Elements of Nonfiction

Nonfiction is a form of writing which is based on fact and reality; it is not created in the mind of the writer.

Content

Truth is that which conforms to fact and reality. Truth may be either objective or subjective depending upon the person's point of view.

Objective Truth: The author presents situations or the characters' thoughts, feelings, and actions in a detached, noncommittal manner.

Subjective Truth: The author incorporates personal experiences into his/her writing or projects into the narrative his personal disposition, judgements, values, and feelings.

Bias: Bias occurs when an author prejudices the audience in favor of one side of an issue by not covering the topic fairly. Bias should be avoided in nonfiction writing.

Theme: The idea, universal truth, or commentary on life of people emphasized by a literary work.

Technique

Exposition: writing intended to make clear or explain something which might otherwise be difficult to understand

Point of View: relative position or angle from which a thing is seen or a question is considered

Tone: the feeling conveyed by the author's attitude toward his subject and by the particular way in which he writes about it

Voice: a term used in a discussion of style to identify the person or personality speaking in a literary work

Analogy: a comparison of two or more similar objects which suggests that if they are alike in certain respects, they will probably be alike in other ways as well

Generalization: a general principle or conclusion which is drawn from an examination of details

Types

Autobiography: an account of a person's life, written by him/herself

Biography: an account of a person's life, written by someone else

Diary: a personal daily account of an individual's experiences and feelings

Essay: a fairly short nonfiction selection in which the author expresses her/his thoughts and feelings on any subject she/he chooses to discuss

Formal essay: a relatively impersonal essay in which the author writes as an authority and expounds on the subject in an orderly way

Informal essay: the author assumes a tone of intimacy with his/her audience, tends to deal with everyday things rather than with public affairs or specialized topics, and writes in a relaxed, self-revelatory, and often whimsical fashion

History: a recording of past events, persons, and places

Journal: a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use

Journalism records and presents topics of current interest to the public through news media; journalists present facts and describe situations without attempting to influence them.

News story: a factual recording of current events, persons and places that appears in a newspaper or magazine; answers the questions "Who? What? When? Why? Where? How?"

Editorial: an article in a newspaper or magazine which gives the editor's or author's point of view

Memoir: a day to day record, taken from a private diary or journal, of events in a person's life, written for personal use and pleasure; tells of the people and events that the author has known or witnessed