Fiction and non fiction – the great divide

The most cavernous gap in writing is the chasm between fiction and non-fiction. They’re both genres that are written to entertain, but in the case of fiction, the story is largely invented – it didn’t actually happen (in this world, anyway). Non-fiction tends to revolve around real events, people or places – think of biographies or history books.

They both have different purposes, but achieve the same goal of telling a story. With fiction, you’ll be following a made-up but entertaining journey, characters or events. But with a non-fiction story, you’re getting factual and real descriptions of people, history or other tangible movements and objects. We’ll discuss both!

Fiction

Fiction books encompass a broad range of subgenres, like fantasy, science fiction, romance or mystery, and they have the freedom to explore these imaginary worlds in detail. As the stories are largely, well, fictitious, they can delve into alternative realities, explore complex characters, and weave intricate plots that may not be possible in real life – think superheroes or aliens!

Narrative techniques such as symbolism, metaphor, and allegory are used to jam-pack stories with deeper meaning and provoke the reader into coming along for the ride. Escapism is a strong association of fiction tales, as often these stories will unfold across different worlds, and leave the mundane far behind.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction books are dedicated to providing factual information, insights, and analysis about the real world. They cover an extensive array of subjects including history, biography, science, self-help, travel, and journalism. Instead of fiction’s escapism, non-fiction tends to be more educational and can even provide a record of real-life events or people.

To write non-fiction works, authors need to heavily research and find trustworthy sources to interview in order to get their scoop. This will ensure that their work is reliable and accurate – which is vital in order for it to count as proper non-fiction. Usually, the writing style of non-fiction is fairly logical and structured in an easy-to-understand way, so that the reader can clearly glean the key details of the information.

Historical Retellings

There is a kind of crossover of both non-fiction and fiction. These are retellings – where real events are retold from a fictitious perspective or with added embellishments. Historical fiction, as an example, often will include mentions of real-life events, places or people – but as the majority of the work is liberally retold (though it may still retain most of its realism) this makes it fictitious.

There be dragons!

So, all in all, both types of story are still exciting – the ring of truth in a story can make it relatable to someone, or they may be interested in learning more about a significant moment in history. Similarly, the far-out lands and adventures in a fiction tale can grasp your attention for hours or days on end, and can be equally as important to the reader as a real event taking place!