Outline of fiction

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fiction:

Fiction – any form of narrative which deals, in part or in whole, with events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary and invented by its author(s). Although fiction often describes a major branch of literary work, it is also applied to theatrical, cinematic, documental, and musical work. In contrast to this is non-fiction, which deals exclusively in factual events (e.g.: biographies, histories). Semi-fiction is fiction implementing a great deal of non-fiction,^[1] e.g. a fictional description based on a true story.

Elements of fiction

Character

• Fictional character –
  • Protagonist – main character around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy.
  • Antagonist – character, group of characters, or an institution, who oppose the main character.

Plot

• Plot –
  • Subplot –
  • Story arc –
  • Narrative structure –

Setting

• Setting –
• Milieu –

Theme

• Theme –
• Motif –

Style

• Style –
• Fiction writing –
• Writing style –
• Fiction-writing mode –
• Allegory –
• Symbolism –
• Tone –

Genres of fiction

Genres based on age of reader

• Children's literature –
• Young-adult fiction –

Genres based on subject matter

Main article: Genre fiction

• Detective fiction –
• Fantasy fiction – genre of fiction that uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting.
• Mystery fiction –
• Science fiction – genre of fiction dealing with the impact of imagined innovations in science or technology, often in a futuristic setting.^[2][3][4] Exploring the consequences of such innovations is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".^[5]
• Pornography –
• Erotica – works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions.

Genres based on form

• Novels –
• Short stories –
• Fables –
• Fairy tales –
• Legend –
• Plays –
• Poems –
• Films –
• Comics –
• Video games –

Genres based on the length of the work

• Flash fiction - A work of fewer than 2,000 words. (1,000 by some definitions) (around 5 pages)
• Short story - A work of at least 2,000 words but under 7,500 words. (between about 10 and 40 pages)
• Novelette - A work of at least 7,500 words but under 17,500 words. (40-90 pages)
• Novella - A work of at least 17,500 words but under 60,000 words. (90-300 pages)
• Novel - A work of 60,000 words or more. (about 300+ pages)
• Epic - A work of 200,000 words or more. (about 1000+ pages)^{[citation needed][6][7]}

Fictional elements

Main article: List of fictional things

• Fictional animals –
  • Fictional species –
• Fictional crossovers –
• Fictional institutions –
  • Fictional companies –
• Fictional locations –
  • Fictional universes –
• Fictional media –

• Category:Lists of fictional things
• All pages beginning with "List of fiction(al)..."
• All pages beginning with "Lists of fiction(al)..."

History of fiction

• History of literature
• History of film
• History of theatre

By content

Main article: History of genre fiction

• History of detective fiction
• History of fantasy fiction
• History of mystery fiction
• History of science fiction

By form

• History of comics
• History of fables
• History of fairy tales
• History of film
• History of folklore
• History of novels
• History of plays
• History of poetry
• History of serials
• History of short stories
• History of situation comedies
• History of video games

By length

• History of flash fiction
• History of short stories
• History of novelettes
• History of novellas
• History of novels
• History of epic poetry

Uses of fiction

• Instruction
• Propaganda
• Advertising

Authors of fiction

Fantasy fiction authors

Main article: List of fantasy authors

• Piers Anthony –
• Julian May –
• J.K. Rowling –
• J. R. R. Tolkien –
• Stephenie Meyer –
• C.S. Lewis –

Horror fiction authors

Main article: List of horror fiction writers

• Stephen King –
• H. P. Lovecraft –
• R. L. Stine –

Science fiction authors

Main article: List of science fiction authors

• Isaac Asimov –
• Arthur C. Clarke –
• Philip K. Dick –
• Robert A. Heinlein –
• Frank Herbert –

Comic authors

Main article: List of comic creators

• Jean Giraud –
• Stan Lee –
• Will Eisner –

See also

• Literature

Footnotes

1. ^ Whiteman, G.; Phillips, N. (13 December 2006). "The Role of Narrative Fiction and Semi-Fiction in Organizational Studies". ERIM Report Series Research in Management. ISSN 1566-5283. http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=981296. Retrieved 23 October 2009. 
2. ^ "Science fiction - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". merriam-webster.com. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/science%20fiction. Retrieved 17 July 2010. 
3. ^ "Definition of science fiction noun from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus". dictionary.cambridge.org. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/science-fiction. Retrieved 17 July 2010. 
4. ^ "science fiction definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta". science fiction definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta. http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?lextype=3&search=science%20fiction. Retrieved 17 July 2010. 
5. ^ Marg Gilks, Paula Fleming, and Moira Allen (2003). "Science Fiction: The Literature of Ideas". WritingWorld.com. http://www.writing-world.com/sf/sf.shtml. 
6. ^ Counting a page roughly as 200 words.
7. ^ A professional writer usually writes an average of 500-1000 words per day. Stephen King stated he writes an average of 2000 words per day, every day. [1]