Genres and Terms of Writing Explained

Terms of Writing
In writing there are certain words that are used to describe certain parts of your story, screenplay, or novel. Below is a list that gives a simple explanation of each of those words.

1. Plot - In any story or tale, the plot is the sequence of events and actions that happens and the characters are put through. This keeps the story going.

2. Character - Whoever you create, or the people and animals, you place into your story. Characterization depends on what they say, do, and how they act. As well as their likes, feelings, actions, and emotions.

3. Dialogue - Whatever your characters say, that is dialogue. Whether they are talking to themselves or chatting with others.

4. Theme - Ask yourself what your writing is about. This is the theme of your work.

5. Setting - Based on time and place. Depends what happens in your story at what time and where. There can be several difficult settings within any writing.

6. Point of view - Who is telling the story? Point of view can be first person (I, me, myself), second person (you, yours), or third person (he, she, they).

7. Imagery - Adding vivid details and descriptions. Let your words show your audience, rather than tell them. Based on feeling, emotions, and senses.

8. Scene - Used mostly in plays and television. This divides the story up, using setting and actions. In plays, each scene is subdivided into acts, there can be several acts to a scene.

Genres of Writing
Genre depends on the style, form, and content you choose to write. Or you can always write first, then choose which genre your work best fits into it. You can even mix and match, for example, poetry and song, song and story, and even science fiction with romance.

1. Poetry, meaningful, emotional, and full of powerful perception with very few words.Whether it rhymes or not, poems still follow a rhythm and falls somewhere between music and prose.

2. Novel is a long story with a plot, that follows and is revealed b the actions of your characters. They almost always follow a theme, ises a setting, a tone, characters, and dialogue.

3. Short story can be as short as you want it. This focuses more on mood rather than plot. It also includes a theme, setting, tone, characters, and dialogue. Some short stories can be a few pages long, perhaps one page, or even just a paragraph.

4. Play is written for the stage or screen. Full of drama, it's performed and acted out mainly based on dialogue. Plays uses a stage, a set, props, and costumes. Actors are instructed and given directions from one or more directors.

5. Essay, a personal look on any topic. Usually a review of opinions and facts that you put together in an attempt to win the audience over.

6. Mystery, a writing that has clues to follow, a puzzle to piece together, and makes the readers wonder. This will keep them trying o figure out certain details, and still get surprised by the ending.

7. Nonfiction, either literary or creative. This shows true events in a story format. A few forms of nonfiction also include, biographies, how-to, articles, and journals. Basically anything based on truth.

Some more genres are science fiction, comedy, romance, fantasy, horror, and western.