These descriptions are intended to explicate some foundational elements of the traditional genres listed below. They are not instructions to be followed explicitly for your own stories, but rather are a gesture towards what the judges might expect from a story of each genre. The elements and genre definitions themselves can of course be stretched in your work, but a story lacking any semblance of a genre’s fundamental qualities will not be considered as having fulfilled the genre prompt.

These are stories about growing up: the lessons one learns about the world and the life changes – emotional, physical, and relational – that come with transitioning from childhood to adulthood. Sometimes these experiences happen through an isolated adventure/incident that takes place over a relatively short time, and sometimes it’s many happenings, dramatic or mundane, that have a cumulative effect with the passing of time. Can combine with any number of other genres: adventure, fantasy, drama, etc.

Some works of coming-of-age fiction include The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess; To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath; The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton; and Citrus County by John Brandon.

A mystery is afoot! As the name suggests, these are stories that follow a detective (or detectives) as they investigate a crime. In a classic whodunit, there are plenty of suspects to consider, evidence to collect, and clues to crack, leading up to the big reveal of the crime’s true culprit. The story’s tone can range from dark and gloomy (“hardboiled” fiction) to light and funny (as in a buddy-cop comedy), and the stakes of the crime may vary wildly as well.

Some works of detective fiction include the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot novels; Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels; and the Nancy Drew series.

Stories that intend to startle, scare, shock, and/or disturb their readers. These frights may be psychological in nature – focused on the perturbed or troubled mental states of the characters involved – or may stem from more supernatural elements, such as demons, monsters, or malevolent spirits.

Some works of horror or Gothic fiction include Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”; Woodworm by Layla Martínez; Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle; and Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves.

Also known as “portal fantasy,” this is a genre of story in which one or more characters are transported to another world, be it a fantastical place, a parallel universe, or the world of a book, movie, video game, or other medium. The character or characters must then discover how to survive in their new setting, with or without the chance of returning home.

Some examples of isekai stories include L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court; C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and the Digimon franchise.

This is a genre of stories that are set in the real world but contain magical, fantastical, or supernatural elements. The magic is often commonplace for the characters, who treat the uncanny events – the comings and goings of strange creatures, extraordinary occurrences, mysterious transformations – as typical of the world they live in. It is often more focused on emotional resonance and vivid physical description rather than worldbuilding or detailing the rules behind the magical events.

Some magical realist novels and stories include Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude; Aimee Bender’s “The Rememberer”; and “A Visit” by Steven Millhauser.

These are stories in which the over-the-top and sensational plot tends to take precedence over subtlety and character development. The characters might be more exaggerated or cartoonish, fitting particular archetypes more than encompassing the full range of human emotions and experiences. Dialogue (especially inflated, grandiloquent rhetoric or sappy platitudes) tends to take precedence over action, and the settings are often domestic.

They can be funny, overly dramatic, or soap-y.

Three similar genres of folktale to choose from, all involving the trials and travails of fabled individuals. Myths tend to focus on gods or other deities and have a strong supernatural element to them, while legends and tall tales are exaggerated stories generally based on the heroic feats, daring exploits, or wild behavior of a larger-than-life character or creature.

Some myths, legends, and tall tales include Homer’s Odyssey; the story of Paul Bunyan; and tales of the Mothman and other cryptids.

It’s not just pirates! These are stories that take place on or nearby the ocean or other large bodies of water, and are often set on a sailing vessel. There is often a strong relationship between the characters and the setting – the water, the ship, the seaside town, etc. – and the story may include elements of drama, realism, adventure, or historical fiction as well.

Some works of nautical fiction include Moby-Dick by Herman Melville; “Last Voyage of the Ghost Ship” by Gabriel García Márquez; “Open Boat” by Stephen Crane; and Peter Benchley’s Jaws.

A genre in which one or more characters head out on a journey of exploration and adventure, perhaps for self-discovery, to complete an important task, or because they are searching for something – or someone – special. The act of leaving one’s home and venturing out into places unknown is often a key component of road trip and quest stories, as are meeting new people and/or experiencing new things. These stories may be rooted in realism or incorporate elements of fantasy, science fiction, comedy, or other genres.

Some works of road trip or quest fiction include J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Hobbit; Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series; E.B. White’s Stuart Little; and the film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

These are stories that focus on the humorous aspects of finding and falling in love. Often, the main characters will desire to be together but be kept apart by societal complications which must be overcome, which will lead to amusing and entertaining circumstances. Rom-coms frequently end happily, with the two lovers being united at last.

Some works of romantic comedy include Emily Henry’s Beach Read; Gwen and Art Are Not In Love by Lex Croucher; The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren; Becky Albertalli’s Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda; and the films 10 Things I Hate About You and Sleepless in Seattle.

This is a genre that is often set in an imagined future, when technological or scientific advances have transformed society and the characters must contend with those changes in their everyday lives. Space travel, including contact with other worlds and extraterrestrials, is one common element, but the nature of the technological or societal changes can certainly be much more subtle (or more profound). Though often grounded in the sciences, as one might expect, science fiction touches on a wide range of subject matters and may include elements of other genres as well, such as adventure, horror, or political satire.

Some works of science fiction include Arthur C. Clarke’s Childhood’s End; Nnedi Okorafor’s Who Fears Death; Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life”; Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park; and Ursula K. LeGuin’s The Left Hand of Darkness.

Traditionally stories about the American West and set somewhere around 1849-1890, the genre has expanded somewhat to encompass frontier tales of other places as well, including the Australian outback, the Brazilian sertão, China, Japan, and outer space. They often center around the appearance of a mysterious stranger, the politics of vigilante-ism and law enforcement in an isolated, remote location, and the concept of personal honor and what that might mean to each individual. These stories may or may not include desperados, bandits, sheriffs, saloon keepers, and other hallmark characters of the genre, and can incorporate elements from other genres, including action, coming-of-age, and science fiction.

Some works of Western fiction include Louis L’Amour’s The Quick and the Dead; Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian; The Devil to Pay in the Backlands by João Guimarães Rosa; and the films Seven Samurai and The Empire Strikes Back.

One (1) of the following items, to be chosen at random by the judges, must be featured in the story. These may include, but are not limited to:

Harmonica

Wicker basket

Fire extinguisher

Raspberry bush

Rollerskates

Apiary

Toboggan

Straight razor

Handkerchief

Fossil

Chew toy

Crown

Yo-yo

Abstract painting

Rotary phone

One (1) of the following short phrases, to be chosen at random by the judges, must be featured in the story. These phrases will be a maximum of five (5) words and must be incorporated verbatim into the text. These may include, but are not limited to:

the butterfly flapped its wings

that’s so much blood

they came pouring out

only my suffering matters

what was I talking about

the rest of her life

what a mess

got it right here