Story Types, Genres, and Ratings

Story Types

Original Fiction means the plot and characters are the author's own creation.

Fan Fiction means some element of the story is derived from pop culture and other works.

True Story means the events written about actually took place, such as an autobiography.

Story Genres

Action An action story is characterized by scenes with excitement and suspense, where the main character often must engage in dangerous, physical behavior to succeed. Features may include violence, life threatening situations, criminals or superheroes.

Adventure An adventure story involves a main character who faces a series of often dangerous tasks to reach their goal. Features may include exotic locations, battles and quests.

Autobiography An autobiography is a story written about one’s own life, realistically. Features may include memories and reflections.

Biography A biography is the story of another person’s life. Features may include discussing the accomplishments, family history and career of a person. If the biography is written in a narrative fashion, it should be posted as a story. If the biography is written in an expository fashion, it should be posted as an article.

Comedy A comedy is a story written with the intent of being humorous and amusing to a reader. Features include ironic situations, jokes and laughable characters.

Crime A crime story deals with illegal activity, and typically the discovery of a crime. Features may include corruption, murder, police or law enforcement and gangs.

Drabble A drabble is a very short piece of writing just one chapter long, usually 100 words or less. Drabbles typically focus on emotions and very brief experiences.

Drama A drama involves complex relationships between characters and the conflicts that arise between the characters and the external world. Features may include romance, lies, and power struggles.

Fantasy A fantasy story typically uses magic and other supernatural elements to create a unique world. Features may include spells, ghosts and fantastical creatures such as witches or ghouls.

Horror A horror story scares or disturbs readers with unsettling content. Features may include serial killers, gore and unpleasant settings.

Mystery A mystery focuses around an unresolved plot line and suspicious characters. Features may include disappearances, thefts and detective work.

Religious A religious story is centered on a plot line directly relevant to gods or religion. Features may include religious texts, churches or religious leaders.

Romance A romance story focuses primarily on relationships and love. Features may include marriage, characters falling in love and love triangles

Sci-fi A science fiction story contains fantastical elements explained by science or pseudoscience, as opposed to the supernatural. Features may include time travel, futuristic settings and fictional technology.

Teen A teen story centers around teenage life experiences. Features may include school, romance and bullying.

Thriller A thriller is characterized by fast paced and frequent action, and characters who find themselves in suspenseful and dangerous situations. Features may include kidnapping, a daring protagonist and villains.

Tragedy A tragedy focuses on a protagonist with a character flaw that leads to their demise. It should be noted that a tragic story is not necessarily equivalent to a sad story. In order for a story to be a tragedy, the protagonists must be at fault for their own downfall, not an external force. Features may include pride, arrogance and fighting.

War A war story narrates the process of war and focuses on characters involved in a war. Features may include militaries, hostages and violence.

Story Ratings

G No profanity, sexual innuendo, sexual situations, violence, drugs, etc.

PG Mild implied sexual innuendo, mild bad words used, and occasionally mature topics are allowed.

PG-13 Some violence and gore permitted. Sexual innuendo, implied sexual relations [but never sex scenes however mild]. May include serious topics such as suicide, sexuality, mild drug/alcohol advocacy, rape aftermath, details of childbirth. Not intended for those under 13.

R Just-short-of explicit sex allowed. Graphic torture, violence, and gore permitted. Rape just-short-of explicit is allowed. Extreme language, slurs, and drug usage are allowed. Not recommended for minors.

NC-17 Explicit sex scenes and excessively gory violence allowed, as well as everything above. Not intended for minors.