What’s nonfiction?

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Non-fiction is any work that conveys information that the author or creator is purported to present factual information. Media for nonfiction can be of any type, including video and photography, but the term usually refers to written material. The information presented does not have to be accurate, but should be considered as such by the creator. In other words, the facts presented in non-fiction works may be in error but not deliberately fabricated and presented as fact.

The genre of a work presented as nonfiction can fall into a number of categories. Reference works and textbooks are one of the main types of nonfiction works. Historically, many works of this type were later shown to have some elements wrong as advances in knowledge improve our understanding of the subject at hand. This does not mean that the works are fiction, but rather that the knowledge they contain has simply become obsolete. This can occur in almost any field of study, from history to mathematics and even in reference works on literature.

Biographies and narrative accounts of real events, whether related to the author’s direct experience or derived from documented information, both contemporary and historical, constitute another important field of non-fiction works. These works often contain parts that offer opinions or conclusions about related events. This type of inclusion does not disqualify a work as non-fiction as long as the primary focus of the work is to present fact rather than opinion. In fact, it’s pretty common in non-fiction works. Some newspaper and magazine articles are another type of nonfiction.

The main types of nonfiction media, aside from written works, are visual representations. Video and photo non-fiction works are common parts of daily life for much of the world. Newscasts, documentaries and photographs are all wise. Video and photographic recordings are good examples of non-fiction works, but these types of media are easily alterable, the act of which, depending on the degree of alteration and the intent behind it, may cause them to no longer qualify as non-fiction .

An entertainment phenomenon that arose in the late 20th century, popularly called reality television, is a good example of how intent and presentation can blur the line between fiction and non-fiction. Reality television programs are presented as depicting real-life events, but are sometimes staged and edited to show those events in a deliberately calculated and orchestrated manner intended to influence how they are perceived by audiences. While presented as nonfiction, some of these types of programs fit the definition best.

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