: How to identify a scene type? What are the main types in which a scene can be classified, and what are the key concepts for each type? I am thinking something along the following (guessing

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Though the question title mentions scene level, the start of the question is about fiction categories. To flesh out the list of categories in the original question, Laura Whitcomb, in Your First Novel, mentions these categories of fiction:

Armchair Mystery - general mystery, but with less sex and violence and milder language
Chick-Lit - not a traditional romance, but often centered on love and sex
Children's - target ages of seven to twelve years old
Erotica - explicit sex
Fantasy - Worlds other than our own, often involving wizardry and/or fantastic beasts
Historical Romance - non-contemporary, prehistory to early twentieth century
Horror - supernatural or real, antagonist terrorizes other characters
Legal Thriller - plot centers around a trial
Literary - writing viewed as more sophisticated, Pulitzer Prize level
Mainstream - crossed out of a genre into popular readership
Military Thriller - action, adventure, suspense set in military life
Mystery - centers on solving a crime
Romance - centers on relationship of two people who fall in love
Science Fiction - set in future reality, includes technology
Suspense - suspenseful drama with dark threat
Western - non-contemporary adventure in the American West
Young Adult - readers grade seven through twelve

I recommend reading the book for a bit more detail on these categories and much other good advice. I mention this list because I am currently reading this on my Kindle and happened upon this section not too long ago.

Re: individual scene typing within a genre category

As a reader, I have never considered the specific type of a scene separate from the genre of the work. I asked my wife about this and she has never thought this way either. It is much more important that a scene fit the characters and story as a whole regardless of type. For example, just because two people in love are having a dialog doesn't mean that scene has to follow a traditional romance scene formula if the overall genre is something else. Let the actions of the characters determine individual scene direction instead of trying to fit them into set formulaic molds.

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Mary lowered her eyes. Should she really look up again. She wasn‘t sure. Was she prepared for that? Her heart pulsed like crazy. She had to do it. Now! Or it would be too late. With all the braveness she has left, she looked up. And there she still saw it: His bright smile, his warmful eyes. Yes, he was looking at her. The best day of her life!

Mary lowered her eyes. Should she really look up again. She wasn‘t sure. Was she prepared for that? Her heart pulsed like crazy. She had to do it. Now! Or it would be too late. With all the braveness she has left, she looked up. And there she still saw it: The glowing eyes in the darkness just beyond the door. She was paralyzed. She had to close that door. But woud that save her?

Mary lowered her eyes. Should she really look up again. She wasn‘t sure. Was she prepared for that? Her heart pulsed like crazy. She had to do it. Now! Or it would be too late. With all the braveness she has left, she looked up. And there she still saw it: The bright red light beam. Her grandpa told her, she should just jump into it, as soon as she sees it. It would bring her to unknown places, wonderful, undescribable. It would be the best trip of her life. She was born to do that, he said. But she was afraid. The light was flickering. She jumped.

Ok, I just have written that down in fifteen minutes, so bear with me. I did this mainly for clarification. I hope you find out easily, which of these paragraphs is what kind of "genre". Do you now what to know, how you recognise that, or what wording do you have to use, how you can accomplish that?

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