NoveList offers browsing by story elements Genres, Appeal, and Themes.
However, browsing will only really show the top-level, or most common terms.
Each of these options also has their own index in NoveList that includes even more terms so that you can search exactly what kind of elements you are in the mood for: From mysteries with quirky characters, or a romance in a haunted house, or a fast-paced action-packed sci-fi, to a slice of life story in a small town, be sure to check out all the possibilities in Genre, Appeal, and Themes!
Search TI "Story Element Index" in the search bar to bring up the main Story Elements Index page, which links to all three elements indexes.
Genre Index
You know the main genres: mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction... but have you ever thought about medical thrillers, paranormal romances, sports fiction, or alternative history?
Bring up the full Genre Index by searching TI "Genre Index" in the search bar.
Appeal Index
Appeal helps readers determine why they enjoy a book and whether a particular book will fit their style. You can use appeal terms to find books based on the type of character you like, the pacing or tone of the story, or even the style of illustration.
Look at the full Appeal Index on NoveList by searching TI "Appeal Index" in the search bar.
Theme Index
Themes are the (sometimes) hard-to-define elements of a book that hook a reader. Sometimes called "tropes" they broadly define the type of story, examples might include: origin stories, unlikely friendships, or inspired by true events.
Check out the full Theme Index by searching "UI 453923" in the search bar, or by browsing by themes and clicking the "view all themes" link.
Time Periods
NoveList has subject headings that allow you to search a specific time period, improving the searchability of Historical Fiction.
You can search time period subject headings using the Field Code SW
Want to find a book set in Ancient Greece? Search SW Ancient Greece*
Interested in books set during the Georgian or Regency era? Search SW Georgian era* OR SW Regency period*
Looking for books set in or about the 16th century? Search by century: SW 16th century
Want books set during the 1930s? Search by decade: SW 1930s
In addition to the time period subject headings, decades and centuries can be searched in the following format: "1940s" or "20th century
Find the full list of time period subject headings by clicking the question mark icon next to the search bar, and scrolling down to Story Elements: Time Periods.
