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Definition of Nonfiction Writing

Nonfiction writing is essentially factual writing, intended primarily to provide information rather than entertainment or speculative truths. Though the details and conclusions may include a certain amount of opinion, they must be backed up by concrete date and stem from a belief that the details are factual.
  1. Types

    • Nonfiction includes newspaper articles, magazine articles, autobiographies, travel essays, political essays and product reviews.

    Thesis and Support

    • Many forms of nonfiction start by positing a thesis, then citing pieces of evidence in support of it.

    Citation

    • Because nonfiction can be colored by conjecture and opinion, proper citation of sources is very important. A piece of nonfiction backed up by hard data becomes much more persuasive.

    Objective Nonfiction

    • Objective nonfiction means nonfiction that presents only concrete, verifiable facts. A list of historical dates is an example of this kind of nonfiction.

    Subjective Nonfiction

    • Subjective nonfiction is often true, but may be colored by conjecture and opinion from the author. A movie review or employee evaluation is an example of this kind of nonfiction.

Nonfiction

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