Fictional film, television shows and books relate imaginary tales. The characters are created by writers. The stories may be based on real events or people, but if these people are not named and the action depicted is not historically documented, the work is fiction. A work of fiction can be categorized into a genre, including thriller, mystery, romance, science fiction, literary fiction and more. Fiction might also be referred to as literature or stories. Poetry is unique. While imagined by a writer, it is not considered fiction -- nor is it classified non-fiction.
The category of non-fiction is much broader than that of fiction. Any book that is neither fiction nor poetry is considered non-fiction. A non-fiction work can be classified as textbook, biography, autobiography, memoir, history, scientific research, self-help, psychology, true crime story, handbook, guidebook and so on. Documentaries and science programs are examples of non-fiction film and television programming. Non-fiction is a very popular category. In the U.S., non-fiction titles tend to outsell fiction titles.
Creative non-fiction is also known as literary non-fiction. It employs the narrative techniques of fictional storytelling to relate a true story. Despite its name, all the details in these types of works are factually accurate, but the content is presented in a highly readable and compelling format. Examples of creative non-fiction include essays, feature articles in magazines and books such as "Between a Rock and a Hard Place" by Aron Lee Ralston and "The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger.
To help children understand the difference between fiction and non-fiction, have them read examples of each kind of work. As an alternative, have them watch a short documentary and a fictional story on the television. Discuss the unique features of each. Point out that, for example, that fiction portrays imaginary characters that never existed. People featured in non-fiction stories really exist now or existed in the past. This is a good opportunity to help them understand the difference between fictional and real events.