre out there for you.

A Note About Speeches...

While not one of the primary genres of literature, speeches are important historical documents or moments and literature, and they don’t always fit neatly into one of the three primary genre categories. A speech is a formal address given to an audience. Speeches can be found in prose, drama, and poetry, and their primary goals are to persuade, inform, demonstrate, or entertain a reader, an audience, or other characters. They can also be used in nonfiction or fiction, depending on their purpose and use.

Why Use Storyboarding to Learn About Literary Genres Types?

Storyboarding is the perfect way to learn and remember the different genres of literature. When you storyboard, you can visually see how each literary genre differs from the next. You can also track and compare the subcategories within genres, identify key characteristics of each, and even explore the relationships between genres. All of this will help you better understand and remember the genres of literature, making it easier to identify them when you encounter them in your reading.

How Can Storyboard That Enhance the Learning Experience of the Three Genres of Literature?

Storyboard That can help students better understand the three genres of literature by providing a visual representation of each one. By storyboarding, students can identify key characteristics of each genre and see how they differ from one another. Additionally, Storyboard That is a great way to compare and contrast genres, as well as explore the relationships between them. All of this will help students better remember the genres of literature and be able to identify them when they encounter them in their reading.

Looking to add a little creative flair to your literature class? Check out Storyboard That’s easy-to-use, online storyboard creator! With our drag-and-drop software, you can create engaging, visually appealing graphic organizers to help your students learn about the different genres of literature. Plus, our easy-to-use tools make it simple to add text, images, and multimedia content to your storyboards, so you can really bring your lessons to life.

Where to Start When Learning About Literary Genres

If you’re just starting to learn about literary genres, the best place to begin is with the three primary genres: prose, drama, and poetry. These genres are the foundation for all other genres of literature, so it’s crucial to have a strong understanding of them before moving on to anything else.

In terms of choosing between the three, poetry tends to be the most complicated to understand as it can go against the usual laws of grammar. There are a lot of deeper meanings within poetry, so it can be hard to break down as a newbie. Start with some short, simple prose articles such as newspaper pieces and short novels.

When you start to get the underlying meanings behind the prose, you can then start to dive into some simple drama. Look into Greek tragedies and Shakespearean plays, as they are a great starting point. These genres will give you a better understanding of the basics before progressing on to more.

When you’re ready to go deeper, poetry is the next stepping stone. Children’s poetry is a great starting point to give you a good foundation of poetic structure and meaning. Then you can go further into complicated poetry, such as that of the Elizabethans and Victorians.

Once you feel comfortable with the three primary genres, you can start exploring the many subgenres that exist within each one. There are endless possibilities when it comes to literary genres, so there’s no need to rush.

Related Activities

Reading Material to Start With

Start with article number one and work your way down the list. When you are happy you understand each article within the genre, move on to the next set of articles.

• A Washington Post Newspaper Report of Hurricane Ian
• The short story called "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe
• The historical fiction novel by Christopher Paul Curtis: Bud, Not Buddy .
• "The Miracle Worker" by William Gibson
• The famous play by the one and only William Shakespeare, “Romeo & Juliet”
• "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller
• "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost
• "A Poison Tree" by William Blake
• "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

How to Get a Deeper Understanding

To get a deeper meaning of each genre, get your pen and paper ready and start to highlight the key ideas throughout. It can help to get your understanding of the writings by doing a summary for each one. Once you have done this, start to think about the following key things for each genre:

• What is the author’s purpose?
• Who is the audience?
• What are the main ideas?
• How does the structure help to emphasize the purpose?
• What literary devices are used and why?
• How does the author’s style contribute to the meaning of the text?

Plays can be trickier as you cannot always rely on the written word to give you all the information. This is where watching a performance of the play can come in handy, as it will give you a much better understanding. In addition to the above, when watching a play, you should also be thinking about:

• How does the stagecraft contribute to the meaning of the play?
• What do the costumes and makeup tell us about the characters?
• How does the lighting help to create mood and atmosphere?
• What do the sound effects and music add to the play?

When reading poetry, it is essential to think about both the literal and figurative meanings of the words. This can be difficult at first, but there are some helpful strategies that you can use. For example, you can try reading the poem aloud or reading it multiple times. You can also look up words you don’t understand and try to break the poem down into smaller chunks. In addition to the above, when reading poetry, you should also be thinking about:

• What is the speaker’s tone?
• What is the poem's mood?
• What are the main themes of the poem?
• How does the poet use literary devices to create meaning?
• What is the poem’s form, and how does it contribute to the meaning?

Using a storyboard exercise like StoryBoard That can be helpful when trying to understand the genres. You can map out the key ideas and events for each one, as well as the literary devices that are used. This is a great way to see the genres side-by-side, compare and contrast them and visualize things better.

Related Resources

• Picture Encyclopedia of Literary Genres
• Picture Encyclopedia of Literary Elements
• The Five Act Play Structure

How To Incorporate Multicultural Perspectives Into The Study Of Literary Genres

Select texts from diverse authors and cultures.

Choose texts that represent a variety of cultures and perspectives, and that offer insights into different literary traditions and styles. This might involve reading and researching texts from authors and cultures that are different from your own and seeking out recommendations from colleagues, libraries, or online resources.

Discuss Cultural Context and Historical Background

Provide background information and historical context for each text, including information about the author and the cultural and historical context in which the text was written. This can help students understand the unique perspectives and literary traditions represented in each text.

Explore Themes and Literary Devices From Multicultural Perspectives

Encourage students to explore themes and literary devices from a variety of cultural perspectives, such as examining the role of family or community in different cultures, or analyzing how language and storytelling are used in different literary traditions.

Foster Discussion and Collaboration

Encourage open discussion and collaboration among students, and create opportunities for them to share their own perspectives and experiences. This can help students build empathy and understanding for different cultures and perspectives.

Encourage Independent Research and Exploration

Encourage students to research and explore additional texts and authors from different cultures and perspectives on their own. Provide resources and recommendations for students to pursue independent reading and research.

Integrate Multimedia and Other Resources

Integrate multimedia and other resources, such as videos, podcasts, or guest speakers, to enhance students' understanding of different cultures and perspectives. This can help bring the text to life and make it more relevant and engaging for students.

Frequently Asked Questions about Literary Genres

What are the main types of literary genres.

The three main types of literary genres are prose, drama, and poetry. Believe it or not, all types of literature fall into one of these categories, including fiction and nonfiction!

What are some examples of different types of fiction?

Some well known types of fiction are: mystery, realistic fiction, historical fiction, fables and fairy tales, poetry, adventure, and science fiction.

What are some examples of different types of nonfiction?

Some common types of nonfiction are biographies, autobiographies, speeches, letters, and informational texts.

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50+ Literary Genres and Subgenres Every Student Should Know

So many genres, so little time to read them all…

Once kids learn to read, they unlock a very rich world of books and other writings to explore. This list of literary genres and subgenres offers definitions and examples for a wide array of writing styles. Encourage students to explore them all!

What are literary genres?

Source: The Chalkboard Unicorn

A genre (ZHAHN-ruh) is a category of literature in which the various works share certain characteristics. We often break writing into four main literary genres: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama. (Some people consider fiction and nonfiction to be one category called prose.)

Each of the literary genres has its own set of subgenres. There’s no definitive list of literary subgenres, and authors regularly invent new styles. For our list, we’ve chosen common literary genres and subgenres that students should learn to recognize. This is not a complete list by any means.

Students should also understand that many literary works fit into multiple categories, so narrowing down the literary genres and subgenres can be difficult. Still, knowing these different types can help kids learn which types of books they enjoy most and make it easier to find more of them.

Stories, poems, and plays that tell imaginary tales are called fiction. The people and events may be completely imaginary or based on real people and events but in fictionalized form.

When fiction is written as it is spoken, it’s known as prose. If the structure includes a focus on rhyme and rhythm, we call it poetry. Prose fiction can be broken down into categories by its length.

We use the term “novel” to describe a long piece of fiction, often described as “book-length.” Graphic novels use illustrations to help tell the tale, while novels in verse are very long poems that tell a story.

Examples: Moby Dick by Herman Melville, Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Novellas are shorter than full-length novels but longer than a short story. There’s no one accepted definition of the length of a novella; they generally range from 10,000 to 50,000 words.

Examples: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Short Story

A short story tells a complete tale with a fully developed theme, but it’s shorter than a novel or novella. They’re usually about 10,000 words or less.

Examples: “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

• 50 Irresistible Short Stories for Kids
• 70 Great Short Stories for Middle Schoolers
• 50 Best Short Stories for High School Students

While fiction is one of the major literary genres, it can be broken down into many categories known as subgenres. These subgenres describe the style and/or subjects of the literary work. It’s important to note that many works of fiction can fit into multiple subgenres.

Bildungsroman

Also described as a “coming-of-age” book, the bildungsroman (German for “education book”) tells the story of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood. It explores their moral and psychological growth, and is often (but not always) written in the first person.

Examples: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Originally, this term was used to describe long poems that tell the story of a hero’s journey’s and adventures. Over the years, this term has evolved to include novels and plays that trace a person or family’s history over a long period of time.

Examples: The Odyssey by Homer, War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Fables are short stories that teach a specific moral. Aesop is the most famous author of fables; his tales often use animals to tell the story and state the moral at the end.

Examples: “The Tortoise and the Hare” by Aesop, Fables for Our Time by James Thurber

Fairy tales are highly fictionalized short stories that generally include magic and fantastical characters. They’re usually intended for children and often feature a protagonist who receives a “happy ending” and an antagonist (villain) who is punished in the end.

Examples: “Cinderella” by the Brothers Grimm, “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen

Fantasy works are set in imaginary magical worlds and include mythical creatures like dragons, witches, vampires, and more. Avoid confusing this genre with science fiction; remember that fantasy deals with the impossible, while sci-fi explores the possible. (The two are frequently combined, though, and many works have characteristics of each.)

Examples: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

• 20 Fantasy Books Kids Won’t Be Able to Put Down

Folktales are similar to fairy tales but originally were passed down orally rather than being written down. Therefore, they often don’t have attributed authors. Many folktales have more realistic settings than fairy tales.

Examples: Paul Bunyan stories, “Headless Horseman”

Gothic/Horror

Stories that involve ghosts, otherworldly beings, and mystical happenings that cannot be explained rationally fall into the category of gothic or horror. These novels seek to cause a sense of fear in their readers. Gothic novels were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, and gave rise to horror writers like Stephen King.

Examples: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Historical Fiction

Any fiction writing set in the past, in a real place and time, fits the definition of historical fiction. The characters can be real people or imaginary ones living through the events of that time.

Examples: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

• 16 Page-Turning Historical Fiction Books for Readers of All Ages

Legend/Myth

Legends and myths are ancient tales that explain early history or natural events, often using supernatural characters. Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myths remain popular today, though all cultures have their own myths and legends that have been passed down for hundreds or thousands of years. As most started as oral tradition, they rarely have attributed authors.

Examples: “Theseus and the Minotaur,” “Robin Hood,” “King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table”

• 8 Egyptian Myths Students Should Know
• 10 Great Greek Myths Your Students Should Learn
• 16 Fascinating Greek Mythology Books for Kids

In a mystery, the characters must solve a puzzle, usually a crime of some sort. Generally, the solution isn’t revealed until the end of the story. The reader can use clues to try to solve the mystery themselves as they read.

Examples: Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

• 21 Must-Read Mystery Books for Kids
• 20 Terrific Mysteries for Classroom Libraries
• Books Like Encyclopedia Brown for Mystery-Loving Kids

Roman à clef

French for “novel with a key,” a roman à clef (pronounced “roh-MAHN ah clay”) is a story about real-life people and events, thinly disguised as fiction. The characters are given fictional names, and other details may be changed slightly. The “key” is the hints the author gives the reader to help them make the connection between fact and fiction.

Examples: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Animal Farm by George Orwell

Any writing that primarily focuses on the love story between two (or more) people is a romance. These stories often have happy or emotionally satisfying endings, though some end tragically instead.

Examples: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Satire ridicules a topic or person, in an attempt to provoke the reader into rethinking their opinions on the subject. They may use irony, caricature, parody, and other literary devices, and characters and plots are often exaggerated or extreme to make the author’s point.

Examples: Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

Science Fiction

Also called sci-fi, this form of fiction speculates about potential changes to the real world based on scientific principles. Many sci-fi works focus on space travel, parallel universes, and time travel. They often take place in the future or on distant planets or worlds. Generally science fiction is considered to be stories that are possible based on our understanding of science, while fantasy works include magic or other supernatural elements. The two are often combined, and many works fit into both categories.

Examples: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

• 16 Thrilling Sci-Fi Books for Tweens and Young Adults

Utopian/Dystopian

In utopian literature, the writer imagines a “perfect” world, while dystopian writing posits a dark and cataclysmic future or alternate present. In many cases, the imaginary world is initially presented as utopian, but as more details emerge, the dystopian elements become clear. Therefore, these literary genres are often lumped together.

Examples: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The opposite of fiction is nonfiction, which focuses on information and facts about real people, events, and other topics. Nonfiction can be full-length books or shorter compositions like articles or essays. It also includes “how-to” writing like cookbooks and self-help books.

There are many categories of nonfiction, usually based on the topic or subject. Here are some common nonfiction subgenres kids should learn about.

Autobiography/Biography

A biography tells the story of a person’s life, usually from birth to death. When a person writes their own biographical work, it’s called an autobiography.

Examples: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

• How To Use Picture Book Biographies in the Classroom
• 12 Inspiring Biographies for Teens

An essay is a short nonfiction work on a specific topic. It’s usually a personal reflection on a subject, in which the author shares their own experiences and thoughts. Sometimes authors publish their essays together in collections as books. These collections can include essays on related topics or simply be a compilation of an author’s works.

Examples: A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf, Walden by Henry David Thoreau

Expository Nonfiction

This catch-all category includes any nonfiction book that seeks to tell its readers about a specific topic. It often uses illustrations, diagrams, and quotes from original sources.

Examples: We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, Freakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt

Any nonfiction book that focuses on real people or events of the past is a history book. Biographies and autobiographies can fall into this category, but histories usually encompass a larger group of people and their impact on contemporary events.

Examples: Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly, 1776 by David McCullough

While memoirs are similar to autobiographies, they differ in a few small ways. Memoirs don’t generally try to tell the entire story of a person’s life. Instead, they reflect on a person’s experiences during important parts of their life. They are nearly always written in the first person.

Examples: All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson, I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Narrative Nonfiction

In narrative nonfiction, the author tells the tale of a real person or event in a way that feels more like a fiction story. The information is factual, but the style is entertaining and engaging.

Examples: In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

When an author writes about their travel experiences, we call it a travelogue or simply “travel writing.” Usually, the author recounts a specific trip or series of related journeys. They describe the people and places they see along the way, offering their own thoughts and opinions about these encounters.

Examples: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, The Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux

Also called verse, poetry gives special importance to the use of words, imagery, and rhythm. Poems are individual works of poetry. Poems usually break down into lines and stanzas rather than sentences and paragraphs. They can be fiction or nonfiction and of any length from a few lines to an entire book.

We can break poetry into subgenres based on characteristics like rhyme scheme (or lack thereof), rhythmic patterns, subject, and more. Here are some common poetic literary genres kids should know. See their definitions and details here: 15 Types of Poetry to Teach Kids and Teens .

• Blackout Poetry
• Blank Verse
• Concrete Poetry
• Narrative Poetry
• Sonnet (Shakespearean and Petrarchan)
• 70 Must-Share Poems for Your Elementary Classroom
• 45 Terrific Poems for Middle School and High School

This literary genre includes plays, musical, operas, and operettas, written to be performed in front of an audience. Students often study plays in literature classes, reading them instead of seeing them performed. They can be short, or longer works broken into multiple scenes and acts.

While dramatic works can be nonfictional, they are usually fiction. Experts break plays and other dramatic works into multiple categories. These are the most common.

Make them laugh! Comedies are light and humorous dramatic works. The Greeks and Romans used this term for plays where the hero faces adversity and overcomes it in the end. By Shakespeare’s time, comedies involved humor, silly situations, and happy endings all around, and that’s how we usually use the term today.

Examples: The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

A farce is a type of comedy, with exaggerated characters and improbable situations. There’s usually a lot of physical comedy, with characters taking ludicrous circumstances and happenings very seriously.

Examples: The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare, She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith

A tragedy tells the story of a protagonist with a tragic flaw, which ultimately leads to their downfall. Tragedies can also relate terrible or sorrowful events, from the point of view of one or more characters.

Examples: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller

Tragicomedy

As the name implies, these dramatic works have elements of both comedy and tragedy. They can have sad or happy endings, or even those that are inconclusive. They often tell tragic tales, with enough humor to lighten the overall mood throughout.

Examples: The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

History Play

Today, we use this term almost exclusively to describe Shakespeare’s plays about real historical people and events. These dramatic works were very popular during Elizabethan times.

Examples: Richard III and Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare

Problem Play

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, playwrights began writing dramatic works to draw attention to social issues or problems. Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw are well-known for this subgenre.

Examples: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Mrs. Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw

We believe in encouraging kids to read all kinds of literary genres and books, including these 16 Banned Books to Read Before 12th Grade .

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Different Types of Literature

What is literature.

Literature generally can be any written work, but it especially is an artistic or intellectual work of writing. The usage of language in literature differs sometimes from the way it is ordinarily used. The difference is the use of artistic tools to create aesthetic beauty in a text. Literature is the depiction of the society. It is a great tool to teach the morality to a society. 

Here is the detailed study about types of literature.

Types of Literature

Below are the main types of literature: Drama, Fable, Autobiography , Biography , Poetry, Prose, Science Fiction, and Journalistic Literature.

Drama is a play in literature, and a playwright composes it. It portrays fictional or non-fictional stories. To explain away certain events, characters, or stories, a drama is produced, using dialogues or actions. It can be performed on stage, radio or on big screens as in films. Conflicts, emotions and impressive characters are required to produce a high-quality drama. There are many forms of drama but some of the most common are:  comedy, tragedy, musical drama  and  melodrama . Let us have a brief explanation of these types of drama.

1. Comedy :  

Comedy is a type of drama, which is lighter in tone. Its purpose is to make the audience laugh and amuse them. It has a happy ending. Very unusual circumstances are there coupled with quick and witty remarks. People consider it as the most entertaining and fun form of drama and literature. An example of a comedy drama is  ’The Comedy of Errors’  by William Shakespeare.

2. Tragedy :  

Tragedy is the type of drama that has a dark theme. It portrays suffering, pain, longing, and often death. An example of a tragedy drama is ‘ Othello ’  by William Shakespeare.

3. Musical Drama :  

A musical drama tells a story with dialogues, songs, music, and dance. These things convey the emotions in the drama. An example of a musical drama is  ‘A Star is Born’ , which starred Lady Gaga.

4. Melodrama :  

Melodrama is a kind of drama that portrays exaggerated emotions like tension or excitement. It arouses the same emotions in the audience and makes them indulged in it. The situation and the dialogues are more important in a melodrama than action. An example of a melodrama is  ‘Still   Life, Brief Encounter’  by Noel Coward.

Writers write a fable when the intention is to provide the audience with a moral story. A fable usually uses animals as characters to convey the story. In Fables, animals act like humans and can speak and understand reasoning. They are a personification of human characteristics and their nature. An example of a fable is the famous story of ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ , which almost every child has heard in his childhood. The Animal Farm by George Orwell is also a famous fable. 

Autobiography

  Autobiography is an interesting thing to read because of its teller of the story is the one, about who the story is. The character himself is the writer and describes his life from his own original perspective and experiences. It gives you an insight on the person that is writing it, because they share their true-life events and thoughts. Mostly, famous people write autobiographies to tell their story to their fans and the world. A famous and spectacular example of autobiography is  ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ , a book by Anne Frank.

Biography in literature tells the story of a person from another person’s perspective. Someone else writes it rather than the subject himself. Biography differs from a resume because it enlightens the audience with different aspects of a person’s life. A great example of biography is ‘Unbroken:   A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption’,  by Laura Hillenbrand.

Poetry in literature is a composition of rhythm, sound, and lyrics. The definition of poetry by one of the greatest poets in history, William Wordsworth, is  “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” . The poet composes poetry in a sort of song to develop emotions and imaginations in the listeners’ hearts and minds. Poetry is aesthetic. The poet chooses words carefully, so the listeners can relate themselves to it. The four main types of poetry are haiku, free verse, sonnets ,  and  acrostic   poems . An example of one of the most beautiful books of poetry is  ‘Ariel’ , by Sylvia Plath.

Prose in literature is that form of literature, which is somewhat plain and simple. It has no special grammar structure or a writing pattern to follow. It is written in a usual tone, forming into a natural speech or a conversational tone. Nothing is specific in prose. Paragraphs or sentences can be long or short. Examples of prose include novels, newspapers, textbooks, etc.

Science Fiction

Science fiction, also called “sci-fi,” is a genre of literature where most of the things are imaginary. The stories are about the future technology. These fiction stories also have a relationship to real science laws, because science considers those things possible in the future, according to the scientific laws. Science fictions are sometimes true and sometimes they are just imaginations based on assumptions. Some examples of science fiction are, ‘The Time Machine’  by H. G. Wells,  ‘Spies in Disguise’  by Blue Sky Studios,  ‘A Wrinkle in Time’  by Madeleine L’Engle, etc.

Journalistic Literature

Journalistic Literature is a sort of nonfiction. In literary journalism, the journalist gathers information and then creates and publishes. It combines the facts and reporting with some clever strategies and narrative techniques. These techniques make the reports more engaging and interesting. People call literary journalism also Narrative or New Journalism. Some of the most prominent literary journalists of past and present are Mark Singer, Richard Rhodes, Jack London, Stephen Crane, Tom Wolfe, Henry Mayhew, etc.

Related Articles

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Greek tragedy versus Shakespearean tragedy

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Different Types and Kinds of Literature

Literature is a broad term that refers to almost any widely available written work that centers on a common theme. All literature can be sorted into one of two categories: nonfiction, which describes writing based on facts, and fiction, which is fabricated to some degree. Literary works are broken down further into several other types of literature depending on the degree to which they mimic reality, as well as their structural and thematic characteristics.

Nonfiction literature refers to a variety of texts that strive to depict information that is 100 percent factually accurate. Like fictitious works, a work of nonfiction may tell a story; however, the facts are of utmost importance and may be presented using storytelling elements. Good nonfiction literature is void of stereotypes or biases and organized in a manner that is easy to follow and understand. Some examples of nonfiction literature include biographies and autobiographies, scientific journals and most textbooks.

Realistic Fiction

Realistic fiction depicts stories that never occurred in real life, but nonetheless, could exist within the bounds of the world in which we live. The made-up characters in realistic fiction confront obstacles, engage in pleasures, have interests and partake in relationships similar to those that you -- or people you know -- experience in life. These characters exist in a setting that readers can realistically envision in the world as they know it. Good realistic fiction features a conflict that could exist in the real world, a theme that readers can relate to their own lives, settings that could be found in the real world, believable dialogue and convincing characters. The Nicholas Sparks novel "The Notebook" is an example of realistic fiction because the story is made up, yet still deals with believable characters and obstacles such as Alzheimer's disease, which occur in the real world.

Literary fantasy, unlike realistic fiction, is a type of fiction containing elements that cannot possibly exist in the real world. Works of fantasy do not abide by the scientific and natural laws of Earth. They may possess characters with supernatural abilities and/or settings that readers cannot relate to because the environments can never exist in the real world. Thus, readers must be able to suspend their disbelief in order to enjoy a work of literary fantasy. Good fantasy stories are able to captivate readers' interest, have a well-developed plot and characters and possess some sort of identifiable theme. J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series is a well-known example of literary fantasy. Its characters possess supernatural abilities and inhabit magical settings that could never exist in the world as we know it.

Poetry is usually a fictitious -- though sometimes nonfictitious -- type of literature that seeks to use the written word in a more condensed and artistic manner than everyday prose. It is known for its often metaphoric and figurative use of language to appeal to the senses, oftentimes while employing rhythmic patterns and rhymed words. No single, comprehensive definition of poetry is possible because there are so many types, each with their own set of structural rules. Limericks, for example, are humorous, nonsensical poems made up of five lines in which the first, second and fifth lines rhyme with one another and have three beats each, while the third and fourth lines rhyme separately and have two beats each. Conversely, free verse poetry is void of intentional rhyming and similar to everyday speech in rhythm. Other common types of poems include ballads, Japanese haikus and sonnets.

• The University of Toledo: Types of Literature

Dawn Westin is an experienced professional writer who has contributed articles to publications including "South Magazine" and "The Inkwell." She holds a BA in English and professional communications from Armstrong Atlantic State University and currently takes courses at Georgia Southern University in hopes of soon enrolling in medical school.