GreatMamuka
New member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2026
- Messages
- 15
I used to use 'type' and 'genre' interchangeably until a professor corrected my paper. Turns out, they're different! Understanding this helped me organize my writing better.
Types of writing refer to the purpose and mode: narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, analytical, etc. . These are about how you're writing and why.
Genres are categories of literary works based on form, style, or subject matter: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, mystery, romance, etc. . These are about what you're writing.
A single genre can use multiple types of writing. For example, a novel (genre) might blend narrative (telling the story), descriptive (painting scenes), and even persuasive (making you care about a theme) . A scientific paper (genre) uses expository and analytical writing to share findings .
This clicked for me when I realized: the type is the tool, the genre is the project. You can use the same tools (types) for different projects (genres), and one project might need several tools.
For anyone confused by writing terminology, this distinction really helps. Now when professors talk about genres or types, I know exactly what they mean.
Types of writing refer to the purpose and mode: narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, analytical, etc. . These are about how you're writing and why.
Genres are categories of literary works based on form, style, or subject matter: fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, mystery, romance, etc. . These are about what you're writing.
A single genre can use multiple types of writing. For example, a novel (genre) might blend narrative (telling the story), descriptive (painting scenes), and even persuasive (making you care about a theme) . A scientific paper (genre) uses expository and analytical writing to share findings .
This clicked for me when I realized: the type is the tool, the genre is the project. You can use the same tools (types) for different projects (genres), and one project might need several tools.
For anyone confused by writing terminology, this distinction really helps. Now when professors talk about genres or types, I know exactly what they mean.
