Story genre wheel
Twenty-four genres to write in. Spin, then use what readers expect from that genre, or break it on purpose.
SpacespinCtrl+Enterspin while typingFfull screen
One entry per line. Add *3 after a name to give it three times the chance.
Winners show up here, newest first.
Colors
Ready-made list. Edit it to make it yours: changes stay on this device, and Reset brings the original back.Open in the main spinner →
What readers expect
Every genre makes promises. Knowing them lets you keep them, or surprise people by breaking one.
- Mystery: a puzzle, clues the reader can spot, and a fair solution at the end.
- Fable: animals or simple characters and a lesson, often stated in the last line.
- Heist: a team, a plan explained to the reader, and something going wrong in the middle.
- Survival: a hostile place, limited supplies, and a character who changes to get out.
- Tall tale: a hero whose feats get bigger with every telling, told with a straight face.
- Slice of life: a small, ordinary moment that matters to someone. No villain needed.
- Detective noir: a tired investigator, a city at night, short sentences, and nobody fully innocent.
- Steampunk: a world where steam power and clockwork run advanced machines, often in a 1800s style.
The genre-swap exercise
- Choose a story everyone knows, like a fairy tale or the plot of a famous film.
- Spin for a genre.
- Retell the story in that genre in 300 words. Goldilocks as detective noir: a break-in, three suspects, porridge as evidence.
- Read it aloud. Notice which genre rules you used without thinking.
This works in class (ages 10 and up), in writing groups and as a solo warm-up. Turn on Remove the winner after each spin to give every student a different genre.
Questions and answers
How is this different from the book genre wheel?
The book genre wheel is for choosing what to read, and includes nonfiction. This one is for writing, with genres that make good short story challenges.
Can I combine two genres?
Yes, and it is often where the best ideas come from. Spin twice: a western space opera, a comedy ghost story, a fairy tale heist. Add a character and a setting from the character wheel and the setting wheel to complete the kit.