All books are divided into two categories - fiction and non-fiction. Fiction refers to all works that have a fictional plot and fictional characters. Fiction- these are novels, short stories, novellas, plays and poetry (both for children and adults) ...
Usually, non-fiction is called non-fiction (from the English. Non-fiction - non-fiction, non-fictional literature) - these are textbooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, monographs, biographies, memoirs, journalism, etc.
Fiction works are divided into genre literature, mainstream and intellectual prose.
IN genre literature the main thing is the development of the plot, which fits into certain, previously known frameworks. For example, any detective story develops according to the scheme "crime - investigation - exposing the criminal"; any women's romance - "heroes meet - fall in love - fight for love - unite hearts." This does not mean that all genre novels should have a predictable plot. The skill of the writer lies precisely in creating his own unique world within the given framework.
Genre literature is action and a quick change of scenery. All the reader cares about is "What's next?".
Genres of fiction:
Avant-garde literature - characterized by violation of the canons and language and plot experiments. As a rule, the avant-garde comes out in very small editions. Closely intertwined with intellectual prose.
Action - focused primarily on the male audience. The basis of the plot is fights, chases, saving beauties, etc.
Detective - main story line- disclosure of a crime.
Historical novel - the time of action - the past. The plot, as a rule, is tied to significant historical events.
A love story - the characters find love.
Mysticism - the basis of the plot - supernatural events.
Adventures - the heroes get involved in an adventure or go on a risky journey.
Thriller / Horror - the heroes are in mortal danger, from which they are trying to get rid of.
Fantasy - the plot twists in a hypothetical future or in parallel world. One of the varieties of fantasy is alternative history.
Fantasy/Fairy Tales - the main features of the genre are fairy-tale worlds, magic, unseen creatures, talking animals, etc. Often based on folklore.
What is the mainstream (from the English mainstream - the main stream)? There is no place for canons and patterns in books of this genre. Readers expect unexpected solutions from them. The most important thing in the mainstream is moral development heroes, philosophy and ideology. Because professional requirements to the author of the mainstream is much higher: he must be not only an excellent storyteller, but also a good psychologist and a serious thinker. If a writer aims for the mainstream, but doesn't hold the bar, or falls into stereotypes, the reader will be disappointed.
The term "mainstream" originated from American writer and critic William Dean Howells (1866-1920). As editor of one of the most popular and influential literary magazines of his time, The Atlantic Monthly, he gave a clear preference to works written in a realistic vein and emphasizing moral and philosophical problems. Thanks Howells realistic literature became fashionable, and for some time it was called the "mainstream".
Fiction by birth
Structural text types
Prose
It is considered prosaic literary text, in which a separate, independent of speech rhythm does not invade the language fabric and does not affect the content. However, a number of borderline phenomena are known: many prose writers deliberately give their works some signs of poetry (we can mention the strongly rhythmic prose of Andrei Bely or rhymed fragments in Vladimir Nabokov's novel The Gift). Literary scholars continue to argue about the exact boundaries between prose and poetry different countries over the course of the last century.
Prose is widely used in fiction - when creating novels, short stories etc. Selected examples such works have been known for many centuries, but in an independent form literary works they have developed relatively recently.
Medieval art reached its culmination in the 12th-13th centuries. At present, medieval literature is usually divided into Latin literature and literature into vernacular languages(Romance and Germanic). genre division Latin literature as a whole reproduced the antique. IN medieval literature written prose first appeared.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .
Synonyms:See what "Fiction" is in other dictionaries:
Literature; fine literature, (fine) literature (outdated) / for easy reading: fiction Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova. 2011. fiction n., count ... ... Synonym dictionary
Publishing house, Moscow (office in Saint Petersburg). Founded in 1930 as the State Fiction Publishing House, in 1934 63 Goslitizdat. Collected works, selected works of Russian and foreign classics, modern ... ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary
- "ART LITERATURE", publishing house, Moscow (branch in St. Petersburg). Founded in 1930 as the State Fiction Publishing House, in 1934 63 Goslitizdat. Collected works, selected works of Russian and ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
fiction- (from lat. littera letter, writing) an art form in which the word is the main means of figurative reflection of life. Heading: Literature and its functions in society Genus: Art Other associative links: universal significance ... ... Terminological dictionary-thesaurus in Literary Studies
- (“Fiction”), the Soviet publishing house of the State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the USSR for publishing, printing and book trade. The State Publishing House of Fiction Literature (GIHL) was founded in 1930 on ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia
State publishing house, Moscow. Founded in 1930 as the State Fiction Publishing House, in 1934 63 Goslitizdat. Collected works, selected works of domestic and foreign classics, modern foreign ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
fiction- ▲ art literature literature. elegant vocabulary. subtext. style. stylist. reading. song of songs. | calliope. imaginism. see image, behavior... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language
"FICTION"- "ART LITERATURE", publishing house of the State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the USSR for publishing, printing and book trade. The State Publishing House of Fiction Literature (GIHL) was founded in 1930 on the basis of literary ... ... Literary Encyclopedic Dictionary
fiction- in rhetoric: a type of literature that exists in three main forms - epic, lyric and drama; feature of H.l. - fiction; being a laboratory of language, H.l. develops perfect and capacious methods of expression, makes it public ... ... Dictionary linguistic terms T.V. Foal
Instruction
This is also explained by the fact that the Slavic, created in the middle of the 9th century famous brothers Cyril and Methodius, was intended for the translation of sacred Christian texts. Church Slavonic, by definition, could not be the language in which secular fiction is created. For the same reason, in Old Russian, until the 17th century, there were neither fictional heroes and plots, nor descriptions of love experiences. Moreover, comic creations were completely absent (after all, laughter was considered a sinful occupation, distracting from prayers and pious reasoning).
The first surviving work is considered to be "The Word of Law and Grace", feathered Hilarion, Metropolitan of Kyiv. It was created, most likely, in the late 30s-40s of the 11th century (during the reign of Yaroslav the Wise). Beginning in the 12th century, a form of literature such as chronicle flourished. The most famous of them is The Tale of Bygone Years. According to most researchers, the first (edition) was compiled by the monk Nestor, the second edition by the monk Sylvester, and the author of the third edition remained unknown.
Then to:
a) learn the skill in your genre;
b) know exactly which publisher to offer the manuscript to;
c) study your target audience and to offer the book not to “everyone in general”, but to those people who may be interested in it.
What is fiction?
Fiction refers to all works that have a fictional plot and fictional characters: novels, stories, novels and plays.
The memoirs refer to non-fiction, because we are talking about non-fictional events, but they are written according to the canons of fiction - with a plot, characters, etc.
But poetry, including lyrics, is fiction, even if the author recalls a past love that actually happened.
Types of Adult Fiction
Fiction works are divided into genre literature, mainstream and intellectual prose.
genre literature
In genre literature, the plot plays the first violin, while it fits into certain, previously known frameworks.
This does not mean that all genre novels should be predictable. The skill of the writer lies precisely in creating a unique world, unforgettable heroes and interesting way get from point "A" (tie) to point "B" (denouement).
Usually, genre work ends on a positive note, the author does not delve into psychology and other high matters and simply tries to entertain readers.
Basic plot schemes in genre literature
Detective: crime - investigation - exposure of the criminal.
Love story: heroes meet - fall in love - fight for love - unite hearts.
Thriller: the hero lived ordinary life- there is a threat - the hero tries to escape - the hero gets rid of the danger.
Adventures: the hero sets a goal and, having overcome many obstacles, achieves what he wants.
When we talk about science fiction, fantasy, historical or modern novel, we are talking not so much about the plot as about the scenery, therefore, when defining the genre, two or three terms are used that allow us to answer the questions: “What happens in the novel?” and "Where is it happening?". If we are talking about children's literature, then an appropriate note is made.
Examples: "modern love story”, “Fantastic action movie” (action movie is adventure), “historical detective story”, “children's adventure story”, “fairy tale for primary school age”.
Genre prose, as a rule, is published in series - either author's or general.
Mainstream
In the mainstream (from English. mainstream- the main thread) readers expect unexpected solutions from the author. For this type of book, the most important thing is the moral development of the characters, philosophy and ideology. The requirements for a mainstream author are much higher than for writers working with genre prose: he must be not only an excellent storyteller, but also a good psychologist and a serious thinker.
Another important feature of the mainstream is that such books are written at the intersection of genres. For example, it is impossible to say unequivocally that "Gone with the Wind" is only romance or only historical drama.
By the way, the drama itself, that is, the story of the tragic experience of the characters, is also a sign of the mainstream.
As a rule, novels of this type are released outside the series. This is due to the fact that serious works are written for a long time and it is rather problematic to form a series of them. Moreover, mainstream authors are so different from each other that it is difficult to group their books on any basis other than “good book”.
When specifying the genre in mainstream novels, the emphasis is usually placed not so much on the plot, but on some features books: historical drama, novel in letters, fantasy saga, etc.
The emergence of the term
The term "mainstream" itself originated with the American writer and critic William Dean Howells (1837–1920). As editor of one of the most popular and influential literary magazines of his time, The Atlantic Monthly, he gave a clear preference to works written in a realistic vein and focusing on moral and philosophical problems.
Thanks to Howells, realistic literature came into vogue, and for some time it was called the mainstream. The term has stuck in English language and from there moved to Russia.
intellectual prose
In the vast majority of cases, intellectual prose has a gloomy tone and is released outside of the series.
Main genres of fiction
Approximate classification
When submitting an application to a publisher, we must indicate the genre - so that our manuscript is sent to the appropriate editor.
Below is indicative list genres, as they are understood in publishing houses and bookstores.
- vanguard literature. It is characterized by violation of the canons and language and plot experiments. As a rule, the avant-garde comes out in very small editions. Closely intertwined with intellectual prose.
- Action. Aimed primarily at a male audience. The basis of the plot is fights, chases, saving beauties, etc.
- Detective. The main storyline is solving the crime.
- Historical novel. The time of action is the past. The plot, as a rule, is tied to significant historical events.
- Love story. Heroes find love.
- Mystic. The basis of the plot is supernatural events.
- Adventures. Heroes get involved in an adventure and/or go on a perilous journey.
- Thriller/horror. The heroes are in mortal danger, from which they are trying to get rid of.
- Fantastic. The plot twists in a hypothetical future or in a parallel world. One of the varieties of fantasy is alternative history.
- Fantasy / fairy tales. The main features of the genre are fairy-tale worlds, magic, unprecedented creatures, talking animals, etc. It is often based on folklore.
What is non-fiction?
Non-fiction books are classified by topic (eg gardening, history, etc.) and type (scientific monograph, collection of articles, photo album, etc.).
The following is a classification of non-fiction books, as done in bookstores. When submitting an application to the publisher, indicate the topic and type of book - for example, a textbook on writing.
Classification of non-fiction
- autobiographies, biographies and memoirs;
- architecture and art;
- astrology and esotericism;
- business and finance;
- armed forces;
- upbringing and education;
- house, garden, kitchen garden;
- health;
- story;
- career;
- computers;
- local history;
- love and family relationships;
- fashion and beauty;
- music, cinema, radio;
- science and technology;
- food and cooking;
- gift editions;
- politics, economics, law;
- guides and travelogues;
- religion;
- self-development and psychology;
- Agriculture;
- dictionaries and encyclopedias;
- sport;
- philosophy;
- hobby;
- school textbooks;
- linguistics and literature.
What is fiction? We learn about it from early childhood when mom reads a bedtime story. If we ask this question seriously and talk about literature in general, about its types and genres, then, of course, we will also remember scientific literature, and about documentary prose. Any person, even without a philological education, will be able to distinguish fiction from other genres. How?
Fiction: definition
First, let's define what fiction is. As textbooks and reference books say, this is a kind of art that, with the help of a written word, expresses the consciousness of society, its essence, views, mood. It is thanks to books that we learn what people thought about in a given time period, how they lived, what they felt, how they talked, what they were afraid of, what values they had. You can read a history textbook and know the dates, but it is fiction that will describe in detail the life and life of people.
Fiction: Features
To answer the question of what fiction is, you need to know that all books are divided into fiction and non-fiction. What is the difference? Let us give examples of sentences from fiction.
“The moment I decided for myself that I didn’t want to be here to death, a lock rattled on the door behind me and Fred appeared, tired after a night shift. He stared at strangers who filled his house with a terrible stink and unwound paper napkins everywhere ". This is an excerpt from Danny King's first book, Diary of a Robber. He shows us the main features of fiction - description and action. In fiction, there is always a hero - even if it is a story written in the first person, where it is as if the author himself falls in love, robs or travels. Well, without descriptions, too, nowhere, otherwise how can we understand in what kind of environment the heroes operate, what surrounds them, where they go. The description gives us the opportunity to imagine what the hero looks like, his clothes, his voice. And we form our own idea of the hero: we see him the way our imagination helps us to see him, together with the desire of the author. We draw a portrait, the author helps us. That's what fiction is.
Fiction or truth?
What conclusion do we come to? Fiction is fiction, these are heroes invented by the author, invented events, sometimes non-existent places. The writer is given complete freedom of action - he can do whatever he wants with his heroes: send him to the past or the future, to the ends of the earth, kill, resurrect, be offended, steal a million in a bank. If you dig deeper, then, of course, everyone understands that the heroes have prototypes. But often they are so far from book people that it is almost impossible to draw a parallel. The author can only borrow a manner of speaking, walking, describing a habit. It happens that a real man pushes the writer to create a hero and a book. So, Alice Lindell inspired Lewis Carroll to write the favorite book of many children "Alice in Wonderland", and one of the sons of Arthur and Sylvia Davis, friends of Barry James, became the prototype of Peter Pan. Even in historical novels the boundaries of fiction and truth are always blurred, what can we say about science fiction then? If we take an excerpt from a news feed, from a newspaper, we will know that these are facts. But if we read the same passage on the first page of the novel, it would never occur to us to believe in the reality of what is happening.
What is the purpose of fiction?
Literature teaches us. Since childhood, poems about Moidodyr teach us to observe hygiene, and the story about Tom Sawyer teaches us that a misdemeanor is followed by punishment. What does literature teach adults? For example, courage. Read secret story Vasily Bykov about two partisans - Sotnikov and Rybak. Sotnikov, sick, exhausted by a hard road, crippled during interrogations, steadfastly holds on to the last and even out of fear of death does not betray his comrades. And there is much to learn from the example of Rybak. Having betrayed his comrade and himself, he goes over to the side of the enemy, which he later regrets, but the way back is cut off, the way back is only through death. And, perhaps, he is more punished than the hanged comrade. Everything is like from childhood: without punishment there is no offense.
So, the goals of fiction are clearly defined: to show, using the example of heroes, how to act and how not to; tell about the time and place where events take place, and pass on the experience to the next generation.
De gustibus non est disputandum, or There is no dispute about tastes
Remember, at the end of each class before summer holidays did the teacher give us a list of fiction books from which we needed to read by September? And many suffered all summer, barely moving up this list. Indeed, reading what you do not like is simply not interesting. Everyone chooses for themselves - "one loves watermelon, the other pork cartilage," as Saltykov-Shchedrin said. If a person says that he does not like to read, he simply has not found his book. Someone likes to travel in time with science fiction writers, someone likes to solve crimes in detective novels, someone is thrilled by love scenes in novels. There is no single recipe, just as there is no author who would be liked by everyone and perceived equally by everyone, because we perceive fiction subjectively, based on our age, social status, emotional and moral component.
How many people - so many opinions?
The question of what fiction is can be answered in the following way: it is literature beyond time and place. It does not have clearly defined functions, like a dictionary or instruction manual. washing machine, but it has a more important function: it educates, criticizes, gives us a break from reality. Fiction books are ambiguous, they cannot be interpreted in the same way - this is not a recipe carrot cake when a dozen people follow the directions step by step and end up with the same cake. Everything here is purely individual. The book "Schindler's Ark" by author Keneally Thomas Michael cannot be assessed in the same way: someone will condemn the German who saved people, someone will keep this image in their hearts as an example of dignity and philanthropy.
