Paranormal, and Urban Fantasy

[Freemints30]

I was doing some thinking about genres only to suddenly hit a bit of a road block. What is the actual difference between and urban fantasy and Paranormal. I know urban fantasy is just a sub-genre of Fantasy that takes place in modern times. But what separates Urban fantasy from Paranormal? I know Paranormal tends to have Vampires and were wolves, but does it has to have those things to be considered paranormal and couldn't Urban fantasy have those things.

Is there an actual difference between the 2 genres? What are your guys thoughts.

[Swamp]

It's mostly a novel marketing difference. I wouldn't worry too much as a comic writer.

For my thought on the marketing thing-
Urban Fantasy - Sexy action novel where somebody turns into a werewolf
Paranormal - Mystery/Horror with a ghost

[IndigoShirtProd]

Usually urban fantasy is about the supernatural and magic that needs to be hidden from the modern world, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Harry Potter, while Paranormal has to do with ghosts and poltergeists like ParaNorman, Paranormal Activity, and othher ghost centered horror movies. Urban fantasy gets a bad rap mainly because the "regular girl introduced to the supernatural only to become the center of some mystical plot while simultaneously trying to live normal life" comes up a lot( mainly due to IPs like Twilight, Blood and Chocolate, etc.) Urban fantsy can be more than just teenagers and love triangles between different species though.

[GabiWolf]

Like @IndigoShirtProd said, the main difference is the hidden aspect of it and fantasy.
Usually magic and other things are real but operate separate from “normal” life.
With the paranormal genre things are part of normal life. Folklore, vampires and monster are a part of our actual culture. The paranormal genre just takes it a small step further and says, “big foot is definitely real and needs our help solving some mystery”.

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

Perspective mebbe? For me, urban fantasy am all about magical beings living under masquerade. Meanwhile, paranormal am all about ordinary people trying to penetrate masquerade. So Supernatural am urban fantasy, while X-Files am paranormal.

Some show can be both urban fantasy and paranormal depending on viewpoint character. Stranger Things, for example.

[indagold]

Paranormal can take place anywhere in our world and at any time, like being abducted by aliens in a desert in the 17th century.
Urban Fantasy is just a fantasy story in a modern day city, it doesn't even have to take place on earth. I'm writing an urban fantasy and it takes place in a fantasy world.

[Freemints30]

Generally when I see something labeled as these two genres the super natural creatures tend to be the typical "Vampires, werewolves, dragon, fairies, ect" Not that there is anything wrong with that, I'm wondering whether there exists stuff in that genre that focuses one its own original monster or would that just fall into fantasy.

[rmdooley]

Urban fantasy is typically defined by setting, taking place in a city.
Dresden Files - Set in Chicago
Kate Daniels Series - Set in Atlanta
Greywalker series - Set in Seattle

Paranormal tends to be contemporaneously set but does not necessarily take place in an urban environment. It also tends to move subtler in the supernatural direction, I think of it as dirty fantasy, there are supernatural elements but it isn't high magic, elves, and portal hopping fairies. There is definitely crossover but location is not as critical to the narrative as it is in urban fantasy
Odd Thomas
Broken Monsters