What defines a literary genre?

A literary genre is defined as a category of literature that shares common characteristics, which can include themes, styles, structures, and narrative techniques. Genres allow readers to identify and classify literary works based on these shared traits, facilitating a deeper understanding and appreciation of different writings.

For example, major genres include fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction, each of which encompasses various sub-genres like mystery, romance, and thriller for fiction, or sonnet and free verse for poetry. The classification helps readers set expectations about the content and form of the work.

The other choices present narrower concepts. A specific writing style unique to an author pertains to an individual writer's voice rather than a broad category. A type of poetic structure restricts the definition to poetry alone, neglecting other forms of literature. A formulaic approach to storytelling suggests a repetitive pattern that applies to some works but does not encompass the diversity of genres or their defining characteristics.