Genre Markers

Genre markers are story elements such as conventional characters, settings, themes, topics, situations and plot events that are common in specific genres.

They separate genres of narrative fiction from one another:

Beginning story planning using genre markers can help students generate idea and come up with a more focused, interesting plot. 

Introduce the genre you are focusing on first and give examples of common characters, settings and plot events that are found in that genre. Then ask students to begin planning their story by drawing a mind map, beginning with setting:

Dealing with setting and character first can help students come up with the structure of the plot naturally as establishing the orientation of the story first will help them to think about the kinds of characters that would live there and the situations they might find themselves in. 

Asking targeted questions about the world and characters can also help develop a plan for the story in a natural way:

Activity Ideas:

1. Have students change the genre of a popular fairy tale or kids' TV show: 

• Peppa Pig as science-fiction 

• Little Red Riding Hood as detective story 

• Three Little Pigs as a ghost story

2. Watch film trailers and use a table to note down the different character, setting and plot genre markers 

3. Do a library hunt where they must prove the genre of a book from the cover and blurb by identifying genre markers. (This can also be done by having students pick random books from a box the teacher has and can be a group quiz.)

4. Title Taboo: have students work in groups to write a new story summary/blurb for popular novels/films by describing the genre markers in the story while not mentioning the character names or other revealing information. Example: a magical princess must use her secret powers to save her sister from an evil, scheming prince. (Frozen).