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FICTION is any narrative about INVENTED characters and events.

There are THREE types of fiction:

1. Short Story

   1. Concentrated form of a Novel
   2. Smaller cast of characters
   3. The focus is only on the Protagonist
   4. Centers around a single conflict
   5. Usually published with other short stories by the same author OR theme
      1. HERE is a list of the Baltimore City Paper’s best Short Stories! – Click Here!

2. Novella

   1. Shorter than a novel, but longer than a short story (usually between 75 to 150 pages)
   2. Unlike a short story, Novellas are published on their own
      1. HERE is a giant list of popular Novellas! – Click Here!

3. Novel

   1. An extended narrative
   2. Great length and scope
   3. Complex characters
   4. Complex plot
      1. Here is a list of New York Times best novels ever written! – Click Here!

What are the different GENRES OF NOVELS?

1. Epistolary Novel
   1. A Novel comprised of a series of letters between characters, or diary entries
   2. The setting, characaterication, etc. are given through the point of view of the narrator
      1. EXAMPLE – Bram Stokers’s Dracula, Stephen King’s Carrie, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple
2. Realistic Novel
   1. Depicts a fictional world that closely resembles our own
   2. Characters encounter true-to-life issues/situations
      1. EXAMPLE – Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Jeff Spinelli’s Stargirl
3. Graphic Novel
   1. A Long Comic Book
   2. Combination of text and art in comic book form
      1. EXAMPLE – Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim, Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis, Alan Moore’s Watchmen
4. Bildungsroman Novel
   1. Depicts the emotional, intellectual, and physical development of the Protagonist from childbirth to old age OR death
      1. EXAMPLE – Charles Dicken’s David Copperfield, Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye
5. Historical Fiction Novel
   1. A fictional Novel about a real-past-historical event
   2. Uses a real event from history as the backdrop for the fictional characaters and plot
      1. EXAMPLE – Steven Pressfield’s Gates of Fire, Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall
6. Gothic Novel
   1. Characters are heroes or villians
   2. Protagonist is usually an outcast from society
   3. Setting is usually somewhere strange or exotic
   4. Plot revolves around evil, madness, mystery, revenge, or terror
   5. Plot is Good vs. Evil
      1. EXAMPLE – Dennis Lehan’s Shutter Island, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown
7. Romance Novel
   1. Centers on the relationship and romantic love of two characaters
   2. Usually ends happy for the lovers
      1. EXAMPLE – Any book by Danielle Steele or Nicholas Sparks
8. Science Fiction Novel
   1. Setting takes place in the future or somewhere futuristic – usually other worlds, planets, or somewhere in a land far, far away
   2. Story involves new technology or new scientific principles
   3. Story involves a new political system and new social systems
      1. EXAMPLE – Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game
9. Fantasy Novel
   1. Includes magic or other supernatural forces
   2. The setting is usually somewhere strange – alternate planes of existence, other planets, or other worlds
   3. Mythology and Folklore are common themes
   4. Usually centers around an adventure
      1. EXAMPLE – The Lord of the Rings series, The Harry Potter series
10. Mystery / Crime Novel
    1. Centers around a detective solving a crime
    2. Emphasis on puzzle elements and a logical solution
    3. “Red-Herrings” are a big part of mystery / crime novels
    4. Definition – Red-Herring – Noun. Something intended to divery attention from the real matter at hand; a misleading clue
       1. EXAMPLE – Any book by Agatha Christie, Any book by Jo Nesbo

HERE are the ELEMENTS OF FICTION along with exercises! – Click here!