When you say that you love reading books, one of the first questions that you will encounter is whether you are into fiction or non-fiction. So, what exactly are fiction and non-fiction? One of the simplest distinctions between fiction and nonfiction is that fiction is a product of imagination while the latter is based on facts.
But if you want to understand the genre more, you may look into this guide to delve into fictional and non-fiction genres and understand them better.
What is Fiction?
Who doesn’t like the vast adventurous, yet mysterious world of Hogwarts as depicted by J K Rowling, or who won’t like to explore the beautiful and innocent world that is portrayed in Charlie and the Chocolate factory? Weren’t you sucked into a mysterious world when you watched the Lord of the Rings? As we can see, none of these works are objective and not based on facts. They are mere products of the wild imagination power of the human mind.
Stories that come into life due to the massive power of imagination is classified as fiction. Fiction need not be stories always. They can take different shapes like novels, poems, plays, prose, etc. Our boundless imagination has given birth to different genres like romance, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, horror, historical, magic realism, women’s fiction, young adult, speculative and more.
One of the most striking aspects of fiction that make it the most popular genre is that it is boundless. The author has the power to create a world that does not exist and come up with plots, characters, and backgrounds from pure imagination. Even though the author has created a world from his imagination, the audience has the power to interpret it in their way. Readers can delve deeper and color it with their own imagination and emotions.
What is non-fiction?
One of the simplest and most direct ways to define non-fiction is that they are based on facts. Biographies, memoirs, essays, academic texts, historical books, etc fall under the category of non-fiction. Unlike the fiction genre which is solely based on imagination, the fictional genre will be written by an expert after thorough research and investigation. If the facts are not checked and they give a distorted reality, the author will land in much trouble.
If you are writing a work of non-fiction, do not try to spice things up with your imagination or innovation. Give hundred percent accurate facts and remember that there is no room for inaccuracies in non-fiction. Also if you are taking some quotes or concepts from other writers, make sure to mention references.
If you are an ardent book lover, you can try reading both of these genres. Even though you will have your favorite, each genre will provide a unique flavor and expand your horizon in different directions.
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