Fictional stories usually either take the form of a short story, novella or novel. A short story is usually less than 25-30 pages, a novel is usually more than 125 pages and a novella can be anywhere in between. Novellas are the least common of these types of fiction. Other forms that fiction writing commonly takes are plays and screenplays. Plays are stories that actors perform onstage, and screenplays are stories that actors perform for the camera.
Genre fiction, also sometimes referred to as popular fiction, is fiction that appeals to a broad audience and fits easily into standard categories. Some of the most well-known and popular fiction genres are romance, horror, mystery, fantasy, historical, western and science-fiction. Novels and films are generally described using these genres.
Literary fiction and genre fiction are the two types of fiction that draw the most comparisons. Generally, literary fiction is of a higher quality and depth than genre fiction which is usually intended for mass consumption. While stories that fall into the genre fiction category are often plot-driven, literary fiction is character-driven with a greater focus on prose. Literary fiction stories are often inspired by the author's own experiences and are meant to mirror the human condition.
One of the most basic ways to determine types of fiction is to determine the age group of the intended reader. Fictional works can be intended for children, young adults or adults. Children's fiction often features fantasy stories that deliver a moral or lesson that is easy for children to understand. It is not uncommon, however, for fiction that is intended for one age group to become popular in another. For example, the series of Harry Potter novels fit into the children's literature category but are popular among all age groups.