So what is historical fiction about? Insight into a specific part of the past, and a reflection on the continuity of human experience (of hardship)? And romance? I should be able to answer this because I've read so much fanfic that could be qualified as romance(?). An exploration of the build-up of a romantic relationship ? Why is that compelling? We're invested in the dance? And fiction? Seems to be a lot of thrillers... but also I think essentially that general fiction has as focus interactions between human beings and all sorts of relationships. The push and pull. As well as the complexity and problematic nature of being and of regular things just happening and how one deals with that. I haven't read enough fiction classed as just fiction to know for sure though. And non-fiction? Reflections, recordings of events and thoughts. (?) Young adult fiction.. You see a lot of combinations of genres in young adult fiction. A malicious human world (sci-fi) aqcuisition of power in a battle between good and evil (fantasy), an exploration of a first romantic relationship (romance). Urban fantasy vs. Epic fantasy Weird stuff! They both possess the novel and non-malicious (neutral) unnatural (magic) of fantasy. But urban fantasy is like a combination focus of the acquistion of power with romance (often) though I've read one where there was only romance and more like fiction (focus on being and things happening) plus the tiniest slip of magic. Genres are kind of weird and I'm not sure why they exist as they do. They must reflect common preferebces and interests right... all of these genres have different focus but they all may possess some sense of worldbuilding, characterisation, relationship dynamics, plot (things happening, characters taking action), humour, specific kinds of prose, thematic proposals and resolution.
