Genre
Genre is a loose set of criteria for a category of composition for literature (and other things). This article provides some generic genre definitions with a pointer to the genre standards and guidance for eBook uploads to the MobileRead site.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
MobileRead supports prefixes in the forum and we have decided to use them on eBook Uploads for Genre. We have added Genre to aid users in finding their favorite books. The forum also supports tags for threads. These are type in fields and can be used to supplement the prefix when more information is needed. The list of prefixes does not distinguish between fiction and non-fiction however this page does indicate the probable grouping of a particular genre.
[edit] Fiction
Definition: Fiction is a made up story written for entertainment by the author. The original root word carried the idea of 'creation using imagination'. A secondary purpose might include a story written as a moral or for other redeeming social value. It should not be used either as a tag or category to indicate an opinion of a user about the accuracy of certain data in a book.
This is a major division of eBook content and should be used as a tag when the "other" prefix is used or to make it clear that this is fiction. Other tags should be used to further categorize the topic.
[edit] Action
Action and Adventure. Some period pieces that feature the thrill of action will go here.
[edit] Children
This prefix needs genre tags to define the nature of the story. This prefix is designed to indicate the target audience for the book and likely indicates the reading level in terms of simplified vocabulary. If the story is nonfiction then a tag should be used to indicate this.
[edit] Fantasy
Fantasy differs from Science Fiction in that it need not follow science at all but creates its own world and rules. Once these rules are established or can reasonably be assumed then the story needs to follow them to maintain consistency. Fairy tales can go here with a tag to help distinguish them.
[edit] Historical Fiction
This category is for books that intentionally use an historical setting as a back drop for the story and offer an insight into the period. It can also be used for period pieces if the historic setting is important to the story line or offers insight into the period.
[edit] Horror
Horror and Thriller novels like Dracula would fit here. The use tags for subgroups can be used to distinguish the genre.
[edit] Humor
Joke books and other books intended to be funny.
[edit] Mystery and Crime
Of course a Mystery might not be about a crime and a Crime may not be a mystery but they are often related. Because we can only have one prefix we have decided to combine these two since uploaders could have problems trying to determine which one it is. Detective novels and other books with mysteries belong here. Use tags to identify which it is if it is not both. Other sub-categories can be listed as tags. This genre is generally fiction but if the book happens to be nonfiction be sure and indicate in the tag. Sometimes truth can be stranger than fiction.
In the BISAC catalog this is called Mystery and Detective while Crime is separate.
[edit] Other fiction
This prefix is used when no other genre prefix is available. Tags are really mandatory here to identify the real genre for the book.
[edit] Romance
Books about relationships between people. Love stories go here. This includes classic books and famous books, not just the dime store romance novels. Some people believe romance=sex but that is not the case. Genre classifications are not about opinions or pre-conceived notions. They are intended to help people find books they might be interested in reading.
[edit] Science Fiction
Science Fiction typically allows a set of assumptions that go beyond the realm of accepted science, such as warp drive or time travel, but then the story obeys the rules of physics, chemistry, and biology. While they are often set in the future this is not a requirement.
[edit] Short Fiction
This is short stories and collections of short stories. These are expected to be read in a single session. Novellas should probably go somewhere else based on the topic. Use tags to distinguish the genre.
BISAC defines a Short story collection as all from the same author but for our purposes it includes an Anthologies which has multiple authors.
[edit] Young Adult
This is a group of books targeted at young people. The tags can be used to identify further subgroups and actual genre of the book. If the book is nonfiction then a tag should be used.
[edit] Westerns
The novels about the American west. This genre seems to have captured the interest of many writers and readers. In some cases the Western theme can extend to places not in America, such as Australia.
[edit] Fanfiction
See the article for this controversial genre. MobileRead does not permit the upload of fanfiction eBooks.
[edit] Nonfiction
This is a major grouping. Add this choice to tags if needed to distinguish a prefix that might be used for both fiction and nonfiction.
Definition: Nonfiction is an account or representation of a subject which is presented as fact. This presentation may be accurate or not; that is, it can give either a true or a false account of the subject in question. However, it is generally assumed that the authors of such accounts believe them to be truthful at the time of their composition.
[edit] Biography
Books about the lives of people including autobiographies and memoirs.
[edit] Essays
Essays are normally an eBook with a collection of short write-ups on related subjects. This is the equivalent of the Short Stories for non-fiction books. These are typically included in literary collections.
[edit] History
These nonfiction books that are period pieces or about periods of history.
[edit] Philosophy
This includes books by the great philosophers as well as self-help books and even text books.
[edit] Reference
Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Text books, Gardening, cookbooks, etc. Computer books and manuals will go here as well.
[edit] Spiritual
Biblical stories, Bibles, Commentaries, other books with spiritual content.
[edit] Other nonfiction
This prefix is used when no other genre prefix is available. Tags are really mandatory here to identify the real genre for the book.
[edit] Poetry
All genres of poetry are included here. Use the tag feature to identify any particular type. This might include: Romance, Ballads, collections, and even song lyrics (with the music genre in the tag)
[edit] Other classifications
These are listed on this page as an aid to entering tags. Using generic terms make the search easier to perform. If there is any possible confusion as to whether a book is either fiction or nonfiction then a tag should be added.
[edit] Biographical Fiction
If the biography classification is used to indicate this genre then the tag use is mandatory marking it as fiction to avoid confusion with actual biographies. A story line that provides a life story of a character or family could fit in this genre.
[edit] Collected Works
A set of books can be identified as a collection. It becomes really important include tags with a list of genre that are included in the collection. These are often from a single author who writes in several genre which may include both fiction and non-fiction.
[edit] Graphic
This is intended for comics, graphic novels, Manga or nonfiction picture books, the so called coffee table books. Use the correct prefix and additional tags to help identify the genre. Manga, in particular, has its own set of genre (see Manga). This is a book built from graphic images. Text is generally part of the image in this kind of book although there may be a text based TOC.
[edit] BISG Standard
The Book Industry Study Group, BISG, assigns official Genre titles to eBooks that are sold. They are divided into major and minor categories. Each book is assigned a three letter major category and a 6 digit number representing minor category. The major BISG list can be found at: Bisac subject codes. (Click on Complete BISAC Subject Headings List, the exact URL changes each year.) There are about 50 major categories and each of those are further divided. Click to see the minor ones which are more that 3,100. Not all publishers use this list. Note that Fiction is one of the main categories while the others are basically non-fiction tiles although there is Juvenile Fiction and Comics & Graphic Novels (which are usually fiction) also. If something still won't fit it is assigned NON000000.
Fiction is further divided into more categories and many of them also have subcategories. The major categories that are further divided include Christian, Fantasy, Mystery & Detective, Romance, and Science Fiction. They have a major number of 3 digits with a minor 3 digit number after it. If there is no minor category it is assigned 000. In all there are more than 70 choices.
[edit] Major Categories
Here are the major categories (subjects)
| Code | Subject heading | Date introduced |
|---|---|---|
| ANT000000 | Antiques & Collectibles | |
| ARC000000 | Architecture | |
| ART000000 | Art | |
| BIB000000 | BIBLES | 2010 |
| BIO000000 | Biography & Autobiography | |
| OCC000000 | Body, Mind & Spirit | |
| BUS000000 | Business & Economics | |
| CGN000000 | COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS | 2010 |
| COM000000 | Computers | |
| CKB000000 | Cooking | |
| CRA000000 | Crafts & Hobbies | |
| CUR000000 | Current Events | removed |
| DES000000 | Design | 2010 |
| DRA000000 | Drama | |
| EDU000000 | Education | |
| FAM000000 | Family & Relationships | |
| FIC000000 | Fiction | |
| FOR000000 | Foreign Language Study | |
| GAM000000 | Games | |
| GAR000000 | Gardening | |
| HEA000000 | Health & Fitness | |
| HIS000000 | History | |
| HOM000000 | House & Home | |
| HUM000000 | Humor | |
| JUV000000 | Juvenile Fiction | |
| JNF000000 | Juvenile Nonfiction | |
| LAN000000 | Language Arts & Disciplines | |
| LAW000000 | Law | |
| LCO000000 | LITERARY COLLECTIONS | 2010 |
| LIT000000 | Literary Criticism | |
| MAT000000 | Mathematics | |
| MED000000 | Medical | |
| MUS000000 | Music | |
| NAT000000 | Nature | |
| PER000000 | Performing Arts | |
| PET000000 | Pets | |
| PHI000000 | Philosophy | |
| PHO000000 | Photography | |
| POE000000 | Poetry | |
| POL000000 | Political Science | |
| PSY000000 | Psychology | Psychiatry moved to medical 2011 |
| REF000000 | Reference | |
| REL000000 | Religion | |
| SCI000000 | Science | |
| SEL000000 | Self-Help | |
| SOC000000 | Social Science | |
| SPO000000 | Sports & Recreation | |
| STU000000 | Study Aids | |
| TEC000000 | Technology & Engineering | Engineering added 2011 |
| TRA000000 | Transportation | |
| TRV000000 | Travel | |
| TRU000000 | True Crime | |
| YAF000000 | Young Adult Fiction | added by 2018 |
| YAN000000 | Young Adult Non-Fiction | added by 2018 |
[edit] Fiction Categories
Here are the categories (subjects) with the fiction grouping. These are repeat in Juvenile Fiction and Young Adult Fiction They can provide some standardized tags to use.
| Code | Subject heading | |
|---|---|---|
| FIC000000 | FICTION / General | |
| FIC064000 | FICTION / Absurdist | available before 2018 |
| FIC002000 | FICTION / Action & Adventure | |
| FIC075000 | FICTION / Adaptations & Pastiche | New for 2018 |
| FIC049000 | FICTION / African American / General | |
| FIC049010 | FICTION / African American / Christian | |
| FIC049020 | FICTION / African American / Contemporary Women | |
| FIC049030 | FICTION / African American / Erotica | |
| FIC049040 | FICTION / African American / Historical | |
| FIC049050 | FICTION / African American / Mystery & Detective | |
| FIC049060 | FICTION / African American / Romance | moved to Romance / African American in 2018 |
| FIC049070 | FICTION / African American / Urban Life | |
| FIC049020 | FICTION / African American / Women | Added before 2018 |
| FIC040000 | FICTION / Alternative History | |
| FIC053000 | FICTION / Amish & Mennonite | Added before 2018 |
| FIC067000 | FICTION / Animals | Added before 2018 |
| FIC003000 | FICTION / Anthologies (multiple authors) | |
| FIC054000 | FICTION / Asian American | Added before 2018 |
| FIC041000 | FICTION / Biographical | |
| FIC042000 | FICTION / Christian / General | |
| FIC042090 | FICTION / Christian / Biblical | added 2018 |
| FIC042010 | FICTION / Christian / Classic & Allegory | |
| FIC042050 | FICTION / Christian / Collections & Anthologies | added before 2018 |
| FIC042100 | FICTION / Christian / Contemporary | added 2018 |
| FIC042080 | FICTION / Christian / Fantasy | |
| FIC042020 | FICTION / Christian / Futuristic | |
| FIC042030 | FICTION / Christian / Historical | |
| FIC042040 | FICTION / Christian / Romance | |
| FIC042110 | FICTION / Christian / Romance / Historical | added 2018 |
| FIC042120 | FICTION / Christian / Romance / Suspense | added 2018 |
| FIC042050 | FICTION / Christian / Short Stories | removed |
| FIC042060 | FICTION / Christian / Suspense | |
| FIC042070 | FICTION / Christian / Western | |
| FIC069000 | FICTION / City Life | added before 2018 |
| FIC004000 | FICTION / Classics | |
| FIC043000 | FICTION / Coming of Age | |
| FIC044000 | FICTION / Contemporary Women | removed |
| FIC050000 | FICTION / Crime | |
| FIC051000 | FICTION / Cultural Heritage | |
| FIC070000 | FICTION / Disaster | added before 2018 |
| FIC055000 | FICTION / Dystopian | added before 2018 |
| FIC065000 | FICTION / Epistolary | added before 2018 |
| FIC005000 | FICTION / Erotica / General | |
| FIC005010 | FICTION / Erotica / BDSM | added before 2018 |
| FIC005020 | FICTION / Erotica / Collections & Anthologies | added before 2018 |
| FIC005060 | FICTION / Erotica / Historical | added before 2018 |
| FIC005070 | FICTION / Erotica / LGBT / General | added before 2018 |
| FIC005080 | FICTION / Erotica / LGBT / Bisexual | added 2018 |
| FIC005030 | FICTION / Erotica / LGBT / Gay | added before 2018 |
| FIC005040 | FICTION / Erotica / LGBT / Lesbian | added before 2018 |
| FIC005090 | FICTION / Erotica / LGBT / Transgender | added 2018 |
| FIC005050 | FICTION / Erotica / Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror | added before 2018 |
| FIC006000 | FICTION / Espionage | removed |
| FIC010000 | FICTION / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology | |
| FIC045000 | FICTION / Family Life / General | |
| FIC045010 | FICTION / Family Life / Marriage & Divorce | added before 2018 |
| FIC045020 | FICTION / Family Life / Siblings | added before 2018 |
| FIC009000 | FICTION / Fantasy / General | |
| FIC009110 | FICTION / Fantasy / Arthurian | before 2018 |
| FIC009040 | FICTION / Fantasy / Collections & Anthologies | before 2018 |
| FIC009010 | FICTION / Fantasy / Contemporary | |
| FIC009070 | FICTION / Fantasy / Dark Fantasy | before 2018 |
| FIC009120 | FICTION / Fantasy / Dragons & Mythical Creatures | before 2018 |
| FIC009020 | FICTION / Fantasy / Epic | |
| FIC009130 | FICTION / Fantasy / Gaslamp | before 2018 |
| FIC009030 | FICTION / Fantasy / Historical | |
| FIC009080 | FICTION / Fantasy / Humorous | before 2018 |
| FIC009140 | FICTION / Fantasy / Military | before 2018 |
| FIC009050 | FICTION / Fantasy / Paranormal | |
| FIC009090 | FICTION / Fantasy / Romantic | before 2018 |
| FIC009040 | FICTION / Fantasy / Short Stories | removed |
| FIC009060 | FICTION / Fantasy / Urban Life | |
| FIC071000 | FICTION / Friendship | before 2018 |
| FIC012000 | FICTION / Ghost | |
| FIC027040 | FICTION / Gothic | before 2018 |
| FIC056000 | FICTION / Hispanic & Latino | before 2018 |
| FIC014000 | FICTION / Historical / General | |
| FIC014010 | FICTION / Historical / Ancient | before 2018 |
| FIC014020 | FICTION / Historical / Medieval | before 2018 |
| FIC014030 | FICTION / Historical / Renaissance | before 2018 |
| FIC014040 | FICTION / Historical / World War I | before 2018 |
| FIC014050 | FICTION / Historical / World War II | before 2018 |
| FIC058000 | FICTION / Holidays | before 2018 |
| FIC015000 | FICTION / Horror | |
| FIC016000 | FICTION / Humorous / General | |
| FIC060000 | FICTION / Humorous / Black Humor | before 2018 |
| FIC046000 | FICTION / Jewish | |
| FIC034000 | FICTION / Legal | |
| FIC068000 | FICTION / LGBT / General | before 2018 |
| FIC072000 | FICTION / LGBT / Bisexual | before 2018 |
| FIC011000 | FICTION / LGBT / Gay | |
| FIC018000 | FICTION / LGBT / Lesbian | |
| FIC073000 | FICTION / LGBT / Transgender | before 2018 |
| FIC019000 | FICTION / Literary | |
| FIC061000 | FICTION / Magical Realism | before 2018 |
| FIC057000 | FICTION / Mashups | before 2018 |
| FIC021000 | FICTION / Media Tie-In | |
| FIC035000 | FICTION / Medical | |
| FIC020000 | FICTION / Men's Adventure | removed |
| FIC022000 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / General | |
| FIC022100 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Amateur Sleuth | before 2018 |
| FIC022050 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Collections & Anthologies | before 2018 |
| FIC022070 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / General | before 2018 |
| FIC022110 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Cats & Dogs | before 2018 |
| FIC022120 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Crafts | before 2018 |
| FIC022130 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Cozy / Culinary | before 2018 |
| FIC022010 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Hard-Boiled | |
| FIC022060 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Historical | |
| FIC022080 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / International Crime & Mystery | before 2018 |
| FIC022020 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Police Procedural | |
| FIC022050 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Short Stories | |
| FIC022030 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Traditional British | |
| FIC022040 | FICTION / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths | |
| FIC024000 | FICTION / Occult & Supernatural | |
| FIC037000 | FICTION / Political | |
| FIC025000 | FICTION / Psychological | |
| FIC026000 | FICTION / Religious | |
| FIC027000 | FICTION / Romance / General | |
| FIC027010 | FICTION / Romance / Adult | |
| FIC027020 | FICTION / Romance / Contemporary | |
| FIC027030 | FICTION / Romance / Fantasy | |
| FIC027040 | FICTION / Romance / Gothic | |
| FIC027050 | FICTION / Romance / Historical | |
| FIC027120 | FICTION / Romance / Paranormal | |
| FIC027070 | FICTION / Romance / Regency | |
| FIC027080 | FICTION / Romance / Short Stories | |
| FIC027110 | FICTION / Romance / Suspense | |
| FIC027090 | FICTION / Romance / Time Travel | |
| FIC027100 | FICTION / Romance / Western | |
| FIC008000 | FICTION / Sagas | |
| FIC052000 | FICTION / Satire | |
| FIC028000 | FICTION / Science Fiction / General | |
| FIC028010 | FICTION / Science Fiction / Adventure | |
| FIC028020 | FICTION / Science Fiction / High Tech | |
| FIC028050 | FICTION / Science Fiction / Military | |
| FIC028040 | FICTION / Science Fiction / Short Stories | |
| FIC028030 | FICTION / Science Fiction / Space Opera | |
| FIC047000 | FICTION / Sea Stories | |
| FIC029000 | FICTION / Short Stories (single author) | |
| FIC038000 | FICTION / Sports | |
| FIC030000 | FICTION / Suspense | |
| FIC036000 | FICTION / Technological | |
| FIC031000 | FICTION / Thrillers | |
| FIC048000 | FICTION / Urban Life | |
| FIC039000 | FICTION / Visionary & Metaphysical | |
| FIC032000 | FICTION / War & Military | |
| FIC033000 | FICTION / Westerns |
