Literature

fiction

literature that describes imaginary people and events rather than real ones

non-fiction

writing based on facts, real events, and real people

autobiography

a book about a person's life written by that person

adventure story

a story involving exciting experiences, journeys, or unusual events

biography

a book about a person's life written by someone else

comics

stories told through a series of drawings, often with speech bubbles

crime story / detective story / whodunit

a story about a crime and the attempt to discover who committed it

diary

a book in which a person records daily events, experiences, and thoughts

essay

a short piece of writing expressing ideas or opinions about a particular subject

fairy story / fairy tale

a traditional story involving magic, imaginary creatures, or extraordinary events

fantasy

a genre of literature involving magical or supernatural elements that do not exist in the real world

historical story (historic story)

a story set in the past, often based on historical events or periods

horror story

a story intended to frighten or shock readers

lyrics

the words of a song

manga

a style of Japanese comic books and graphic novels

memoirs

a written account of a person's experiences and memories, usually focusing on specific periods or events

novel

a long fictional story written in prose

play

a piece of writing intended to be performed by actors in a theatre

poetry

literary works written in verse, often expressing emotions, ideas, or experiences

prose

written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without poetic structure

psychological story

a story that focuses on characters' thoughts, emotions, and mental development

romance

a story primarily concerned with love and relationships

science fiction

a genre dealing with imagined scientific advances, future societies, space travel, or technology

sensational story

a story designed to create strong emotions, excitement, or shock

short story

a brief work of fiction, shorter than a novel

spy story

a story involving espionage, secret agents, and intelligence activities

suspense story / thriller

a story that creates excitement, tension, and anticipation about what will happen next

travel writing

literature describing journeys, places, and travel experiences

verse

writing arranged in lines with a rhythmic pattern, especially poetry

novelist

a writer of novels

playwright

a person who writes plays for the theatre

sketch

a rough or unfinished piece of writing or drawing

manuscript

the original text of a book or other work before publication

draft of a book

an early version of a book that may still be revised

creativity

the ability to produce original and imaginative ideas

inspiration

a person, idea, or feeling that gives someone the desire to create something

motivation

the reason or enthusiasm for doing something

creative urge

a strong desire to create or express ideas through art or writing

pseudonym / alias

a false name used by a writer or artist instead of their real name

prolific author

a writer who produces a large number of works

literary movement

a group of writers sharing similar ideas, styles, or goals during a particular period

literary criticism

the analysis and evaluation of literary works

literary critic

a person who studies, analyzes, and reviews literature

trend

a general direction in which literature, art, or culture is developing

style

the particular way in which a writer expresses ideas through language

editor

a person who prepares and corrects a text before publication

ghostwriter

a person who writes a book, article, or speech that is officially credited to someone else

readership

the group of people who regularly read a particular writer, book, or publication

literary agent

a person who represents writers and helps sell their work to publishers

bestseller

a book that sells in very large numbers

mastery of

complete skill or excellent knowledge of something

edition

a particular version of a book that has been published

chapter

one of the main sections of a book

volume

a single book that is part of a larger series or collection

hardback (hardcover)

a book with a stiff, hard cover

paperback

a book with a flexible paper cover

climax / culmination

the most exciting, important, or intense point of a story

action

the events and activities that take place in a story

conflict

a struggle or disagreement between characters, ideas, or forces

resolution

the part of a story where the conflict is solved or comes to an end

setting

the time and place in which a story happens

location

the specific place where events occur

background

the circumstances, history, or information that help explain a story or character

character (major/minor)

a person in a story; a major character is important to the plot, while a minor character has a smaller role

protagonist

the main character in a story

narrator

the person or voice that tells the story

concept

the main idea or central theme of a story

title

the name of a book, story, or other literary work

plot

the sequence of events that make up a story

to think up a new concept

to invent or create a new idea for a story or work

to develop a story

to add details and events to make a story more complete

to unfold (a story)

to progress or gradually reveal events in a story

to draw a character

to create and describe a character's personality and qualities in a convincing way

to convey

to communicate or express an idea, feeling, or message

to describe

to give details about someone or something

to represent

to show or stand for a particular idea, group, or quality

to portray

to describe or present a character, situation, or idea in a particular way

to depict

to show or represent someone or something in words or pictures

to involve

to include or affect someone or something as part of a story or situation

to embody

to be a perfect example or expression of an idea or quality

to be consumed by

to be completely controlled or occupied by a strong emotion, idea, or desire

primitive (style)

simple and basic, often resembling early forms of art or culture

moving

causing strong feelings of sadness, sympathy, or emotion

commonplace

ordinary and not interesting because it is very common

amusing

entertaining and making people laugh or smile

dragged out

made longer than necessary and therefore boring

cultivated

showing good education, refined taste, and knowledge of culture

instructive

providing useful knowledge or teaching something

humorous

funny and intended to make people laugh

plain

simple and not decorated or complicated

touching

causing feelings of sympathy, affection, or sadness

gripping

very exciting and holding the reader's attention completely

elaborate

detailed and carefully developed

explicit (meaning)

clear and easy to understand; expressed directly

readable

easy and enjoyable to read

haunting

difficult to forget because it creates strong emotions or memories

well-drawn

(of a character) realistically and effectively described

dull

boring and not interesting

catching (story)

interesting and attractive enough to keep someone's attention

heavy-going

difficult to read or understand because it is serious or complicated