Friday Friend: Genre

​One aspect of writing that a writer must know is genre. Most don't think they know much until it is explained. No matter where your writing takes you (be it author, screenwriting, or directing e.t.c.) you will always encounter genres. It is inescapable so you might as well become friends now.

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PRONOUNCIATION

Genre

Ja-n-rah (not Gen-rah)

MEANING

​​Genre is a fancy word for category. It is the classification of reading materials.

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​Why? You ask.
 
Because we are humans and we love to put things into little neat labels. It might be a fault but no one complains when they get the last limited edition Oreos because they know it will be in the cookies section.
 
No?
 
That's just me?
 
Okay then, moving on.
 
Truth is: it makes us feel better. For all the reasons stated above and many more.

Main categories

​Genre has four main categories: poetry, non-fiction, fiction and drama. Each of which is further divided into numerous sub-sections (fiction more than nonfiction).

Which Genre?

It depends on literary technique, tone, content, or even length. Genre should not be confused with age category: adult, new adult, young-adult, or children's.

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nonfiction

​Non-fiction is a narrative account based on real facts and information, at least according to the author. You say, po-ta-to; I say, po-tah-to. As long as its edible, no one cares. 

fiction

​Fiction "deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not real, but rather, imaginary and theoretical—that is, invented by the author." --Wikipedia (yes, I went there)

​The next post will focus on non-fiction, which will be divided into two or three posts. Then we will focus on fiction which will take considerably longer.