Types of Writing Genres: A Short Guide

In this blog, we will discuss the different types of writing genres. Every genre of writing has its mindset and set of expectations. Genres are the tool for creativity and provide various perspectives to tell your story in different ways. 

As a writer, your work will fit into a certain genre whether you want it or not, and that is purely based on what you are creating. On one side, some work may fit into one Genre. On the other hand, some may have different genres.

There are three different types of writing genres that we will take a look at in this blog. We have separated writing genres like Professional Writing, Literary Writing, and, lastly, Academic Writing.

If you’re wondering which one is right for you then this is the right place for you. 

Here we will discover different writing genres that you need to know!

So, without further ado, let’s dive into it!

What is the Need for Types of Writing Genres?

They Help Writers Sort Out Their Ideas and Feelings: When writers know what kind of writing they are doing, they can use the rules of that kind of writing to help them organize their writing. This can speed up the writing process and help writers make work simpler and more sense.

They Help People Know What to Expect From a Piece of Writing: When a reader knows the genre of a piece of writing, they can guess what they know about it to guess what the piece is about. This can help people read faster and better understand what they are reading.

They Help Writers Connect With the People Who Read Their Work: When writers choose the right type for their readers, their writing is easier to understand and more interesting to read. This can help writers connect with their readers and reach their goals for dialogue.

Aside From These General Benefits: there are other reasons to use different types of writing. For example, expository writing can help writers explain complicated ideas clearly, while descriptive writing can help writers paint detailed pictures in the minds of their readers. Narrative writing can help writers tell stories that entertain and teach, while persuasive writing can help writers persuade readers to do something.

They Can Help a Writer Find His or Her Voice: By trying different types of writing, writers can find the type that fits their style and attitude the best. This can help writers find their style, which will help them connect with their readers.

They Can Help Writers Come Up With Better Ideas: Writers can stretch their creative skills and develop new ideas if they try to write in different styles. This can make writers more creative and help them develop more original ideas.

They Can Help Writers Get Better at What They Do:  Writers can improve their skills by learning the rules of different types of writing. This can help writers write better and make their work look more polished.

In the end, there are different types of writing because they are used for different things. If writers know the rules for each type, they can choose the right one for their purpose and audience. This will help them write in a clear, powerful, and interesting way.

What are Writing Genres?

The writing Genre is mostly called the name of Literary Genre. It is a type of narrative that can be used or written. Mostly, it is used for one purpose only to share emotions, ideas, and news with other people. Writing Genre is used to tell the story interestingly. 

Writing within each Genre will reflect a whole new story and share several features like rhyme, image, and stylistic devices. The main focus of each Genre is to describe the events, theory, and several ideas in certain ways. In other words, the aim of each writing genre is how the elements are conveyed and described. 

What are the Different Types of Writing Genres?

Three main types of Writing Genres are as follows:

• Professional Writing.
• Literary Writing.
• Academic Writing.

Professional Writing Genre (Types of Writing Genres)

Social Media 

Social Media is a growing genre in business communication. The level of discussion in social media may vary depending on the topic and audience. Well-considered successful post on social media to help understand how it’s used to reach a wider target audience.

Business Letters

It can be both formal and informal. A perfectly written business letter shows the reader why it is important. If you want successful communication, then a structured approach is very important.

Memos 

Well, Memos provide a clear summary, and the most crucial information is given at the beginning, but Paper Memos are no longer used nowadays. A positive tone is used to help the reader understand what the author is trying to say, making it appropriate for the users. 

In the past, memos were considered the best business correspondence. The Main Guideline of the memo still exists, even if the median of the paper memo has been changed. 

Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes include dates, times, attendees, and location. This is the standard format of Meeting Minutes. It is also important to record the most crucial details to avoid any misunderstanding later.

As a result, there are many ways involved in recording meeting minutes. The minutes should be uniform with the location and names. Unnecessary information should be avoided so that it can not cause any difficulty later.

This is the end of the Professional writing genre. Now we move to the Literary writing genre, and lastly, we will continue with the Academic Genre. 

Literary Writing Genre (Types of Writing Genres)

Mystery 

This Genre is mostly associated with crime, mainly murder, but it does have to be. Any story which involves the unraveling of a secret or mystery would be considered within this Genre. 

This Genre often describes a criminal investigation or legal case. Well, the most popular novel is The Sherlock Holmes Story. Mystery novels are a genre that typically has a problem to solve. 

Category of Mystery Genre:

• Locked-room mysteries.
• Historical mysteries.
• Police procedural whodunit. ( A story about a murder in which the identity of the murderer is hidden at the end )

Literary nonfiction

Literary nonfiction is all about real events and people. Nonfiction can be found in magazines like The Atlantic, The New York, and Harper’s Magazine. 

Horror

This type of Genre is associated with creating feelings of fear and dread. Some of you might think of this Genre as full of “blood and gore”. Anything which creates negative feelings about something will come under the category of Horror. 

Horror is the genre of film, literature, and TV shows. The main aim of the horror genre is to create fear. 

Gothic novels are an example of ancient horror literature. On the other hand, Stephen King is considered the father of modern horror literature. Well, nowadays, new writers have pushed the boundaries of horror stories. Writers include John Langan, Stephen Graham Jones, and many more.

Historical

In the Historical Genre, the story takes place in the past. Sometimes real people are included to interact with the fictional character to create a sense of realism. 

Romance 

This Genre deals with the love stories between two people. The element of romance can be found in many types of literature. Romance has been there since ancient times, but time travels so fast, and the paranormal romances have become more popular nowadays. 

Science Fiction

As the name suggests, Science Fiction is the genre that deals with science and technology in society. Science fiction is a special type of Genre that includes elements of time travel, futuristic societies, and space. People often call Science Fiction (Sci-Fi). 

Magical realism

Magical realism is a type of literature in which the real world is depicted with an influence of magic and fantasy. In magical realism, the stories may occur in the real world but with some supernatural elements. Magical realism has close ties with Latin American Authors. Magical realism is used by literature from around the globe.

Fantasy

Fantasy novels are fiction stories that are set in imaginary universes. This Genre is inspired by folklore and mythology that is enjoyed by both children and adults 

Dystopian

Dystopian novels are about futuristic and oppressive societies. In other words, the Dystopian novel features some political and social unrest. It can help us examine real types of fear like mass surveillance by the government.

Graphic Fiction

Graphic Fiction is the category of Graphic Novels and Comic Books.

Short Stories

Well, this type of Genre may fit into any number of genres. In Short stories, there is only one plot to it, no subplot in this Genre. 

Tall Tales

Tall Tales stories are not realistic or don’t try to become realistic. 

Academic Writing Genre (Types of Writing Genres)

Analytical Writing

In Analytical writing, the author has a chance to include persuasive writing. A common layout uses the structure of methods, results, introduction, summary, and discussion. 

Professional Writing 

Professional Writing is a wide category that includes emails, studies, reports, business letters, and summaries. If you are writing for a client, then it is beneficial for you to follow the style rule of the company. 

Argumentative Writing

Argumentative writing is a type of academic essay. In this, the writer breaks down an idea into its parts and then offers evidence for each part. This writing is mostly based on understanding and reading fiction or nonfiction texts. 

Argumentative writing has three sections:

• A thesis
• Evidence or supporting point.
• Conclusion.

Most Common Types of Writing Genres That You Should Know

Descriptive Writing 

In Descriptive writing, the author writes about every aspect of the person, place, or event and describes all aspects in detail. 

Example of Descriptive Writing:

• Narrative Nonfiction.
• Fictional Stories.

Expository Writing

Expository writing is used to educate the reader. So the main goal of expository writing is to teach the reader rather than entertainment.

Example of Expository Writing:

• Textbook.
• Technical Writing.
• Recipes writing.

Narrative Writing

Narrative Writing is used to tell people what happens somewhere or with someone. Narrative Writing includes Fiction and nonfiction. Whereas nonfiction is based on real events, and fiction writing is completely made up. 

Example of Narrative Writing:

• Short-story.
• Presentations
• Speeches, and many more.

Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is used to convince the reader about something. This type of writing is written when the author has a strong opinion on something. It is used to encourage people to take action regarding any issue. 

Example of Persuasive Writing:

• An opinion piece in the newspaper.
• Reviews.
• Sales writing.

Read more about writing styles: Different Types Of Writing Styles

Conclusion

Now you know the different types of writing genres and their most used forms. So which Genre or form is close to you, and which one do you use the most. In this blog, we provide you with a short guide to types of writing genres, with the most common Genre that you should know. 

I hope you like it!

Frequently Asked Questions