NONFICTION

Based in fact, nonfiction serves

to inform.
Nonfiction has been around ever
since ancient civilizations
needed to record and explain
their laws, and it’s still evolving
today.
Here’s how we define
nonfiction, a look at its history,
and some of the genre’s most
popular sub-genres.
WHAT IS NONFICTION?
Nonfiction is literature that, regardless of
the subject matter, has a simple goal: to
provide information. It should be based
on facts and conclusions of the author’s
research or expertise, as opposed to the
creativity of the author’s imagination.
Granted, storytelling skills are required
when writing a great work of nonfiction,
but the content is still expected to be
accurate. In addition to this, modern
nonfiction is prose — writing that sounds
like everyday speech and is not written in
meter, like poetry.
HISTORY OF NONFICTION
The earliest works of nonfiction can be
traced back to ancient Bronze Age
civilizations. By 740 BC, ancient Akkadian
literature was already producing The
Babylonian Chronicles, a history of the lives
of kings, philosophers, and the workings of
the empire. In the first century AD, Rome’s
Pliny the Elder created the earliest
recognized encyclopedia, Naturalis Historia,
a popular record of current-day science, art,
and history. Fast forward another 1,100 years, and The Anglo-Saxon Chronicles
celebrates the history of England between the expulsion of the Roman Empire
and the arrival of the Normans.
Through the centuries, sub-genres were
established. Histories branched off into
biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and
books about current affairs. Science and
nature writing broke away from religious
texts.
The “teaching guides” of ancient Egypt, full of
advice on how to live a proper life, led to
Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack
(1732) and the self-help bestsellers of today.
Let’s take a deeper look at the modern sub-
genres of nonfiction.
COMMON TYPES OF NONFICTION
There’s a lot of overlap here, but most nonfiction literature falls into these
categories:
Histories
Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir
Science And Nature
Leadership And Self-Help
Current Affairs And Politics
Nonfiction Novels
True Crime
HISTORIES. Histories are as popular now as
they were in ancient times. Today, they
serve the same purpose – to shine a light on
the past and cement its importance. Caste:
The Origins of Our Discontents (2020) by
Isabel Wilkerson looks at the history of
discrimination in the Unites States and how
it provided the framework for an unseen
caste system today. Erik Larson’s The
Splendid and the Vile (2020) takes readers
into the personal life of Winston Churchill as
WWII rages in Europe, and is a part of a long
tradition of military histories.
BIOGRAPHY, AUTOBIOGRAPHY, AND
MEMOIR. They tell the important stories
of a person’s life, whether they’re a well-
known public figure or someone who has
an interesting story that inspires us all.
Biographies are written by an author
about someone else, such as The Dead
Are Arising: The Life of Malcolm X (2020)
by Les and Tamara Payne.
Autobiographies, such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s My Own Words (2018) are
written by the author about themselves.
Memoirs, such as J. D. Vance’s examination of his Appalachian childhood,
Hillbilly Elegy (2016), are a type of autobiography, but they focus on a narrow,
life-changing moment in time.
SCIENCE AND NATURE. Science
and nature writing seeks to make
complicated matters easier to
understand, and rejoices in the
lessons learned from the natural
world. The Genome Odyssey:
Medical Mysteries and the
Incredible Quest to Solve Them
(2021) by Dr. Euan Ashley
explains genome sequencing and
the many ways it has helped him diagnose issues in his patients. Vesper Flights
(2020) by Helen Macdonald celebrates what she has learned by observing the
animals in her life.
 LEADERSHIP AND SELF-HELP.
These books are part of a long
tradition of nonfiction that
provides instructions for how to
rise up and become your best self
— whether in your personal or
professional life. In Never Enough
(2021), Mike Hayes distills the
lessons he learned as a Navy SEAL
commander and shows us how to use these tactics inside and outside the
boardroom. In Talking to Strangers (2019), Malcom Gladwell demonstrates
where we fail in our conversations with people we don’t know, and how we can
avoid the conflict this creates. In 2014, Marie Kondo famously taught the world
how to graciously kick our clutter to the curb with The Life-Changing Magic of
Tidying Up.
CURRENT AFFAIRS AND
POLITICS. Books about current
affairs and politics often pick
up where histories leave off,
taking a deep dive into the
impactful events of today.
Uncomfortable Conversations
with a Black Man (2020) is
Emmanuel Acho’s attempt at
explaining systemic racism and
the steps we can take to begin righting a long list of wrongs. Dan Rather draws
on a lifetime of experience as a journalist in America to examine the soul of the
nation in What Unites Us (2017).
 NONFICTION NOVELS. The line between fiction and nonfiction
is often blurred. The roman à clef, a novel that includes real
events and characters who are barely disguised from the real
people they represent, first became popular in the 1600s.
It has been a particularly useful tool for authors writing semi-
autobiographical novels, such as Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar
(1963) about her struggles with bipolar disorder. In Cold Blood (1966) by
Truman Capote marks the rise of the modern true crime genre. His nonfiction
novel recreates the real-life circumstances around the 1959 murders of four
people in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas, and includes the author’s
theories on the murderers’ motives.
In 1971, Hunter S. Thompson channeled his subjective, first-person gonzo
journalism style to create Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. The narrative, also a
roman à clef, blurs fiction with fact as it describes a wild, law-breaking road trip
to Las Vegas in the waning days of America’s counterculture era.
 TRUE CRIME. True crime books examine
the impact of real-life crimes, often
tracking a criminal case from the
beginning of an investigation to the
apprehension and prosecution of the
perpetrator(s). The sub-genre has
exploded in popularity in recent years to
include other types of media, like true
crime podcasts, documentaries, movies, and TV shows. Yet the sub-genre itself
dates back centuries, from the topical crime pamphlets of the 1600s to the
shocking penny dreadfuls read throughout 19th century England and America.
In 1966, Truman Capote ushered in a new era of true crime writing with the
publication of the aforementioned In Cold Blood. In 1979, Norman Mailer won
the Pulitzer Prize for The Executioner’s Song, a true crime novel centered on
the execution of Gary Gilmore. Other popular true crime books include Vincent
Bugliosi’s Helter Skelter (1974), the best-selling true crime book of all time, and
Ann Rule’s The Stranger Beside Me (1980), about serial killer Ted Bundy.
More recent true crime books have turned
away from the lurid sensationalism of
previously published works, focusing instead on
the lives of the victims and giving a voice to the
lost. Examples include Michelle McNamara’s I’ll
Be Gone in the Dark (2018), which tracks the
author’s quest to unmask the Golden State
Killer, Robert Kolker’s Lost Girls (2013), which
chronicles the victims of the still-unidentified
Long Island Serial Killer, and Elon Green’s Last
Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York (2021), which
shines a light on a set of brutal crimes targeting gay men in 1980s and ‘90s New
York City at the height of the AIDS epidemic.
FICTION VS. NONFICTION: DEFINITIONS AND EXAMPLES
Fiction and nonfiction are two distinct categories of prose that serve different
purposes and employ different narrative techniques. Fiction refers to literature
that is not grounded in real-life events but is made up or created from a writer’s
imagination. Nonfiction refers to factual stories based on real people,
information, or events.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Fiction is a literary genre that encompasses
imaginative storytelling. It involves the creation
of characters, settings, events, and narratives
that do not exist in the real world. In fiction,
authors use their creativity to write stories that
are often for the purpose of entertainment,
exploring themes, or artistic expression.
Beneath the umbrella of fiction are many
subgenres, including mystery, romance, fantasy,
magical realism, thriller, science fiction, crime, and horror. Some fictional works
combine multiple subgenres, fusing elements of various categories to create a
hybrid story, such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (science fiction and horror) or
Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series (paranormal romance).
 Nonfiction, as stated before, refers
to factual stories about real people,
places, and events. In works of
nonfiction, authors relay accurate,
verifiable information. These
insights, experiences, or
explanations are grounded in
reality and are used to educate,
persuade, or document true events and occurrences.
The word nonfiction essentially means “not fiction” or “not false.” By definition,
then, nonfiction implies a certain level of truth or authenticity. This typically
generally results in people holding nonfiction to a higher standard than fiction.
A few facts thrown into a work of fiction do not make it true, whereas a few
fabrications in a work of nonfiction will completely obliterate its credibility.
As the broadest category of writing,
nonfiction can encompass works in many
different categories, such as business,
cooking, travel, biography, religion, art,
music, languages, pets, crafts, and health
and fitness. Nonfiction can take on various
forms, including essays, articles, memoirs,
scientific papers, textbooks, travelogues,
and more.
NONFICTION VS. CREATIVE NONFICTION
To further complicate matters,
writers also categorize some
nonfiction writing as creative
nonfiction. Creative nonfiction can
also be called literary nonfiction or
narrative nonfiction.
The classic book In Cold Blood is an
example of creative nonfiction.
While much of the book is rooted
in fact, Capote employs literary
devices such as voice, rising action,
denouement, and imagery to
evoke empathy in the reader.
In essence, the primary
distinction between nonfiction
and creative nonfiction is the
way they present information.
Nonfiction aims to inform and
educate in an objective manner,
while creative nonfiction
combines the factual with the
creative, using literary devices to
engage readers on an emotional
and narrative level just like a
novel.
EXAMPLES OF FICTION AND NONFICTION
The following examples illustrate the diversity of both fiction and nonfiction,
showcasing the wide range of topics, formats, and themes that each genre can
explore.

Examples of fiction
 Short story: A Perfect Day for Bananafish by J.D. Salinger
 Novel: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
 Play: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
 Literary fiction: Ulysses by James Joyce
 Fable, fairy tale, and folklore: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
 Genre fiction: The Gift by Danielle Steel
Examples of nonfiction
 Memoir: Hunger by Roxane
Gay
 Essay: Slouching Towards
Bethlehem by Joan Didion
 Biography: Unbroken by Laura
Hillenbrand
 Autobiography: The Diary of
Anne Frank by Anne Frank
 History: Sapiens by Yuval Noah
Harari
 Feature writing: Kitchen
Confidential by Anthony
Bourdain
FICTION VS. NONFICTION FAQS
What’s the difference between fiction and nonfiction?
Fiction involves storytelling and imagination, featuring invented worlds and
characters. By contrast, nonfiction is focused on presenting factual information
and real-world knowledge.
What are different kinds of
fiction?
Beneath the umbrella of fiction
are many subgenres, including:
 Mystery
 Romance
 Fantasy
 Magical realism
 Thriller
 Science fiction
 Crime
 Horror
What are different kinds of nonfiction?
Nonfiction is a broad genre that encompasses a wide range of subjects and
styles. Nonfiction works can take the form of the following:
 Memoir
 Essay
 Journalism
 Autobiography
 Biography
 Feature writing
 Travelogue
 Academic texts
 Self-help
 Science
HOW TO WRITE NONFICTION
Most writers will tell you that writing nonfiction is easier than writing fiction.
This is the good news. The less good news: that doesn’t mean it’s less work to
write a nonfiction book. While fiction writers often use a basic outline and then
go wherever the story and characters take them, nonfiction takes careful
planning before you even start writing. To get you started, these steps explain
the basic process of how to write a nonfiction book.
Planning Your Nonfiction Book

6 Steps to Plan Your Nonfiction Book

1. Get clear on what you want to achieve with

your nonfiction book
2. Understand the subgenre of nonfiction you’re
going to write
3. Choose the structure for your book
4. Draft an outline
5. Choose your style guide
6. Write, write, write
1. Get clear on what you want to achieve with your nonfiction book
Before you embark on your writing journey,
you need to know why you’re going on this
journey in the first place. What is it you want
your reader to know? What do you hope to
make them think or feel or do once they’ve
read your book? Do you want to explain a
topic that you’re passionate about? Or do
you want to share a story that will inspire or
guide your reader?
When you know what you want to achieve
with your nonfiction book, you’ll be amazed at how many other pieces of the
puzzle fall into place.
2. Understand the subgenre of nonfiction you’re going to write
Once you know what you want to achieve with your
book, you need to figure out what kind of nonfiction
book you’re going to write. There are different
subgenres of nonfiction. The one you choose will
determine not only what you’re going to say but also the
way you will say it.
Narrative nonfiction is nonfiction that tells a story.
Unlike fiction, however, the story you’re telling is true. Some other subgenres
of nonfiction are narrative too: memoir, autobiography, and biography, for
instance, also tell a story. With this kind of writing, it’s all about telling.
Expository nonfiction is not so much about telling as it is about showing. Here
you focus less on the narrative and more on explaining a topic. Textbooks, self-
help books, and how-to books are all expository.
3. Choose the structure for your book
If your main aim is to tell a story, you
need to decide how you want to tell
that story. So, you need to create a plot
structure. Examples of plot structures
are:

 The Traditional Three-Act Structure

 Manipulating Time
 The Circular Structure
 The Parallel Structure
The Traditional Three-Act Structure
Here you tell the story in chronological order. You start with
the beginning, or the set-up act. You’re essentially setting
the scene: introducing the protagonist and describing the
event that sets the protagonist’s story in motion. The
middle part, or the confrontation act, describes the
protagonist’s journey and the obstacles and characters they
encounter along the way. In this part, you may also introduce an antagonist.
The antagonist doesn’t have to be an actual person but can be a major
challenge instead: something like societal beliefs, for instance, or a
process/thing that needs figuring out. Throughout the confrontation act, you’re
building up the suspense. Then, finally, you come to the end part, or the
resolution act. This is where the protagonist and antagonist face off: the climax
that you’ve been building towards. After the climax, you tie up the loose ends
and emphasize what you want your reader to take away from it all.
Manipulating Time
With this structure, you start your story
somewhere in the middle and then use
flashbacks to tell your reader how it all began.
You can also jump forward to future events and
then go back to an earlier point in time. This
structure is especially effective when there’s a
risk that your reader may lose interest in the
set-up and just wants to know what will happen
next.
The Circular Structure
Here you start your story with the climactic event that would normally come at
the end. You then go back to the beginning and the middle, describing what led
to this climactic event. At the end of the book, you reiterate the climactic event
and tie up the loose ends.
The Parallel Structure
With this structure, you’re telling two or more stories at the same time. Each
separate story has its own beginning, middle, and end. You can weave the
stories together or tell them separately but at the end, you need to tie them
together.
4. Draft an outline
Now it’s time to draft your outline. This is
important since it will help you ensure that you
cover everything you want to say. An easy way
to draft an outline is to follow these steps:
 Write down the main parts of your book’s
structure. If you’re going with a narrative
style, these will be the beginning, middle,
and end parts, in whichever order you
decide to tell them. For expository nonfiction, you’ll write down the
different main topics you’re going to cover.
 Now consider each part separately. Write down all the points you want to
cover in that part.
  Look at all these sub-points and see what you can combine, what you need
to separate into different points, which points can be sub-points of others,
and so on.
 Decide in which order you want to discuss each sub-point. There may be
overlap, so you’ll have to decide where you want to discuss the sub-point
in more depth and where you just want to touch on it.
 Decide how much space you want to give each sub-point. This will help
keep you from rambling on and on about something that’s not that
important in the bigger scheme of things.
Remember that your outline is not set in stone. During your research you may,
for example, come across something that you haven’t thought of before and
that you’d like to cover as well. Throughout the writing process, you can still
chop and change things as you need to.
5. Choose your style guide
A style guide is a set of guidelines that will
help you be consistent in your writing. It can
cover anything from whether you’ll be using
the first person or the second person to little
details like whether or not to write out
numbers.
It’s not strictly necessary to choose a style
guide before you start writing, but it will
make the process much easier. Writing in a
consistent style right from the start will save
you time later on.
6. Write, write, write
Once you have an outline, you’ve actually
done most of the difficult work. With a style
guide to help you take care of the little
details, it’s now only a matter of getting your
ideas on paper—or on your computer.
So, pour yourself something to drink, get rid
of distractions, sit down, and get writing.