Non-FictionThe Real Thing!

Fiction is “fake”

Several genres of fiction:• Short stories• Poetry• Folk literature• Dramatic literature• Novels/novellas

Nonfiction is real

• Nonfiction is prose writing that presents and explains ideas or that tells about real people and events.– Prose simply means the ordinary form of written

language—in other words, not poetry, song, or drama.

• Nonfiction is based primarily on facts.

There are five main purposes of nonfiction:

• Entertain• Inform• Reflect• Describe• Persuade

Forms of Nonfiction

Autobiography: A story of a

person’s life written by that person.

Autobiography – Auto – bio - graphy

– Root word Auto means same or self– Root word bi- or bio- [from Greek bios way of life]

Life, living organisms – Root word graphos — Written.

• Nonfiction• Writer tells his own story• Could be whole life or a part of it• Purpose could be to explain values, teach lessons, entertain

or amuse, or any combination

Biography: A story of a

person’s life written by a different person.

Biography – Bio - graphy

– Root word bi- or bio- [from Greek bios way of life] Life, living organisms

– Root word graphos — Written.• Nonfiction• Tells life story of another person• Could be historical or contemporary person.• Famous or unknown• Often emphasizes the cause and effects of subject’s actions

Essays are short nonfiction works about a particular subject. They can be:

• Narrative, to tell a true story• Expository, to give information, discuss ideas,

or explain a process• Persuasive, to try to convince the reader to do

something or accept the writer’s point of view• Reflective, to show the writer’s reflections or

thoughts on a topic of personal importance.

Essays can also be:

• Descriptive, showing how something looks, feels, tastes, smells or sounds

• Visual, combining text with photographs, art, illustrations, charts or diagrams to communicate ideas or a message

Informational texts provide knowledge to guide and inform the reader. They are written in objective language using elaboration and

support to clarify main ideas.

• Newspapers• Magazines • Web sites• Instruction manuals• Textbooks• How-to books

Speeches

• A speech is a talk or an address presented to an audience.

• Types of speeches– Persuasive: A persuasive speech has one

purpose, to convince listeners to accept a particular point of view, or move them to action.

– Informative: Speeches to inform are intended to share new ideas and build perceptions.

Speeches Continued

• Types of speeches continued– Extemporaneous - Ex - Temporeaneous• Root word Ex - out/away from, • Root word tempore - time. • This type of speech allows for a very

limited amount of preparation and performance without a text.

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or Nonfiction?