nonfiction
Writing about reality
Nonfiction is writing that presents factual information rather than imagined stories—biography, history, journalism, essays, and similar works.
The term defines itself by what it isn't: not fiction.
I mostly read nonfiction these days.
A nonfiction account may still contain errors or bias, but it claims to represent reality.
Written personal recollection
- biographyWritten life account
- autobiographySelf-penned life narrative
- essayShort argumentative prose work
- historyRecord of past events
true crime · self-help · travelogue · science writing · philosophy · psychology · sociology · anthropology
Accordance with reality
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
- veracityConformity to fact
reality · proof · documentation · verification · substantiation · corroboration · objectivity · research
Conveying documented information
- investigativeDevoted to examination
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- editorialPublication's official viewpoint article
- featureDistinguishing quality or element
longform · columnist · correspondent · news · article · interview · profile · beat
Academic subject manual
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- scholarshipEducational funding or erudition
- pedagogyArt of instruction
- academiaHigher education community
lecture · coursework · syllabus · instructional · academic · scholarly · dissertation · thesis
Account of events
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
- voiceSound from throat
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
revision · drafting · outlining · interviewing · fact-checking · prose · style · pacing
Movie or coating
- footageRecorded video material
- narrationVerbal account delivery
- voiceoverOff-screen recorded speech
- interviewFormal questioning session
archive · cinema · verite · observational · ethnography · expose · montage · screening
Rigid-bound book format
- paperbackBook with flexible cover
- audiobookRecorded oral narration
- ebookDownloadable text file
- bestsellerHigh-volume publication
anthology · collection · chapter · preface · epilogue · appendix · index · bibliography
memoir
Written personal recollection
- biographyWritten life account
- autobiographySelf-penned life narrative
- essayShort argumentative prose work
history · true crime · self-help · travelogue · science writing · philosophy · psychology · sociology · anthropology · economics
truth
Accordance with reality
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
veracity · reality · proof · documentation · verification · substantiation · corroboration · objectivity · research · fact-checking
reporting
Conveying documented information
- investigativeDevoted to examination
- exposéInvestigative journalism piece
- editorialPublication's official viewpoint article
feature · longform · columnist · correspondent · news · article · interview · profile · beat · source
textbook
Academic subject manual
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- scholarshipEducational funding or erudition
- pedagogyArt of instruction
academia · lecture · coursework · syllabus · instructional · academic · scholarly · dissertation · thesis · peer-reviewed
narrative
Account of events
- storytellingRecounting events aloud
- structureArrangement of interconnected parts
- voiceSound from throat
research · revision · drafting · outlining · interviewing · fact-checking · prose · style · pacing · scene
film
Movie or coating
interview · archive · cinema · verite · observational · ethnography · expose · montage · screening · series
hardcover
Rigid-bound book format
bestseller · anthology · collection · chapter · preface · epilogue · appendix · index · bibliography · footnotes
- booksnovel, textbooks, study guides, book, paperback
- genresaction, comedy, fantasy, horror, documentary
- nonfictionbiography, autobiography, biographies, history, memoir
- book genresnovels, mystery, thriller, romance, poetry
- language artsreading comprehension, grammar rules, vocabulary building, phonics, spelling bees
- "Non-" wordsnonprofit, nonstop, nonsense, nonfat, nonstick
nonfictionfiction
Imagined narrative work
fantasy · make-believe · fabrication · invention · fairy tale
nonfictionfiction
Imagined narrative work
novel · short story · science fiction · fantasy novel · romance novel
nonfictionpoetry
Metrical literary composition
verse · poem · drama · epic poetry · lyric poetry
- creative nonfictionFact-based artistic prose
- nonfiction proseWritten truth, not verse
- nonfiction sectionShelves for factual works
- narrative nonfictionFact-based prose using fictional techniques
- nonfiction genresCategories of true prose