Information:Fiction terminology

Overview

Fiction prose can take many forms, which can make it hard to briefly describe. Generally, pieces of narrative fiction are defined by their word count by writing organizations such as the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. For example:

• A piece of narrative fiction that has 500 words per page and stories of up to 7,500 words (15 pages), are considered short stories
• A piece of narrative fiction that has between 7,500 and 17,500 words (16-35 pages), are considered novelettes
• A piece of narrative fiction that has between 17,500 and 40,000 words (36-80 pages), are considered novellas
• A piece of narrative fiction that has more than 40,000 words, are generally considered a novel (Novels are typically standalone publications, although they may be serialized.)

Further to this, works of fiction set in the Battletech Universe can take other forms, including but not limited to:

• Sourcebook - A longer book, presented as an in-universe report, providing details about a faction or setting
• Comics and graphic novels
• Adventure Seed - Background information and broad objectives for either a BattleTech campaign or role playing adventure
• Scenario - A brief setup describing two or more opposing forces with specific objectives and a detailed force roster. Applies to levels in the video games as well as published scenarios.
• Track - Background information and objectives for a more flexible scenario that allows different forces to be used, rather than a set list of units.
• Magazine - A BattleTech themed collection of articles published with an in-universe POV, sometimes mixed with game-related articles on optional rulesets and tactics. Both BattleTechnology and Commando Quarterly fit in this category, though both sources are regarded as apocryphal.
• Animated Series - An episode of the BattleTech animated series. Exists in-universe as a holovid series produced by the Solaris Broadcasting Company and viewed as far away as the Kerensky Cluster.
• Article - An in-universe piece of fiction, but one that is written in the style of a report or news article. Seen most commonly in the BattleTechnology and Shrapnel periodicals. Articles on painting miniatures, making terrain, optional rules, etc. are not considered "in universe" and are not included.

Use on articles

On BattleIntelligence, we attempt to use the following terminology to describe works of fiction set in the Battletech Universe. Normally these terms are contained in the "type" field of infoboxes.

• Short Story - Describes individual fiction pieces that are not themselves a standalone product. Normally these are short pieces of fiction, usually ranging from 1 to 5 pages, bundled into a BattleTech sourcebook or other publication. Most BattleCorps fiction falls under this, even if the pieces could be considered other types.
• Novella - Describes individual fiction pieces that are standalone products, however are not published as a printed standalone product. Typically, this describes fiction that has only been distributed via digital means.
• Novel - Describes A full length novel set in the BattleTech universe. Typically, standalone publications, although they may be serialized.