Royal Road Tags Description

starvingsloth
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#1 by starvingsloth

Hello Everyone! Starvingsloth here.

Since the introduction of the new tags, I've been wondering if there are any centralized list of each tags' description. I searched the FAQs and forum posts, but it seems like there aren't any post like that (yet). I do actually find the description of each tags, and it's located at the author's dashboard when submitting a new fiction. But! we can only read the genre and tags description while hovering over the options. That was really inconvenient! So, I figured why not create a post for all of the tags descriptions?

In this post I provided all of the currently available tags on Royal Road, each linked to their own advanced search page, and with a rough count on each tags fiction count (per November 19th, 2020). I also provided a google sheet for better viewing and sort capability: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15xb8Ld0Q7o7SVVNu8SlJUWwLur09s6ZmXFvN_NFWMn8/edit?usp=sharing In the sheet there are also the genre description for MyAnimeList and NovelUpdates for comparison.

I initially wanted to start a discussion on what is a good tag and what is not a good tag, but I think I'll create a separate post to discuss about that.

Anyway, I hope this list is useful for your experience on Royal Road as it's useful for me! Happy reading!

Spoiler: Content Warnings

Spoiler: Genres

Genre	Count*	Description
Action	20033	Action stories involve exciting and dramatic scenes. Character movements are described in detail, such as in combat scenes. Martial Arts is a subgenre of action.
Adventure	20758	Adventure stories involve the main character facing a challenge or series of challenges outside of their ordinary life. Plot events are central to the story. Adventure stories often involve danger and action scenes.
Comedy	6966	Comedy stories are intended to amuse the reader through humour. Subgenres include satire and parody.
Contemporary	1355	Contemporary stories take place in the modern era, with setting, plot, and characters that seem believable as a true story.
Drama	5314	Dramatic stories focus on emotional themes and interpersonal relationships. These stories feature realistic characters and their emotional development.
Fantasy	23427	Fantasy stories involve supernatural elements such as magic and mythological creatures. These imaginative stories can depict the real world with fantasy elements (low fantasy), or take place in a completely reimagined fantasy world (high fantasy).
Historical	922	Historical stories take place in a setting located in the past. Stories will include accurate details about the manners and socioeconomic conditions of the era.
Horror	2245	Horror stories are intended to inspire feelings of horror or terror in the reader. They often focus on elements of death, afterlife, and evil. They are often supernatural, but do not have to be.
Mystery	2044	Mystery stories revolving around characters attempting to figure out a puzzling crime or perplexing situation.
Psychological	4039	Psychological stories focus on the inner action of the characters, including motives, thoughts, and emotions from which plot events result. Characterization is particularly important to the story. Psychological thriller is a subgenre characterizing unstable psychological states.
Romance	7244	Romance stories focus on the relationship and romantic love between people. Stories will often involve dramatic elements. Pure romance stories will have a satisfying and optimistic ending.
Satire	574	A genre in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government, or society itself into improvement.
Sci-Fi	5429	Science fiction stories take place in imaginative, futuristic settings. Common elements include space travel, advanced technology, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life.
Short Story	2276	Short stories are pieces intended to be read in one sitting. Because of its condensed form, short stories often have brief or skipped introductions, as well as open-ended or abrupt conclusions. Plot is condensed, and these stories are less complex than full novels.
Tragedy	3755	Tragedy is a form of drama that invokes human suffering. Classic tragic stories are intended to provide cartharsis, or purging of negative emotion in the audience. Stories involve a noble character brought low by fate or circumstance.

Spoiler: Status

Spoiler: Tags

Tags	Count*	Description
Anti-Hero Lead	5537	Anti-Hero Lead stories depict leading characters that lack the usual heroic qualities such as idealism, courage, or morality. Usually, anti-heroes blur the lines between a protagonist and an antagonist, depicting the characteristics of both.
Artifical Intelligence	19	A subgenre focusing on characters or major actors that are advanced AI.
Cyberpunk	925	Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on technological advancements themselves. They usually feature a change of social order because of said advancements.
Dungeon	1462	A type of fiction that takes place or focuses on loot-bearing Dungeons similar to the eponymous RPG. Also includes a theme of the Main Character being the Dungeon itself or controlling it.
Dystopia	13	A society where the common person's living conditions are undesirable or frightening, often with a totalitarian government/authority.
Female Lead	5832	Female Lead stories have, unsurprisingly, a leading female human character, or of any particular sapient humanoid race.
First Contact	8	A story focusing on the first meeting between two or more species or societies and the events that occur because of it.
Gamelit	2091	Novels set in game-like worlds of any game genre. Does not need to heavily focus on visual statistics.
Gender Bender	1321	Gender Bender fictions utilise the theme of gender swapping. The gender swapping can be temporary or permanent, full or partial, and may or may not be the theme based on which the fiction revolves.
Genetically Engineered	14	Characters are genetically modified to be superior to their original species.
Grimdark	2835	Grimdark is a subgenre or a way to describe the tone, style or setting of speculative fiction (especially fantasy) that is, depending on the definition used, markedly dystopian or amoral, or particularly violent or realistic.
Hard Sci-Fi	3	Uses theoretically possible science and attempts to explain how the science works; does not include fantasy elements.
Harem	3342	Harem stories depict characters, which may or may not be the main character, in polyamorous and/or polygamous relationships.
High Fantasy	5171	Defined by its epic nature, High Fantasy takes place in an alternate world with its own rules and laws.
LitRPG	6373	Novels where linear progression, such as levels, are main themes of the story. Almost always shows stat boxes, EXP gain, and other notifications.
Loop	10	Characters relive the same time period through a loop; may or may not involve alternate timelines.
Low Fantasy	1870	A type of fantasy that takes place in the real world, putting fantastical elements in an otherwise natural setting.
Magic	14051	Magic fictions contain the use or means of magic (as charms or spells) that have supernatural power over natural forces. Practitioners are commonly referred to as mages (or magi), witches and warlocks, wizards, and sorcerers. Most commonly used in fantasy fictions.
Male Lead	14716	Male Lead stories have, you guessed it, a leading male human character, or of any particular sapient humanoid race.
Martial Arts	6355	Martial Arts stories commonly describe to great detail the intricacies of western or eastern combat.
Multiple Lead Characters	5303	Multiple Lead Characters fictions depict stories said from points of view of a number of characters, the actual number varying between two and too many to count. The characters can be of any gender and race.
Mythos	1581	A type of fiction focusing on mythology, such as deities and elements of the divine, or the occult.
Non-Human Lead	4599	Non-Human Lead stories have main character(s) not be human, whether partially or completely. The term may include or exclude humanoid fantastical races. The main theme of said stories can be the loss or redefinition of the term human or humane.
Portal Fantasy / Isekai	3613	Features a fantastical world that is entered through a portal or some other means, and differs from the real world. In Japan, this type of work is known as isekai (different world).
Post Apocalyptic	1116	The world has been ruined, and this is the story of the survivors.
Progression	52	Characters work to improve themselves over time rather than acquiring rapid growth, usually through training, grinding, studying, and/or introspection.
Reader Interactive	1029	Reader Interactive uses reader inputs (usually polls) to define the progression of the novel. They can also be “choose your own adventure” stories, told in second person narrative.
Reincarnation	5275	Reincarnation utilises a common theme of a person's life restarting or beginning anew after their death, not necessarily connected to the teachings of hinduism and buddhism.
Ruling Class	1236	Focuses on managing cities, castles, or entire worlds. Usually features nobility.
School Life	3434	School Life stories usually place their characters in a setting regarding education and schooling. The main character(s) are usually students in the institutions. School Life may be a primary theme, or can just span a portion of the story.
Secret Identity	3039	Secret Identity fictions use the theme of subterfuge and secrecy employed by one or more characters (main or otherwise) to pose as different personae. The secret identity is usually vital to the story or setting.
Slice of Life	4306	Slice of Life stories usually depict snippets or parts of one or more characters’ life, which may or may not be connected to the main plot themselves. There doesn’t even have to be a main plot in a traditional sense.
Soft Sci-Fi	31	Uses futuristic-type science, but doesn't explain how the technology works and the science isn’t necessarily realistic or feasible.
Space Opera	437	A subgenre of science fiction that focuses on space warfare, interplanetary battles, futuristic weapons, and is usually set in outer space. May include subthemes of chivalry and romance.
Sports	280	Sports fictions focus on competitive displays of physical or mental prowess. The sports can be real or imaginary, but usually have to contain a self-explanatory set of rules.
Steampunk	232	A subgenre of science fiction inspired by and incorporating 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery and technology, usually set in an alternate Victorian Era or the Wild West.
Strategy	3987	Strategy stories depict characters or setting that do not rely on pure physical prowess, combat, or clashing, instead depicting tactical and critical thinking.
Strong Lead	8021	Strong Lead stories depict characters which are unnaturally or unusually potent compared to the norm of the setting they are in. They can be either physically and/or mentally superior, or have a different advantage altogether.
Super Heroes	753	A subgenre focusing on people with supernatural abilities, or ones that focus on fighting the evil of the universe, usually in costumes.
Supernatural	9304	Supernatural stories contain an unnatural element which cannot be found in reality. Common themes include magic, zombies, vampires, werewolves, dragons, and other fae. Supernatural fictions are usually alternate world or low fiction stories, where the main setting is in the actual contemporary Earth.
Technologically Engineered	13	Characters are enhanced or created through technology, such as cyborgs or robots.
Time Travel	15	Characters directly travel through time, possibly within the same timeline, alternate timelines, or even creating new timelines.
Urban Fantasy	1545	Works that feature fantastical or supernatural elements in an urban setting, which may or may not be contemporary.
Villainous Lead	896	As opposed to Anti-Hero, villain leads are not benevolent. Usually features protagonists with immoral or evil goals.
Virtual Reality	2620	Virtual Reality stories often incorporate headsets or full-body machines that simulate a different reality or depict moving a human consciousness entirely into a virtual or digital environment. The story can span both the actual and the virtual reality.
War and Military	1741	Fictions that focus on war and the military life of soldiers.
Wuxia	1348	Based on Chinese literature wuxia (Martial Heroes) features itinerant warriors of ancient China, often depicted as capable of superhuman feats of martial arts.
Xianxia	975	A type of Chinese martial arts novel that typically focuses on cultivation and a quest for immortality.

P.S. working with the forum bb code is a pain, don't recommend at all 3/10.

I'll try to update the list as best as I can, if there are any tags added or removed.

Daniel Newwyn
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#2 by Daniel Newwyn

Have my reputation, Sir, for your hard work.

ArDeeBurger
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#3 by ArDeeBurger

starvingsloth Wrote: working with the forum bb code is a pain

Jawohl da, mein Bester. It is like wrestling with snakes.

On another note, as I am here, it would be nice if Royal Road had an Bishōjo/Otome tag, wouldn't you agree?

It seems there are a lot of stories out there where a main goal of the plot is for the guy (or girl) to get the girl (or guy.)

I know I'm writing one! 😃

ZachSkye
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#4 by ZachSkye

Thank ya so much for the guide, I gave ya some rep too.

Tenori Tejima
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#5 by Tenori Tejima

Never really understood what counts as High Fantasy and what's Low Fantasy. Is everything that's set in a world or universe "not ours" automatically high?

starvingsloth
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#6 by starvingsloth

Tenori Wrote: Never really understood what counts as High Fantasy and what's Low Fantasy. Is everything that's set in a world or universe "not ours" automatically high?

From what I understand, if it involves an alternate fantastical world, it's a High Fantasy. If it's based on the primary world, our Earth, it's Low Fantasy. So yes, everything that's set in a world or universe "not ours" is automatically High Fantasy.

I think the intent of the distinction is to determine the tone of the story, at first. So a High Fantasy would involve more fantastical elements and things that require more suspension of disbelief, while a Low Fantasy would be more toned down and focused on the realism of the fantastical aspect. But nowadays I think High Fantasy is much more popular than Low Fantasy, at least from what I experience on Royal Road.

ArDeeBurger
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#7 by ArDeeBurger

Tenori Wrote: Never really understood what counts as High Fantasy and what's Low Fantasy.

Harry Potter happens in our world, so it's Low Fantasy.
Lord of the Rings does not happen in our world, so it's High Fantasy.

Like that. 😁

Seerica
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Re: Royal Road Tags Description

#8 by Seerica

I would say that Harry Potter is Urban Fantasy. Low fantasy is close to historical medieval ages, even basic magic is all but impossible there. While High Fantasy would have magic as common as electricity in ours.

Content Warning	Count*	Description
Gore	12152	Descriptive violence or gore, with vivid details of mutilated bodies or similar, potentially disturbing content.
Profanity	13860	Excessive or obscene swearing and cursing.
Sexual Content	7404	Explicit sexual content, descriptive sex scenes.
Traumatizing Content	6952	Moral values are present that are questionable by society and might cause a twisted sense of the world or mental trauma in underage or morally unstable people.

Status	Count*	Description
Completed	947	Completed Fictions on Royal Road
Dropped	56	Dropped Fictions on Royal Road
Hiatus	28670	Fiction on Hiatus (Not updated in the last three months) on Royal Road
Ongoing	2572	Ongoing Fictions on Royal Road (Updated in the last three months)