The 17 Most Popular Genres In Fiction – And Why They

Matter by Writers Write

WHAT IS GENRE?
Genre is a style or category of art, music, or literature. As an author, genre controls what you write and how you write it. It
describes the style and focus of the novel you write. Genres give you blueprints for different types of stories. There are general
rules to follow, for example, manuscript length, character types, settings, themes, viewpoint choices, and plots. Certain settings
suit specific genres. These will vary in type, details, intensity, and length of description. The tone employed by the author, and
the mood created for the reader, must also suit the genre. There are often sub-genres within genres, for example, a fantasy story
with sinister, frightening elements would belong to the dark fantasy sub-genre.

WHY DOES GENRE MATTER?

Genres are great because they fulfil reader expectations. We buy certain books because we have enjoyed similar stories in the
past. Reading these novels gives us a sense of belonging, of sitting down with an old friend and knowing we’re on familiar
ground. There is also a camaraderie between readers who follow the same genres. Writers can use this to their advantage because
their boundaries are models on which to base stories. Genres reflect trends in society and they evolve when writers push the
boundaries. Readers ultimately decide if the experiment has worked by buying these books. The most important part of genre
fiction, though, is that it fulfils our human need for good, old-fashioned storytelling. We sometimes need stories we can rely on to
blunt the harsh realities of life.

THE 17 MOST POPULAR GENRES IN FICTION

1. Romance. These stories are about a romantic relationship between two people. They are characterized by sensual tension,
desire, and idealism. The author keeps the two apart for most of the novel, but they do eventually end up together.  There are
many sub-genres, including paranormal, historical, contemporary, category, fantasy, and Gothic. There are also
many tropes in the genre: 101 Romance Tropes For Writers
2. Action-Adventure. Any story that puts the protagonist in physical danger, characterized by thrilling near misses, and
courageous and daring feats, belongs to this genre. It is fast paced, the tension mounting as the clock ticks. There is always a
climax that offers the reader some relief.
3. Science Fiction. This genre incorporates any story set in the future, the past, or other dimensions. The story features
scientific ideas and advanced technological concepts. Writers must be prepared to spend time building new worlds and
using genre-specific words. The setting should define the plot.
4. Fantasy. These stories deal with kingdoms as opposed to sci-fi, which deals with universes. Writers must spend plenty of
time on world building. Myths, otherworldly magic-based concepts, and ideas characterise these books. They frequently
take cues from historical settings like The Dark Ages. There is also a specific terminology and many tropes in the
genre: 101 Fantasy Tropes For Writers
5. Speculative Fiction. These stories are created in worlds unlike our real world in certain important ways. This genre usually
overlaps one or more of the following: science fiction, fantasy fiction, horror fiction, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction,
utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history.
6. Suspense/Thriller. A character in jeopardy dominates these stories. This genre involves pursuit and escape. It is filled
with cliffhangers and there are one or more ‘dark’ characters that the protagonist must escape from, fight against, or best in
the story. The threats to the protagonist can be physical or psychological, or both. The setting is integral to the plot. This is
often described as a gripping read. A Techno Thriller is a sub-genre.
7. Young Adult. Young Adult (YA) books are written, published, and marketed to adolescents and young adults. The Young
Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) defines a young adult as someone between the ages of 12 and 18, but adults
also read these books. These are generally coming-of-age stories, and often cross into the fantasy and science fiction genres.
YA novels feature diverse protagonists facing changes and challenges. This genre has become more popular with
the success of novels like The Hunger Games, The Fault in Our Stars, and Twilight.
8. New Adult. New Adult (NA) books feature college, rather than school-aged, characters and plotlines. It is the next age-
category up from YA. It explores the challenges and uncertainties of leaving home and living independently for the first
time. Many NA books focus on sex, blurring the boundary between romance and erotica. 
9. Horror/Paranormal/Ghost. These are high-pitched scary stories involving pursuit and escape. The protagonist must
overcome supernatural or demonic beings. Occult is a sub-genre that always uses satanic-type antagonists. There are
also many tropes in the genre: 101 Horror Tropes For Writers
10. Mystery/Crime. These are also known as ‘whodunits’. The central issue is a question that must be answered, an identity
revealed, a crime solved. This novel is characterised by clues leading to rising tension as the answer to the mystery is
approached. 
11. Police Procedurals are mysteries that involve a police officer or detective solving the crime. The emphasis rests heavily on
technological or forensic aspects of police work, sorting and collecting evidence, as well as the legal aspects of criminology.
12. Historical. These fictional stories take place against factual historical backdrops. Important historical figures are portrayed
as fictional characters. Historical Romance is a sub-genre that involves a conflicted love relationship in a factual historical
setting. 
13. Westerns. These books are specifically set in the old American West. Plotlines include survival, romance, and adventures
with characters of the time, for example, cowboys, frontiersmen, Indians, mountain men, and miners. 
14. Family Saga. This genre is about on-going stories of two or more generations of a family. Plots revolve around things like
businesses, acquisition, properties, adventures, and family curses. By their nature, these are primarily historical, often
bringing the resolution in contemporary settings. There is usually a timeline involved in these books.
15. Women’s Fiction. These plot lines are characterized by female characters who face challenges, difficulties, and crises that
have a direct relationship to gender. This is inclusive of woman’s conflict with man, though not limited to that. It can
include conflict with things such as the economy, family, society, art, politics, and religion.
16. Magic Realism. Magical events are part of ordinary life in this genre. The characters do not see them as abnormal or
unusual. They are a natural part of the story. One Hundred Years of Solitude  is a classic in this genre.
17. Literary Fiction. This genre focuses on the human condition and it is more concerned with the inner lives of characters and
themes than plot. Literary fiction is difficult to sell and continues to decline in popularity.
101 ROMANCE TROPES FOR WRITERS
 Alien Hero: A human heroine falls in love with, or is abducted by, an alien life force hero from another planet.
 Alpha Hero: The heroine must contend with a strong-willed, domineering, hyper-masculine, successful and
wealthy hero. (See Mediterranean, Asian, Russian Hero etc.)
 Amnesia: The hero or heroine suffers temporary or permanent memory loss and is forced to start over and reclaim their
identity. (See Mistaken Identity)
 Armed Forces: A sexy, dynamic hero in uniform draws the heroine into a relationship, but a career in the army, navy
etc., creates conflict. The heroine may also be in the military and is attracted to someone in her unit or during a mission.
 Artificial Intelligence: The heroine falls for a sentient robot or even a disembodied form of A.I., such as a holographic
character.
 Asian Hero: The hero is either fully Asian or of Asian ancestry (Chinese, Indian, Korean etc.) and now living in UK,
Europe, America or Australia.
 Athlete Hero: Sports themes are popular in North American romances, especially for teen and young adult audiences.
Typically, the hero is a baseball, football, or hockey player, but the trope can extend to tennis stars, racing car drivers,
etc. (See Alpha Hero)
 Au-Pair Abroad: The young heroine takes a job as a nanny or child-minder in a new city or exotic location. She falls
for an older, local hero or even the handsome, single employer. (See Nanny, Single Parent)
 Bachelor Auction: The heroine ‘buys’ a handsome, wealthy hero for a dinner or once-off date at a charity function.
(See The Dare/The Bet)
 Beauty And The Beast: The hero, often disfigured or injured in an accident, must overcome his physical and
emotional scars to find love with the heroine. (See Trauma)
 Best Friend’s Brother: The heroine sees her friend’s brother in a new romantic light and must hide her feelings from
him and her friend. (See Home For The Holidays, First Love)
 Beta Hero: The good guy, the guy next door – this type of hero is usually more even-tempered and more realistic than
the typical alpha hero. He doesn’t want to run the world; he just wants to be king of his own castle. (See Small Town,
Fish Out of Water, Country Inn)
 Betrayal: The heroine is betrayed by the hero – the betrayal may be genuine or the result of a misunderstanding. She
often vows revenge. (See Revenge)
 Bisexual Hero Or Heroine: This character is openly and equally attracted to both men and women. As a protagonist,
they live by their own rules or sexual code, which makes them irresistibly unpredictable.
 Blackmail: The heroine is blackmailed by the hero into marrying him, usually as a form of revenge or payback for a
previous slight or insult, real or imagined. (See Marriage of Convenience)
 Blind Date: The heroine agrees to a blind date. The date usually delivers a surprise or a twist – for example, her dinner
companion turns out to her boss, best male friend, or an ex-boyfriend.
 Boss & Secretary: Although a bit dated as a trope, the boss falling for his personal assistant or secretary is still
popular.
 Bully: A controversial trend and popular in teen or young/new adult romances, the heroine falls for the boy who used
to bully her. She must seek revenge or confront him on his past sadism. The hero must usually atone for past behaviour.
 Christmas Romances: Almost a genre in itself, Christmas provides a theme and background for the love story, which
features European or North American settings. (See Home for the Holidays)
 Circle Of Friends: This trope features three or more protagonists all searching for love, in parallel to pursuing their
careers and passions. For example: a group of ballet dancers, actors on the same film set, or students at the same
school.
 Coming Of Age: The first discovery of love as teenager can be a powerful theme to explore in a romance novel or
story. The plot can cover a sweet, innocent crush or a dark, intense attraction to the wrong boy. (See First Love)
 Coming Out: A gay hero, heroine, or transgender lead character decides to come out about their true sexuality or
identity – their coming out is a catalyst for a new love interest. The lead character must overcome self-doubt,
confusion, prejudice, and misunderstandings while dealing with a new relationship. (See Bully, Transgender)
 Country Inn: A career-driven city girl inherits or buys a charming little inn, bed-and-breakfast, or guest house in the
calm, bucolic splendour of the countryside. (See Unexpected Inheritance)
 Cowboys: Whether a rancher or a Texas Ranger, the hero embodies the characteristics and moral codes of the
American frontier: courage, integrity, and usually a bit of chauvinism.
 Cursed! In a fantasy or folklore-inspired romance, the heroine may have fallen under a curse, spell, or wicked charm
that only the hero can break or reverse. (See Magical Heroine)
 Cyborg Hero: The heroine falls in love with an electromechanically enhanced man. The hero may have become
cyborg after an experiment, accident, or some other tragedy.
 The Dare Or The Bet: A staple of teen romances, the heroine takes up a challenge from friends or a rival to date or
bed a popular young man – or an unpopular wallflower. She eventually loses her heart to him until he learns of her
deception.
 The Dating Game: From online dating agencies to hook-up apps, speed dating sessions to blind dates, the newly single
heroine enters the world of dating with hilarious, romantic and/or sexy results.
 A Divorce Never Went Through: The lead characters discover that their marriage was never annulled or a divorce
decree was never issued because of a bureaucratic mistake or some other misunderstanding.
 Dominant Alpha: An archetypal character in explicit, erotic fiction, the dominant alpha is rich, sexy, possessive, and
always in charge. His psyche is tied up in sadism and role play. As his submissive, the heroine must break through his
control and expose his vulnerability.
 Domme Heroine: A domme, female dominatrix or BDSM mistress is often found in erotica, steamy romances,
or period romances.
 Enemies To Lovers: Probably an overused trope, but still effective. The heroine hates the hero on sight. She may still
be smarting from a past betrayal or is being blackmailed by him. How the characters move past the anger to attraction
and love makes up most of the narrative. (See Frenemies, Revenge, Secrets & Lies)
 Fake Engagement: The hero needs to produce a date or fiancé in a hurry and the heroine steps into the role. Of course,
this phony arrangement soon leads to real complications and a genuine emotional connection.
 Female-Female-Male (FFM): An erotic ménage-a-trois that explores the romantic and sexual entanglements between
two female and one male character.
 First Love: The heroine seeks out or is reunited with her first love or high school sweetheart – has he changed or not?
The hero can’t forget his first wife or a deceased girlfriend and the heroine feels she cannot compete with his former
love. (See Soul Mates)
 Fish Out Of Water: The heroine comes from a small town to a big city and is unprepared for the sophistication of the
hero (see Alpha Hero). Similarly, a city girl finds herself working or stranded in a small town and falls for the charm of
a local hero. (See Beta Hero)
 Forbidden Love: Taboos lie at the heart of this romance theme. Race, religion, conflicting culture, or feuds are just
some of the forces that could potentially keep the lovers apart. [See Also: How To Write The Tragic Love Story – A
10-Step Formula]
 Forced Proximity: The heroine finds herself stuck with the hero in a confined space. She could find herself snowed in
with him at a remote cabin or trapped in an elevator – the possibilities are endless!
 French Hero: Whether he is a suave bachelor in Paris or a carefree winemaker in the South of France, the Frenchman
holds a special place in romantic stories.
 Frenemies: The hero and heroine enjoy a friendly rivalry – either socially or at work. But soon the banter, teasing, and
ribbing exposes an underlying attraction and sparks fly!
 Friends To Lovers: The main characters, who have hitherto been friends, discover a growing attraction to each other.
For the heroine, this is often a childhood friend who re-enters her life as an adult. (See First Love)
 Gay For You: A hitherto heterosexual character becomes attracted to a gay friend, colleague, or mentor. The
characters struggle with seemingly impossible feelings to define their relationship.
 Ghost: The heroine falls in love with a ghost, or both romantic protagonists are paranormal entities.
 Girl Next Door: Falling for a new, cute, sexy, or mysterious neighbour is what sets the plot in motion in this storyline.
 Grieving Lover: The heroine falls in love with a man who has lost a spouse or lover in the recent past. (See First Love)
 The Guardian Or Ward: An older male is bound by the obligation of a legal will or promise to oversee the care of a
young charge. When the heroine comes of age, she falls in love with her older, handsome guardian. (See May-
December, Unexpected Inheritance)
 Heiress: The heroine comes for a fabulously wealthy family with an impressive pedigree. She is often in line to inherit
a large fortune or take control of a family estate of company.
 Hidden Identity: The heroine hides her true identity or creates a false persona to hide her involvement in events that
usually took place in the past. (See Revenge, Secrets & Lies)
 Holiday Romance: The heroine travels to a foreign city or exotic island and meets a sexy or intriguing stranger for a
fling. The burgeoning affair will be tested by her imminent departure. (See Mediterranean Hero, French Hero)
 Home For The Holidays: The heroine returns to a hometown for a national, religious, or cultural holiday and finds
romance in short space of time amid family chaos – often with someone she knew as a child or teenager. (See Friends
to Lovers, Christmas Romances)
 Identical Twins: Identical twins trade places as part of a romantic ruse or to exact a revenge of some sort. (See
Mistaken Identity)
 Incest: The heroine unknowingly or consciously falls in love with a sibling or close relative. The taboo causes inner
conflict and tension with her family and society. A tricky trope to handle with sensitivity, it may work best in period,
fantasy, or gothic romances. (See Forbidden Love)
 Kidnapped: The heroine is snatched and reluctantly falls in love with her abductor. Or she must wait for hero to come
to the rescue or, better yet, must find her own way out of the dangerous situation. (See Alien Hero, Armed Forces)
 Learning-to-Love: The heroine is determined to learn a new skill (dance or drive a car, etc.) and falls head over heels
for the instructor. The heroine may also head back to school or college and falls in love on campus.
 Love Triangle: The heroine is often torn between two lovers and wrestles with the secrecy of the situation. The
viewpoint of other characters in the triangle can also be explored. (See Forbidden Love, MMF, FMM)
 Magical Heroine: The heroine is a witch, sorceress, shifter, spell caster, fairy, or she possesses psychic or supernatural
powers. (See Shape Shifter)
 Makeover: The heroine is transformed from drab to fab to catch the hero’s attention. Alternatively, the hero has to
transform his looks, body, and attitude to prove his worth to the heroine.
 Male-Male-Female (MMF): An erotic or homoerotic ménage-a-trois that explores the romantic and sexual
entanglements between two male characters and one female heroine. (See Domme Heroine, Love Triangle)
 Marriage of Convenience: The heroine is compelled to marry the hero, usually an alpha hero, in name only. The
marriage is based on necessity, or for financial or strategic reasons (For example, she has to save her father’s business
etc.)
 May-December: A love affair between two characters with a 15-25 year difference in age. (See Forbidden Love)
 Medical Romance: While working in a medical field or profession, the heroine falls in love with a doctor hero. The
hero can also be a paramedic, veterinarian, or specialist. (See Alpha Hero)
 Mediterranean Hero: The dashing hero has Italian, Greek, or Spanish heritage. While he may be born in Europe, he
has usually established his success internationally, if he is to be a sophisticated alpha hero. (See Alpha Hero, French
Hero)
 The Mermaid: The mythological creature breaks the surface of romance fiction, either a shape-shifting nymph or a
heroine with Undine-like qualities. The masculine ‘merman’ is also an exciting character to consider. (See Magical
Heroine, Shape Shifter)
 Mistaken Identity: The hero mistakes the heroine for someone from his past. The heroine is mistaken for someone
rich or royal. (See Amnesia, Rags to Riches)
 Mistress Heroine: The heroine finds herself the mistress of a rich and powerful man. In modern romances, the hero is
not a married man but rather an alpha male who doesn’t seek commitment. (See Russian Hero)
 Nanny: The heroine takes a position as a child minder for a single-parent hero, who is often divorced or a widower.
(See Au Pair Abroad, Grieving Lover)
 New Girl In Town: The heroine finds herself in a new town, without many friends or adequate social skills to
negotiate the new world she finds herself in. Often, she has moved to the town for a job. (See Country Inn, Unexpected
Inheritance)
 Partners In Fighting Crime: The heroine is a cop or detective who falls in love with her handsome partner on the
same beat or based at the same precinct or station. (See Armed Forces)
 Prisoner: The lead character, locked away in a penal facility, develops a sexual and/or romantic relationship with
fellow inmate, or a guard or authority figure.
 Prom Date: Finding the right boy or a girl to take to that important dance is a highly popular plot in many teen novels
and movies. (See The Dare/The Bet, Makeover)
 Rags To Riches: A struggling or down-on-her-luck heroine comes into money and/or fame through a surprising
windfall – like winning the lottery or a reality TV show. The hero helps her navigate this new world of wealth and
popularity. ‘Rags to Royalty’ is a sub-trope. (See Makeover, Unexpected Inheritance)
 Return From The Dead: A man she believes is dead returns to upset the heroine’s life in a major way. The hero either
faked his own death, or his demise was incorrectly reported through a chain of misunderstandings. (See Divorce Never
Went Through)
 Revenge: The heroine, betrayed by the hero and/or his family, is determined to get revenge. The trope also works well
if the hero is the primary character hell-bent on retribution. An extremely popular and successful theme in romantic
stories.
 Riches To Rags: A wealthy heroine or heiress loses her money and status overnight. With the hero’s help and love, she
finds a way to re-establish her identity, and realise her own ambitions and self-worth.
 Rock Star: The hero is a rock, musical, or reality/social media idol and the heroine must see beyond the groupies and
fast-paced lifestyle to find the talented and vulnerable individual behind fame’s mask.
 Royalty: The main character rules or is in line for the throne of a fictional country, kingdom, or principality. (See
Hidden Identity, Mistaken Identity)
 Runaway Bride: The heroine gets cold feet on her wedding day and makes a dash for freedom. She either realises she
is marrying the wrong man or realises the groom was her soul mate all along!
 Russian Hero: A self-made business tycoon of extreme wealth, the descendant of powerful oligarchs and/or an
American/British hero with Russian ancestry.
 Second Chance At Love: A couple break up only to reunite years or decades later. Or a heroine who has been deeply
and possibly repeatedly hurt in love finally gives herself – and the hero – a second chance.
 Secret Baby: Keeping his child a secret and out of his life for several years, the heroine is now confronted with an
angry and betrayed hero who wants to claim his parental rights.
 Secret Billionaire: The hero hides his identity and/or his wealth from the heroine, usually to test if she loves him for
his true nature or his enormous wealth. (See Alpha Hero)
 Secrets & Lies: Someone close to the heroine tells a secret or insidious lie that causes her to betray or leave a lover
without explanation. Or an antagonist feeds the hero misinformation that tears apart the budding relationship with the
woman he loves. (See Revenge, Forbidden Love, Enemies To Lovers)
 Shape Shifters: These characters are still popular in paranormal romances. The hero or heroine can ‘shift’ between
human and animal or mythic form – werewolves, dragons, tigers, etc. (See Werewolf, Magical Heroine)
 Shared Pasts: The two main characters have a history together that must now be resolved in the present. The shared
past could be dark and dramatic, or it could have been a wonderful period for the lovers.
 Sheikh Hero: The hero is the ruler of fictitious Arabian tribe or country. As at home in the desert as he is in the
boardroom, this royal hero is often a modern and progressive ruler.
 Single Parent: The story focuses on a single mom or dad who is facing life after a break-up, divorce, or bereavement.
The widower father is a popular, sympathetic character. (See Secret Baby, Nanny)
 Small Town: Heart-warming stories set in small towns. In romantic suspense, the rural setting could hide sinister
secrets. (See New Girl In Town, Country Inn)
 Soul Mates: The two main characters feel they are destined to be together. However, other forces or characters in the
story conspire to keep the lovers apart. From deadly hurricanes to horrible curses, the more obstacles in their path, the
better.
 Terminal Situations: The heroine loses her heart to a hero who is terminally ill. Or the heroine, facing a life-
threatening illness or condition, must help a romantic partner deal with the situation. (See Grieving Lover, First Love)
 Time Traveller: The heroine falls in love with a time traveller, from the past, future, or both, and must deal with
finding love in a different place and time.
 Transgender: The main character is in the process of changing – or has already changed – gender and falls in love
with someone who is unaware of their former identity.
 Trauma: A main character who has been abused, sexually assaulted, or traumatised in the past, finds healing through a
romantic relationship.
 Unexpected Inheritance: The heroine comes into a windfall from a distant relative. (See Country Inn, Rags to Riches)
 Unexpected Parenthood: After a sibling dies or becomes ill, the heroine is now the sole guardian of one or more
children.
 Unexpected Pregnancy: After learning of an unplanned pregnancy, the heroine must deal with the unexpected news
and decide if she will tell the hero or not. (See Secret Baby)
 Vampire: The hero is a vampire and falls for a human girl, or he becomes romantically involved with another vampire
or paranormal character. (See Shape Shifter, Magical Heroine)
 Virgin: The heroine’s innocence is either a threat, obstacle, or prize for the hero. Or the hero is attracted to a virgin in
the story; or the heroine wants to lose virginity to a special character.
 Weddings: Invited to a family or friend’s wedding, the heroine will either a) run into an ex-lover or enemy from her
past b) meet a new love interest or c) be thrown together with another character from the wedding party, like the best
man.
 Werewolf: The hero becomes a werewolf at every full moon and must balance a human need for love with being a
fearsome wolf. Often the character is under a curse and will need a lover’s help or special boon to overcome the
affliction. (See Shape Shifter, Magical Heroine)
 Workplace Romances: The hero and heroines are co-workers or colleagues in the same company and find that they
can’t suppress their chemistry. The professional suddenly becomes very personal. (See Boss & Secretary, Forced
Proximity, Frenemies)
 Wrong Side Of The Tracks: The heroine falls in love with a rough diamond from the proverbial ‘wrong side of town’.
Radically different socioeconomic conditions tests the love affair. Or the heroine is from a poor background and finds
romance with a handsome rich boy from the wealthier classes. (See Forbidden Love, Riches to Rags)
101 SCIENCE FICTION TROPES WRITERS SHOULD USE
These are very common science fiction tropes used in successful books and series. I have taken them from TV shows you may
know and 100-year-old books you probably won’t. Regardless, many of these are used every day to make the books and TV we
all love to read and watch.
By reading these, you will be inspired to create your own work. You should add a twist to any old idea to make it seem new. But,
old tropes die hard and that’s because they are too good to be forgotten.
 Faster than light is the bread and butter of all space travel in science fiction. Breaking the rules of physics is often the
best way to get your character from planet to planet.
 Techno Babble is speaking in high-tech tongues and it solves any problem the crew is currently having. ‘Reverse the
polarity, the Glib-Glops are weak to theta radiation!’
 All artificial intelligences are evil. Especially the good ones.
 Chekhov’s Egg is like Chekhov’s Gun but directed by Ridley Scott. If you introduce an alien egg to the story it must
hatch and eat someone by the third act.
 Alternative universes want to invade our own.
 Alternative universes contain evil versions of your characters.
 Alternative universes warn your universe of a devastating threat.
 Travelling to distant stars is very difficult and takes generations.
 Travelling to distant stars is very difficult and requires Cryosleep to get there.
 Travelling to distant stars is very difficult and is done by AI and robots while the humans sleep.
 Someone always wakes up to early from Cryosleep. Asteroids are usually involved.
 A ship is found with people who have been in Cryosleep for thousands of years adrift in space. Because they crashed
into the asteroid.
 A ship is found where people have forgotten how their technology works and must be saved.
 The people who wake up are evil, but seem nice at first.
 The people who wake up are the last survivors of a once great civilisation and impart wisdom.
 The survivors of the once great civilisation die from the common cold before telling anyone the meaning of life.
 Space travel is very easy and takes no time at all.
 Space travel is very fast, but is very dangerous.
 Space travel is dangerous because it passes through an evil realm filled with monsters.
 Space travel requires a navigator to have magical powers to plot a course. Possibly, to avoid deadly asteroids.
 Space travel requires a navigator to take drugs to see the future. These drugs only come from one planet. Everyone is
fighting over them.
 Space travel needs a special kind of computer or droid to plot a course and it takes time to calculate.
 Ships travel faster than light speed through real/normal space.
 Ships travel though hyper-space which is another dimension.
 Ships use Warp gates to travel through wormholes.
 Warp Gates were created by a long dead civilisation.
 Humans discover these gates and have adventures through them.
 Aliens are kind, intelligent push-overs and humans are destroying their worlds.
 Aliens are evil, brutal godlike beings trying to enslave humans.
 Aliens want to eat humans.
 Aliens want to lay eggs in humans.
 Aliens want humans to help them with a problem they are too ‘evolved’ to solve.
 It turns out humans were the aliens all along.
 Humans were the aliens all along but they evolved into a different species.
 Humans use technology to evolve into a post-human civilisation.
 Humans use technology to ascend to a state of pure energy.
 Humans use spiritual nonsense to become beings of pure light and love.
 Humans use psychic powers to become one godlike over-mind.
 Humans once had these great powers, but lost them when the war with the robots/aliens happened.
 They now live under a god emperor keeping them from evolving too fast.
 The god emperor was an alien all along and the humans must rebel!
 The god emperor was a super-computer the humans forgot they made and they must figure out why.
 The super-computer had to do whatever the humans wanted it to do all along.
 The super-computer was keeping them safe from aliens.
 The super-computer was built to keep aliens safe from humans.
 Two species of humans evolve and are at war.
 They are fighting over ancient crimes.
 They are fighting over philosophical points.
 One is racist.
 One eats the other.
 One is technological and the other is super-religious.
 Space is empty and humans are the first species.
 Space is empty and humans start filling up the galaxy.
 Humans make aliens.
 They must fight these aliens. Possibly because they didn’t do a good enough job making them.
 Space is filled with aliens.
 Most are like humans with funny ears.
 Most are horrible eldritch monsters humans can’t even begin to understand.
 Turns out the humans are the real monsters. The aliens were just trying to save our environment.
 Humans and aliens hate each other and do nothing but have never-ending wars. Usually for the god emperor’s glory.
 Humans and aliens live together, drink together and have mixed species children. He becomes the captain’s pointy-
eared best friend.
 Humans are less advanced then other races and are treated like children.
 Humans resent aliens for treating them like children and start a galaxy wide genocide using the aliens own technology.
 Humans work hard to be as advanced as the other species and become accepted as part of them. Perhaps in some sort of
commonwealth?
 Space is full of Pirates.
 And Smugglers. The Important difference is that smugglers make better anti-heroes.
 Space pirates are a plague and the heroes must fight them.
 Space pirates are cool and help the rebels fight the evil Empire.
 Humans use nano-technology to make very small useful robots that can do anything.
 Oh, No! They became sentient.
 They want to replicate, consuming all matter they come into contact with.
 They want to be more human and build human bodies and start pretending to eat avocado toast.
 The humans defeat them using an ancient weapon left by a long dead race.
 The humans program them to be nice and become friends.
 Humans make copies of their minds.
 Humans clone themselves.
 Humans put their minds in the clones to live forever.
 Something goes wrong. Humans can’t have children anymore because of too much cloning.
 They must find non-clone humans to fix this. But that was thousands of years ago.
 They need time travel to fix this.
 They go through a wormhole/black hole to go back to the past.
 They recalibrate the deflector dish to emit tachyons to travel back in time.
 They can only send their minds back in time.
 Going back in time cannot change the future and they can do whatever they want.
 Going back in time means they have to be careful not to change the future.
 They change the past and come back to a different future.
 They must go back and fix their mistake.
 The space senate has blockaded all time travel.
 The heroes must get past the blockade in a stolen ship.
 The stolen ship turns out to be alive.
 It’s also pregnant and needs their help to save its child.
 The heroes must argue about the ethics of what they are doing until they are forced to take action.
 They turn out to be right and everything works out.
 They are wrong and they just helped an evil space wizard start a galactic civil war.
 The heroes spend the whole show arguing about ethics and nothing happens.
 The heroes decide that other races have different ethics and they should not interfere.
 They say ‘Screw their ethics. Ours are better!’ and interfere.
 This fixes the problem and the space people are happy with their new American constitution.
 The space people start a holy war to kill all humans.
 The space people and the humans fight until they have destroyed each other and nobody left alive remembers what
happened.
 The war between the space people and the humans turned out to be a cold war allegory all along. They eventually make
up over some red space wine and a plate of gross space worms.
101 FANTASY TROPES FOR WRITERS
 The Dark Lord. An ancient evil from the elder days is once again threatening the world.
 The Chosen One (protagonist) whose job it is to defeat the Dark Lord (antagonist) and restore the natural order of the
world. Often a sword is involved.
 The Chosen One or Hero has been orphaned. It doesn’t matter how they were orphaned, only that family members are
a liability to your protagonist and a headache to fit into the plot. (See any Disney cartoon for more information.)
 The Hero needs a mysterious parental figure. But, never an actual parent. They are there to guide them on their journey
and offer advice.
 It helps if their mysterious parental figure is a wizard with contacts in the magic sword business. Either way, they
usually like long flowing robes.
 Your Hero must to go on a quest to find or destroy the magic item giving the Dark Lord his power.
 They will need a landscape to trudge through. Remember it has to resemble Medieval Europe or everyone will make
fun of you.
 Unless of course it resembles Ancient Rome or Japan, because that’s just as cool, man.
 Maybe, look up China while you’re at it. After all who doesn’t like Kung Fu?
 Nobody cares about peasants! Treat them like props, but if they speak out of turn mow them down like the cannon
fodder they are.
 Your character must be a peasant.
 Of course, secretly they are also the descendent of the long lost king with a birth mark to prove it.
 For some reason everyone except the Dark Lord’s evil advisor will like your secretly noble Hero. It must be their royal
grace shining through, right?
 The advisor must have a black goatee beard.
 They will need friends. Maybe a party or a fellowship?
 They will help your Hero along the journey, supporting the Hero whenever the Hero has lost all hope. This happens
around scene 45.
 They should all be improbably, overly capable. Your elf should not just a good archer, but the best there ever was.
 They should also be princes, nobles, wizards, clerics and even the rulers of entire nations. Nobody delegates in Middle
Earth. King Arthur sends his best men on pointless errands all the time. Probably, to get Lancelot away from his wife,
but still.
 Your Hero will need to be trained by a master swordsman/magician who is secretly their…
 Your Hero will need to be descended from a master.
 Your Hero will need to be the best fighter in the whole realm.
 They are never allowed to use a helmet or a shield. That is for nameless support characters without exception – except
if they only hunt goblins.
 Real Heroes use two swords.
 Real Heroes have magic swords.
 Real Heroes don’t cast spells. That’s the wizard’s job.
 Your Hero can out-think the wizard who is the smartest person in the world.
 This means they can beat any spell-caster with just their wits and cunning.
 You Hero must be a nerdy kid who likes magic. Sure they get beaten up at first but soon they become the greatest mage
of all time. Then they get even with the bullies…
 Your wizard Hero is the best of all time and keeps getting better.
 Your wizard Hero is just okay, but through hard work comes out on top.
 Your “wizzard” Hero is just the worst spell-caster of all time but they have personality and people just like them. Give
them an endearing spell like “Cause Mild Discomfort” or “Summon Milk”
 Your Hero is bored with their life and wants to make a name for themselves in the wide world.
 Your Hero loves their home town and never wants to leave but those damn orcs/trolls/goblins/wizards/invaders destroy
this idyllic life and they are forced to right this injustice.
 Your Hero gets caught up in circumstances that soon take over their life and makes them believe in a greater cause.
 Your Hero falls in love with a princess who needs to be rescued from the Dark Lord.
 Turns out the princess was the real Dark Lord all along.
 She killed her whole family just to rule the kingdom.
 She was actually good after all, and just pretending to be bad to learn the Dark Lord’s secrets. Her family were all
secretly monsters, though.
 Your Hero needs to rescue her from the Dark Lord’s Castle.
 Oh, no. Your Hero got captured while freeing the princess.
 Now, she needs to mount a rescue for the Hero.
 For some reason, her farther, the king, won’t help her so she needs to gather allies and infiltrate the castle on her own.
 Your Hero has found the magic item they need to save the world while locked up at the Dark Lord’s Castle.
 They insist that they steal it before they leave the castle.
 Conveniently, the Dark Lord, or maybe a dragon, is asleep and they can retrieve it.
 But, the Dark Lord wakes up just as they are making their escape.
 The Dark Lord, or their minions, chase the Heroes until they are saved by a secret magical kingdom – usually in a
forest populated by elves.
 Or they are forced underground into dangerous caves – sometimes populated with elves.
 But, not the nice elves Dark Elves. These are evil creatures worshipping demonic gods. They are a foul and
irredeemable lot.
 Except, of course, there is one good dark elf who is wandering the world making up for his race’s evil ways.
 Perhaps, this dark elf paladin helps lead your Hero back into the light – even though it hurts his beautiful lavender eyes
just to see the sun. He probably writes poetry while crying.
 In the dark under the world, the Under Dark, there are as many fabulous creatures as anywhere else in the world. Even
though, I mean, what would they eat?
 They live in magical cities.
 They live as savage beasts or wild tribes.
 They prey on wary travellers not used to the blinding darkness.
 Glowing red eyes follow your Hero on their journey.
 They turn out to be an ally who guides them to safety.
 They turn out to be a stealthy assassin come to collect the bounty on your Hero’s head.
 They are a swarm of monsters that dog your Hero’s every move.
 But, your Hero makes it back to the surface to find much has changed.
 They have been under a spell, and it is a hundred years too late to save the kingdom from the Dark Lord’s rule.
 All hope is lost and the world lies in ruin.
 Your Hero cries out in despair. When the darkness is at its fullest a light answers their call.
 Your Hero has gained the notice of a god/dess who wants to help them right the wrongs of the world.
 Your Hero finds an impossibly old ally still fighting the good fight.
 This ally has gained ancient knowledge and needs to pass it on to your Hero.
 This knowledge comes at a price.
 The price is a part of your Hero’s soul is lost each time they use this black magic. Oh, the tragedy.
 Your Hero defeats the Dark Lord, spending all of their soul, and becomes the next Dark Lord, completing the cycle, as
foretold in an ancient prophecy.
 Your Hero refuses to give into this dark magic and instead ascends to a new level of power. This may change their hair
colour.
 This power gives them a chance at victory and a better tomorrow.
 This power comes from the last magic of an elder race, and using it means that they will fade from the earth and the
world will be a less magical place. A forced relocation into the west often happens simultaneously.
 Your Hero wins, but dies in the process.
 Your Hero dies, but that goddess from earlier has plans for them and brings them back to life.
 That god/dess reincarnates them as a small child with all the memories of their past life.
 Your Hero does not die, but gets to retire and have a good life and maybe raise a child.
 This child inherits the powers of your Hero and must learn to live with this responsibility.
 They are easy prey for an evil organisation that wants to hurt your Hero.
 They steal your Hero’s little girl and try to kill your Hero.
 But, they survive and if it is the last thing the Hero does, they will rescue their little girl.
 They are old now and past their prime. But, with age comes skill and they are deadlier than ever.
 The task is long and hard but they are tough and will see it though even if it kills them.
 Standing over the smoking ruins of the organisation that stole their little girl, the Hero has won.
 They have won, but it is just too much for them. They have seen their child freed and safe and at long last is allowed to
rest – you know in a sad way.
 Perhaps, they have served their god/dess well and they are allowed a day to say goodbye to their friends.
 Maybe, their spirit is so strong it becomes a magical beast that prowls the woods keeping evil at bay.
 You Hero is allowed to ascend to heaven as a reward for their service.
 The war is won and everyone returns home. Many farewells occur.
 But, have they changed, or has the world they left moved on without them?
 It’s time they settled down, but they are haunted by the call to adventure.
 They seek a new adventure at every turn, but are never satisfied. Ships and golden fleeces are often involved.
 Eventually, they bite off more than they can chew and end up dead.
 They die nobly protecting the next generation.
 They pass on what they have learnt so that the story can continue with someone else.
 They find they have become the crazy old person in the tavern who all the kids make fun of.
 But, every now and then, wizards, dwarves, and elves are seen talking to the crazy old person.
 One day the old person gives a gift to their nephew.
 They give them a magic clock or wardrobe that leads to another world.
 They give them a magic sword that leads them on a quest to be king
 They give them a book of magic spells. Which will conveniently solve every obstacle in the narrative.
 And of course, the One Ring to rule them all.
101 HORROR TROPES FOR WRITERS
Levels Of Fear:
 Horror: The feeling triggered by an unambiguous threat: a bear charging your loved one. It leads to a typical fear
response. This is a middling alternative to terror.
 Revulsion: The feeling triggered by an experience of the morbid or diseased—blood, gore violence, etc. It leads to a
powerful feeling of disgust: the sight of your loved one’s remains after the bear has torn them apart. This is a cheap
gimmick that plays on humanity’s most basic evolutionary-biological responses. It’s best to imply this or only show a
glimpse—don’t linger here.
 Terror: The feeling triggered by an ambiguous threat—you’re walking through woods said to be full of bears… when
you hear what sounds like the growl of a bear close by. At its most potent, it leads to an experience of the numinous
(spiritual or religious fervency) and/or the sublime (awe of greatness beyond all possibility of calculation,
measurement, or imitation). This is the ideal type of fear. 
Sub-genres:
 Body Horror:This sub-genre is a heightened, metaphorical exploration of the deteriorating effects of age and disease
on the human body and mind — the loss of self. Examples: The Fly; The Thing.
 Cosmic Horror: This subgenre explores monstrous, (super)natural forces that are powerful on a scale beyond the
realm of human understanding. Attempts to understand the Cosmic Terror drives the protagonist mad — even looking
at a Cosmic Terror might be enough to drive the viewer insane. This sub-genre highlights humanity’s smallness and
ignorance in relation to a vast, hostile universe. Human actions taken against a Cosmic Terror are futile. The Terror is
rarely a direct antagonist; more often it is a pervasive, unavoidable presence. The protagonist’s only hope is that he
might be too inconsequential for the Terror to notice him. Example: The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft.
 Psychological Horror: This sub-genre places the audience in the monster’s mind, forcing them to follow the rationale
for its perverse actions and confront their own capacity to commit and rationalise atrocities. Examples: The Telltale
Heart and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe.
 Surreal Horror: This sub-genre relies on the heavy use of Uncanny elements and the psychological landscape as a
setting. It rarely contains any obvious monsters or overt threats. Examples: Twin Peaks; Mulholland Drive. 
Suggested reading: Horror Masters: 3 Spooky Tips To Write Like Lovecraft, Poe, & King
High Concepts:
 Hear No Evil:
 The monster can control others by talking to them; It’s voice may even drive them mad.
 The monster is silent and therefore difficult to perceive.
 The protagonist is deaf and thus it’s harder for them to perceive the monster.
 See No Evil:
  The monster is invisible (or virtually invisible because it is so stealthy)— it may even disguise itself as ordinary
people/everyday items.
 Anyone who sees the monster loses their mind/falls under its spell.
 The protagonist is blind and thus it’s harder for them to perceive the monster
 Speak No Evil:
 Speaking the monster’s name in a certain context summons it.
 The monster is blind, (but has excellent hearing) so characters must be silent to avoid it.
 The protagonist is mute and thus handicapped when trying to get help. 
Characters
Sadly, many of the character tropes mentioned below are mere stereotypes populating the slasher sub-genre of horror. Most of
them ought to be avoided, but it’s still important to be aware of them so you avoid falling into clichéd writing by either a.) not
using these character tropes at all, or b.) putting a clever, thoughtful twist on a character trope to reinvigorate it.
 Best Friend/Sidekick: The wisecracking goofball no one takes seriously, but who often functions as a knight in
jester’s costume.
 Comatose (during the apocalypse): The protagonist wakes up from a coma (or simple hospitalisation) to find out the
world has fallen to some sort of cataclysm and is now overrun with monsters of some kind (usually zombies or
demons).
 Creepy Kid: The kid whom everyone picks on; as such, in slashers, he is often the red-herring—the character we are
supposed to suspect of being the killer.
 Druggie/ Alcoholic: The oddly charming, worldly-wise addict who sees through everything; still, no one listens to
them because of their altered perception.
 Evil Boyfriend: Surprise! The creepy, possessive boyfriend was the killer all along. Who saw that coming?
 Harassed Mother/Wife: A woman desperately trying to protect her family from an evil entity. People often assume
she’s just paranoid or crazy, and therefore ignore her warnings about the monster(s).
 Jerk Jock: The dim-witted, handsome meathead. He’s probably also the Evil Boyfriend.
 Love Interest: Any character the protagonist has a crush on/is dating. They will probably be threatened by the monster
multiple times throughout the story to raise the stakes.
 Nerd: The socially inept know-it-all who often functions as a means of sharing exposition about the monster, setting,
or horrifying events (possession, haunting, alien invasion, etc.)
 Nonbelievers: All those folks who treat the protagonist like they’re crazy when they try to warn people about the
monster/setting/event.
 Promiscuous Girl: The girl who dies first because she’s sexually uninhibited. Please don’t use this stereotype.
 Red Herring: Any character who is obviously meant to be unlikable and suspicious. They rarely fool modern
audiences—especially those well-versed in Scooby-doo.
 Scientist/Researcher: This is another character often used to communicate exposition. They may also be the one who
unleashes the ultimate evil/calls on the aliens/creates some unholy monstrosity.
 Spiralling Father/Husband: The dad/husband who is seduced by the monster to do its bidding—usually sacrificing
his loved ones.
 Survivalist: That wacky character with the bunker and armoury whom everyone dismisses as crazy. However,
everyone wants to be their best friend once the cataclysm starts and the monsters are roaming the streets.
  The Final Girl: The girl who survives (or dies last) because she conforms to societal morals. Not a terrible trope—just
have her survive cause she’s competent—not just because she upholds a particular moral standard.
 Token Minority: A character who functions as a mark on the writer’s diversity checklist who often dies early on.
Avoid this stereotype. Write a diverse cast to create authentic representation, not to virtue signal.
 Useless Cop/Medic: The person whom the protagonist is counting on to save the day, but ultimately, they fail. Often
used as a plot device—they are the harbinger of an “all is lost moment.”
 Weird Girl: A quirky girl who represents whatever alternative subculture is most prevalent at the time of writing. If
you include such a character, make her a full-fledged character who serves the story and has a genuine arc. 
Possessed/Cursed Artifact
Items which may be sentient or simply possessed. Either way, they are one means by which the monstrous forces torment the
characters.
 Amulet/ Locket
 Book
 Car
 Cell Phone
 Doll/Toy
 Idol/Relic
 Internet/computer
 Mirror
 Music Box
 Painting
 TV Set
 VHS
 Videogames
Settings:
As mentioned in another post on horror, a specific type of setting is a key feature of the horror genre. Below, we’ve listed a few
familiar places and features of horror settings—some need a little explanation, others need none.
 Abandoned/Derelict: No one has lived there in a long time; shows obvious signs of dilapidation/disrepair.
 Cursed: Some entity has placed a curse over the setting that terrorizes anyone who enters until the curse is broken.
 Horrifying Past/Lingering Dread: Terrible violence was done to a person or persons in the place: a cult site, mad
scientist’s lab, etc.
 Isolated: The setting is far from civilization and thus far from aid/support/help.
 Possessed: Similar to a curse, only an entity is actively controlling the setting, using it to terrorize the characters.
Sometimes called a “Genius Loci.”
 Around Every Corner: The setting is maze-like with plenty of right-angles and corners behind which monsters may
lurk.
 Asylum/Hospital: Haunted by failed human experiments.
 Cabin: Where the protagonists are trapped and inevitably descend into madness before killing (and maybe even eating)
one another.
 Camp: Terrorized by a masked killer or a monster. Maybe there is a secret cult working somewhere in the woods that
wants to use the campers as sacrifices.
 Castle: Haunted by a ghost, of course. Maybe owned by a mad person who enjoys torturing visitors in the dungeon.
 Church/Temple: Probably overrun by cultists. Maybe overtaken by a celestial (angel or demon).
 Circus/Carnival: Full of crazed killer clowns and rampaging animals. Please don’t portray “circus freaks” (usually
differently-abled folks) as inherently violent and dangerous.
 Dark: Obscures potential threats.
 Foggy/Misty: Also obscures potential threats.
 Ghost Town: Abandoned town—usually for unknown/mysterious reasons.
 Graveyard: Probably full of ghosts and zombies.
 Grocery Store: Wait—what? Yeah. I’m not joking. Everyone is headed here during the cataclysm and the limited
visibility of the aisles makes it ripe for some “around every corner scares.”
 Hell/Nether Realm: A place of torment or punishment for wayward souls. Usually populated by demons.
 Morgue: Well, if the dead are rising, you don’t wanna be here.
 Hotel: Vast, winding corridors full of strangers doing strange things.
 Haunted House/ Mansion: Nuff said.
 Mall: This is the agoraphobic cousin of the more claustrophobic Grocery Store.
 Mirrors: Can reveal a monster creeping up on the protagonist, and/or make the space feel larger than it really is, and
thus, disorienting.
 Psychological landscape: The characters internal fears are projected onto the setting, so they see/hear threats which
may or may not actually be present, confusing them about which threats are real.
 Remote Research Facility: Mad scientists and aliens like hanging out here for some reason. Usually someplace pretty
cold.
 Space Station: Like the above, only its even harder to get out, because—ya know—the infinite vacuum of space.
 Woods/Forest: Represents the violence and uncertainty just outside civilisation. Could be populated by just about
anything. They can be dark, foggy, difficult to navigate—kind of a worst case scenario for horror protagonists. And
those pesky cultists are just everywhere. 
Monsters
Monsters are most people’s favourite element of the horror genre and there are many horror tropes here. Feel free to mix and
mash these archetypes!
 Alien: A biological entity from another world in our universe.
 Angels: A celestial being (usually summoned by sorcerers to help with some form of Magic), which may ask for brutal
sacrifice or worship in exchange for its aid.
 Beast: Any terrifying creature from our own planet and/or plane of existence. May be bigger or more aggressive than
usual. A bear, snake, shark, spiders, etc.
 Cannibal: A person who eats other humans, either ritualistically or for a taboo cuisine preference.
 Clown: Maybe a sociopathic killer dressed as a clown, or a monster presenting as someone’s personal phobia.
  Cosmic Horrors: Any creature or entity whose form and/or power is so beyond comprehension that it leaves those
who see it in a state of existential dread. (Lovecraft is a great resource for these kinds of monsters).
 Country Folk: this may be a trope that needs to die out (remember, not all tropes are good/helpful), as it stigmatizes
rural people as backwards thinking and brutal. Flannery O’Connor is one of the few writers who used these kinds of
“monsters” throughout her work effectively because she fully-fleshed out her characters.
 Cultist(s): Any fringe religious offshoot that deifies its leaders and uses their teachings as justification for committing
atrocities against others.
 Demon: A fallen, malevolent celestial being; functionally identical to an angel, although it may be in the service of a
greater evil. While an angel may be beautiful, a demon may be deformed or bestial in appearance.
 Doppelgänger: an exact double of a character who may be better or worse at certain things; may have an opposite or
drastically different personality. Usually, they want to steal the character’s identity, loved ones, or their entire life. To
add a further level of uncanniness, make them taller, shorter, or less proportionate than the original.
 Evil AI: artificial intelligence that uses extreme measures (usually mass violence) to achieve its goal (usually revenge
on its creators).
 Fairy Creatures/Subhuman: Humanoid creature from the world folkloric tradition. Usually they look like larger,
smaller, or disproportionate humans (Trolls, ogres, elves, goblins, dwarves) and practice dark magic and/or eat humans.
 Force of Nature/Disaster: Tornados, Shark-nadoes, Knife Storms. That kind of thing. Usually these are just a means
to keep the protagonists locked in the horror setting.
 Ghosts: A spirit which remains tethered to a place because of some unfinished business.
 Infection/Possession: A spirit, demon, or disease that transforms people into a violent bestial version of themselves.
 Kaiju/Colossus: A giant beast or humanoid. May wreak havoc on purpose or by accident because of its size.
 Lich: A sorcerer who has tethered their soul to another person’s body (living or dead).
 Mad Scientist: Willing to commit all kinds of atrocities and crimes against humanity to further scientific progress
and/or secure their legacy in the pantheon of great innovators.
 Main Character: An ordinary, disempowered Jane/Joe Schmo who lacks the means, resources, and intellect necessary
to overcome the monster and/or cataclysm, but who persists anyway.
 Mask wearing, weapon-wielding: (fill in the blank)
 Mutant: A human or beast deformed by genetic experimentation or radioactive/biohazardous materials.
 Pagan gods: Gods not belonging to the character’s culture.
 Parasite: A creature that feeds off of others—often while keeping them alive. May even be able to manipulate them
into doing its bidding.
 Psychopath: A character who is so unempathetic that they are willing to commit all kinds of violence to achieve their
personal goals. Avoid writing these characters as people suffering from mental illness.
 Reanimated Corpse: A (usually) mindless, bestial corpse, reanimated by a demon, magic, or some other means. May
be cannibalistic.
 Robot/Cyborg/Android: a cybernetic being which may be some mixture of human and machine that seeks to
hurt/destroy others. Robot: fully cybernetic entity that doesn’t appear humanoid. Cyborg: Cybernetically enhanced
human. Android: A fully cybernetic entity that is humanoid in appearance.
 Shifters (Were_____): A human that transforms into a violent man-eating beast. Like a Were-kitten.
 Sorcerer/Witch: A person who uses dark, forbidden magic (usually via a celestial) to achieve personal goals. They
may also be cultists.
 Soulless (Vampires): An immortal being who traded their soul for immortality. As a result, they are cursed to feed on
the living.
Endings:
 Hero survives: She survives the hostile setting and defeats monster.
 Hero dies: She seems to overcome the hostile setting and monster, but ultimately succumbs to them.
 Hero seems to win but fails: She does whatever it takes to survive, even if that means becoming a monster herself. OR
it turns out the protagonist was the true monster all along.