Generics Term used to describe the characters who populate the BookWorld and 'star' in the books. Constructed with initially no character at all and empty of all experience, personality and distinguishing features, these empty 'blanks' undergo training at Character College (usually St Tabularasa's) before they are streamed into character groups. They can be dull company until they develop a personality, but a word of caution: They have an annoying habit of assimilating themselves into a strong leading character, and it can spread amongst them like a rash. They used to be billeted en masse but that all changed after six thousand Generics were lodged inside Du Maurier's Rebecca. In under a month all but eight had become Mrs Danvers. (See Mrs Danvers, overproduction of, and other Generic problems)

Generics are graded A to D, one through ten. Any that are D-graded are like worker bees in crowds and busy streets. Small speaking parts are C-grades; B-grades usually make up the bulk of featured but not leading characters. These parts usually -but not always- went to the A-grades, hand-picked for their skills at character projection and multi-dimensionality. Huckleberry Finn, Tess and Anna Karenina are all A-grades but then so are Mr Hyde, Hannibal Lecter and Professor Moriarty.

Council of Genres. The undisputed governing body of the BookWorld. All legislative matters are discussed within the 'Chamber of Genres' situated on the 26th floor of The Great Library. The CofG have absolute power and delegates are voted in by the electors in their relevant genres. The council has a circular debating chamber with the main genres are seated at the front. The sub genres are seated behind and make up a voting group that can be carried forward to the elected head of each genre, although they do have a veto. Behind the sub-genres are elected representatives from the Congress of Derivatives who bring information forward to the Sub-genres inspectorate - and behind them are the subcommittees who decide on day-to-day issues such as The Book Inspectorate, new words, letter supply and licensing the reworkings of old ideas. The Book Inspectorate also license plot devices, Jurisfiction agents and the supply and training schedules for Generics. It is very boring to watch.

Grammasite Generic term for a parasitic life form that live inside books and feed on grammar. Technically known as Gerunds or Ingers, they were (although Text Grand Central hotly deny it) created as part of the BOOK V4 upgrade as an attempt to transform a noun (which were plentiful) into a verb (which at the time were not) by simply attaching an 'ing'. A dismal failure at verb resource management, they escaped from captivity and now roam freely in the sub-basements. Although thankfully quite rare in the Library itself, isolated pockets of Grammasites are still found from time to time and dealt with mercilessly. For more details, visit Sword of the Zenobians (Password required) or read the Jurisfiction Bestiary.