A to Z Challenge asks bloggers to post every day except Sundays during the month of April on a thematic topic–nothing else. This year, I’ll be covering writing genres.
Today’s genre:
Nonfiction
Definition
prose writing that is based on facts, real events, and real people, such as biography or history
Tips
- Be imaginative. If it’s been said before, try a different slant or add details no one’s talked about.
- Say it simply.
- Surprise the reader with insider knowledge–details they didn’t know about.
- Write the book the world needs. It may be about a rising political leader or a world nation in trouble. Make it relevant and authentic.
- Interview lots of relevant people.
- Make the chapters active, not passive. Put readers in the middle of your nonfiction story.
- Use all five senses.
- Don’t include the kind of detail that readers will glaze over reading. Put that in footnotes or appendices.
- Decide what type of nonfiction you’re writing (i.e., biography, history, journalism, expose, or that sort).
- Know who your reader is.
Popular Books
- The Elements of Style by E.B. White
- In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
- Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown
- The Double Helix by James Watson
- Capitalism and Freedom by Milton Friedman
- The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
- On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
- The Republic by Plato
- Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx
Click for complete list of genres
Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular Building a Midshipman
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There are a few books on your list that most people wouldn’t really class under “non-fiction” as a genre, though they’re certainly not “fiction,” either. “The Republic” is philosophy (and actually has a strong fictional element, really), and both “The Prince” and “The Communist Manifesto” are political theory. (Well, political, anyway. They’re both a little hard to pigeonhole.) I’m not sure a grammatical reference manual quite fits into the base genre, either; reference and grammar books have their own categories, after all.
I’d suggest another tip, too: Know your documentation level. If you’re writing academically, you have to footnote everything, but non-fiction for mass consumption usually doesn’t footnote, just leaving a trail of (often unmarked) endnotes instead. (Which can be really frustrating if you’re used to academic non-fiction!) When you’re not writing up as many citations, you have to treat your sources (and especially quotations!) differently than when you’re using direct citation.
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I think most people consider philosophy as non-fiction (though it reads as fiction at times!), but I get your point. Communist Manifesto (I’ve read it in the original Russian, oddly enough) is more about economics than politics, but sometimes you can’t tell a difference between those two.
Good point about the citations.
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Plato’s philosophy (other than “The Apology of Socrates”) always has a strong fictional component, because it’s always a fictional dialog between Socrates and his students (or whoever else just happens to be around, like a group of playwrights). But I usually see “non-fiction” as “fact-based”, while philosophy is inherently theoretical. Actually, in the case of “The Republic” it’s almost more the “utopian” genre than philosophy, even. (Well, with some bouts of dystopian. It’s an odd experience reading “The Republic.” Especially in the all but unreadable translation I read.)
“The Communist Manifesto” was written in Russian? That’s weird; I’d have expected it to be written in German, like the rest of Marx’s works. You’re right about the economics, though; it’s hard not see them as blurred, particularly in Marx.
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Interesting discussion. I guess, as for fact, that often seems fiction regardless. I definitely see your point about philosophy. It makes a lot of sense.
I suppose because The Communist Manifesto had such an impact on Russian history back in the 1920-30s, it was translated by the time I read it in the 70s. Interesting read. That guy was smart.
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Even though I write fiction I love reading non-fiction – it’s my favorite genre and I guess that comes from the old saying ‘truth is stranger than fiction’ 🙂
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And that’s true, innit. I think that’s why creative nonfiction is becoming so popular. When you take this strange thing called truth and present it with the best of story-writing traits, who can resist?
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Excellent tips and characterisation, dear Jacqui….
“Say it simply” & “Surprise the reader with insider knowledge–details they didn’t know about”: those two points make so much sense when it comes to this genre.
I guess Capote´s “In Cold Blood” perfectly fits here. I have read that book and I personally think is Capote´s masterpiece (I have only read short stories by him after that one, I don´t think he took it further!). The way he makes us “active part” of the story and ultimate trail are remarkable.
They say that Nonfiction is a genre that doesn´t sell well though… I wonder why, when in fact many very succesful series on Netflix are in fact related to this genre, if you stop to think of it…. 😀 Great post!… Love & best wishes! 😉
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Good points, Aquileana. I like non-fiction that provides evidence, even extrapolates conclusions. I think that’s why I enjoy the research end of my writing so much.
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I’m a big fan of reading non-fiction, though I haven’t written much of it since my grad school days (long ago in a galaxy far far away….). But a well-written bit of history or natural history? I’m as engaged as I am in the latest mystery!
Rebecca at The Ninja Librarian
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Me too, Rebecca. I love reading paths to discovery or how people solved impossible problems. It motivates me!
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I have enough reality in my life. When I read, I prefer to escape into fiction, where someone else’s life is rough and they work through it. 😀
Discarded Darlings – Jean Davis, Speculative Fiction Writer, A to Z: Editing Fiction
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I absolutely agree. This is why mostly I read fiction, and then prefer non-dark versions. I need some hearty success in my life!
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Now they are coming up with innovative genres such as Creative Non-Fiction that crosses the line between truth and fiction. Had to know what you might be reading. It makes it difficult for people writing memoirs to know where to draw the line. Two friends are stuck in limbo because they started out writing non-fiction but received too many comments like “some of it sounds made up.” Guess James Frey made things difficult for everyone.
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That’s interesting. Non-fiction infers lots of research, maybe footnotes and a bibliography. Who could doubt that?
I did have one book I moved from non-fiction to creative nonfiction to fiction. Kind of for the reasons you mentioned.
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Right up my alley here Jacqui. 🙂 And what writer hasn’t read The Elements of Style, right? 🙂
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I thought this one would resonate with you, Deb.
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I just read a book about the history of medieval times, and I was prepared to scan for what I needed and not really read in depth. Surprise! This was a really interesting history. The most interesting element was the tense. The authors wrote it in present tense, so once in a while I slipped into 1100s and forgot I was reading about centuries earlier.
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I had a similar experience. I was researching for my latest novel, and planned to skim Russ Martin’s Breakout (history of the Chosin Reservoir operation). Couldn’t put it down. I love when that happens.
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I used to enjoy the children’s Horrible History and The Knowledge books when I was younger, they’re non-fiction with a humourous slant. I stopped reading non-fiction for fun as I got older but I recently discovered the liked of Bill Bryson who write non-fiction with a humourous slant and I think that’s the style I like best.
Cait @ Click’s Clan
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His is great, I like historians like the Shaaras, but I think their Civil War and WWII books are categorized as fiction because of the rich characters (with stuff you could only extrapolate from evidence)
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I’ve read quite a bit of non-fiction, though none on this list. Some authors that have stayed with me – Desmond Morris, Bernard Lewis, Ahdaf Soueif and Amin Maalouf.It’s true that non fiction can be as engaging as fiction, especially history,
Nilanjana
Madly-in-Verse
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Yes, done right, and not as a recitation of fact, absolutely. Otherwise, it’s too academic–though I do plough through it when researching my novels.
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Great non-fiction is as captivating as any story, and this list highlights some of the best. In some cases, charts, photos, maps, and graphs explain content. Any masters or doctoral thesis would fit this category.
My favorite is Eats Shoots & Leaves, The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation! by Lynn Truss. Every writer should own this book, and you and I know a few who should hang it around their necks.
The one work I’ve had published is an article in Arts & Activities, a resource magazine for teachers. It was a lesson plan for an elementary school art project. Not a full book, but a non-fiction article.
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That is a coveted achievement, Shari. I’ve had just a few published articles (traditionally published).
I’ve heard a lot about Eats Shoots and Leaves–I won’t even guess at its content for fear of sounding illiterate.
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You are not the person who needs to pay attention to the book, Jacqui.
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In Cold Blood and Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee are going on my list!
Janet
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Oddly, I haven’t read Bury My Heart. I’m thinking it’s along the lines of Tecumseh which is one of my favorites.
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I generally don’t read non-fiction, but I’ve read some of those and thoroughly enjoyed them! Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is an all-time favorite. 🙂
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I’m so glad to hear that about Bury My Heart. It’s now on my wishlist.
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Very helpful, great tips.
‘Enjoyed reading. Happy A to Z Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit
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Thanks, Juneta. This is fun!
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Because of my job, I end up reading a lot of this. I’ve written a few technical manuals and related documentation. On my blog I’ve played a bit with “creative non-fiction.”
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I like creative non-fiction, maybe more than historic fiction.
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I’d like to tackle nonfiction some day. It would involve a lot of research, but I enjoy that. Just need to take that first step, I guess.
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I have one nonfiction that’s not a textbook. I wrote it in about a week because much of it is personal experience sort of stuff. It’s been fairly durable as far as sales go.
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All of these posts are so informative, Jacqui- thank you!
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Can you believe how many great books there are? I could read forever and still never finish.
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Elements of Style is a great reference book. Thanks for the tips, Jacqui!
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I still read it and still get so much out of it.
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Jacqui, I’m not a bookworm but on the occasion, I do read I enjoy fiction. However, in recent years I’ve read a couple of non-fiction stories that touched my heart. One book was written from a mother’s perspective after losing her daughter at the Pentagon 9/11 attack and another from a fellow blogger who tells the story of her young daughter’s death. I connected with these authors on the mother level and discovered I actually liked non-fiction. Prior to reading these books I always thought I wouldn’t like true stories. So, this was a happy discovery. Thanks for the list of suggestions!
Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “N” (Nightingale)
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Fiction does get repetitive, formulaic, but true life never does. It truly is stranger than fiction.
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Hi Jacqui – yes … there’s lots that could be done with non-fiction it’s that different slant and wanting to keep the reader engaged with interesting and hopefully unique content … I like Jazz’s ideas … cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/n-is-for-notable-rare-breeds-natives.html
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Spot on. There are so many parts of life I haven’t delved into. American Indians is one which is why Bury My Heart appeals to me.
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Nice and novel thanks Jacqui – excellent tips on the genre.
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There is so much interesting about non-fiction. I tend to think of it as textbooks, academic, or research, but it’s much more.
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I would add: have a theory. Many themes in non-fiction have already been covered over the years, and you’re bound to say what has already been said, if anything becuase you’ll study on books that have been published in past years. But if you have your own idea about a subject, that will make it your own book. Just be accurate and don’t try to bend the facts to sustain your theory 😉
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – 1940s Film Noir
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Really good suggestions. I think there’s always room for unique thinking.
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