Non Fiction

What is non-fiction?

Non-fiction includes essays, biographies, autobiographies, diaries, and journals. Occasionally, fiction writers will use one of these forms to create fictional stories. The main purpose of these forms of writing is to present facts. Authors may have additional reasons for writing non-fiction.

Essays are used to explore a range of topics. Essay topics range from explaining complex relationships between facts, to encouraging discussion about controversial topics. Biographies and auto-biographies, especially modern forms, focus on revealing the thoughts, feelings, and actions of a person. Diaries keep records of the personal thoughts, feelings, or observations of one person. Journals, like diaries, record events or observations on a regular basis, often daily.

Many forms of non-fiction require research or thought on the part of the writer. This research is found in these types of literature in the form of quotes, references, or bibliographies. Writers use a variety of styles. Some writers use a concise, direct style, while others use longer, less formal style.