<Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> A literary genre is a category of literary composition . Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or even (as in the case of fiction) length . The distinctions between genres and categories are flexible and loosely defined, often with subgroups . </P> <P> The most general genres in literature are (in loose chronological order) epic, tragedy, comedy, and creative nonfiction . They can all be in the form of prose or poetry . Additionally, a genre such as satire, allegory or pastoral might appear in any of the above, not only as a subgenre (see below), but as a mixture of genres . Finally, they are defined by the general cultural movement of the historical period in which they were composed . </P> <P> Genre should not be confused with age categories, by which literature may be classified as either adult, young adult, or children's . They also must not be confused with format, such as graphic novel or picture book . </P>

Characteristics of popular literature as a literary genre