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Historical Fiction Subgenres: 20 Types and How to Tell Them Apart
TL;DR: Historical fiction is a genre built around real time periods, and it splits into dozens of subgenres like historical romance, historical mystery, and alternate history. A category describes the era or setting (Regency, Medieval, WWII), while a subgenre blends...
Thriller Genre Subgenres: 10 Types of Thriller Novels, Explained
TL;DR: Thriller is an umbrella genre built on tension, danger, and high stakes, and it splits into distinct subgenres based on where that danger comes from: the mind (psychological), the law (crime, legal), the world stage (spy, political), or technology and medicine...
How to Start a Story: 10 Steps to Hook Readers From Line One
TL;DR To start a story that hooks readers, your opening sentence needs to do at least two of four things: connect readers to a character, produce intrigue, elicit an emotion, or paint a vivid image. From there, your first paragraph makes a promise, your last paragraph...
What is a Prologue?: If You Need One & 6 Tips to Write One Well
TL;DR: A prologue is a short scene that comes before chapter 1 of a fiction book, written in the story’s voice but set apart by time, place, or perspective. It exists to deliver information the main story can’t carry on its own. Most run 500 to 2,500...
55 Funniest Authors and Books Guaranteed to Make You Laugh
TL;DR This guide rounds up 55 of the funniest authors and comedy authors writing today and throughout history, from Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde to Tina Fey and Terry Pratchett. It breaks down the seven core styles of humor writing (satire, slapstick, dark comedy,...
How To Write An Author Bio – Ideas from Bestsellers
TL;DR An author bio is a short, third-person paragraph that introduces you to readers on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, and your website. The strongest bios stay under 300 words, lead with relevant credentials, add a touch of personality, and close with a call to action....
Realistic Fiction: Definition, What to Include, and 12 Examples
TL;DR: Realistic fiction is a genre where the setting, characters, and events could plausibly happen to real people, with no supernatural or fantastical elements. It requires a contemporary setting, believable events, a relatable contemporary issue, and a...
15 Fantasy Themes for Your Novel: Examples and How to Write Your Own
TL;DR: A fantasy theme is the underlying message your story teaches beneath the plot, characters, and magic system. Below are 15 fantasy themes with book examples (from self-discovery to power corrupts), plus a 4-step process for building a theme from your own life...