What Are the 11 Super Genres in Screenwriting?

The 11 super genres come from Eric R. Williams’ Screenwriters Taxonomy. They are Action, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Life, Romance, Science Fiction, Sports, Thriller, War and Western. Each describes the core experience a story delivers to its audience, and writers use them to understand what their script promises.

• The framework groups stories by the experience they deliver.
• Life covers dramas about everyday personal struggles.
• Knowing your super genre clarifies your script’s promise.

Where does the list come from?

The super genres are part of the Screenwriters Taxonomy developed by screenwriter and professor Eric R. Williams. It separates super genres from other layers such as story type, pathway and style.

How do you use the super genres?

Identify the one experience your audience should have: fear in horror, suspense in a thriller, love in romance. Then check that your scenes deliver it. Mixing genres works best when one clearly leads.

How do super genres differ from subgenres?

Subgenres are narrower categories within a super genre, such as slasher within horror or heist within crime.

Questions

Is comedy one of the super genres?

In this framework, comedy is treated as a style or voice that can apply to any super genre, rather than a super genre itself.

Do I have to use this framework?

No. It is one of several genre frameworks. It is useful as a way to check that your story delivers what its genre promises.

Related course: Screenwriting 101