By Purpose:
* Fiction:
* Novel: Long, complex narratives exploring characters and their lives.
* Literary Fiction: Focuses on character development, themes, and language.
* Genre Fiction: Follows specific formulas and conventions (e.g., romance, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, thriller, historical fiction).
* Short Story: Focused narrative, usually under 10,000 words.
* Novella: Longer than a short story but shorter than a novel.
* Flash Fiction: Extremely short stories, often just a few hundred words or less.
* Nonfiction:
* Biography/Autobiography: Accounts of real people's lives.
* Memoir: Personal stories and reflections on a specific theme or period.
* History: Accounts of past events.
* Science Writing: Explanations of scientific concepts and discoveries.
* Journalism: News reporting, investigative pieces, opinion writing.
* Travel Writing: Accounts of personal experiences while traveling.
* Essay: Short, focused piece exploring a specific topic or idea.
* Personal Essay: Focuses on the writer's personal experiences and reflections.
* Expository Essay: Provides information and explains a topic.
* Persuasive Essay: Aims to convince the reader of a certain viewpoint.
* How-to/Self-Help: Practical guides and advice on a particular skill or subject.
By Style:
* Formal Prose: Uses a serious, objective tone and adheres to strict grammatical rules.
* Informal Prose: Uses more casual language and may break grammatical rules for effect.
* Literary Prose: Characterized by its use of vivid language, figurative language, and literary devices to create a strong emotional impact.
* Journalistic Prose: Clear, concise, and objective writing designed to inform readers.
* Technical Prose: Uses precise language and technical terms to convey specific information.
By Content:
* Literary Prose: Focuses on exploring themes, characters, and ideas.
* Informational Prose: Aims to educate the reader about a particular subject.
* Persuasive Prose: Seeks to convince the reader to agree with a particular point of view.
* Narrative Prose: Focuses on telling a story.
It's important to note that these categories are not mutually exclusive. For example, a novel can be both literary and genre fiction. Additionally, there are many other subgenres within these categories, such as historical romance, dystopian sci-fi, or nature writing.
Ultimately, the subgenre of a piece of prose is determined by its specific characteristics and the conventions it follows.