Fiction Vs Non-Fiction

FICTION - this pertains to a narrative form, in any medium, consisting of people,

events, or places that are imaginary. In other words, it is not based strictly on
history or fact.
All types of fiction include basic elements:
Plot: All stories contain a plotline, which has a clearly defined beginning, middle
and end of story.
Characters: There are many characters portrayed in fiction stories, but the
narrative generally focuses on a protagonist and an antagonist. The protagonist is
the hero of the story who the reader hopes to see succeed, and the antagonist is
the villain.
Dialogue: Direct back-and-forth conversations between characters happen
throughout the story to help progress the plot.
Conflict: There may be many instances of conflict throughout the story, but there
is usually one major conflict that needs to be solved by the story’s end.
Setting: Every type of fiction has a setting that explains where and when the story
takes place.
Types of Ficiton:
1. Fantasy
- Fantasy is a type of fiction that focuses on magical and supernatural
elements that do not exist in the actual world. There can be elements
of romance, action and mystery in fantasy, and typically include the
following characteristics:
•Magical elements or characters of magic, like sorcerers, witches or
werewolves.
•Conflict involving good versus evil.
•Imaginary worlds, often similar to medieval settings.
•Mythical characters or beings like elves, dragons or talking animals.
Ex. The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia
 2. Mysteries
- Mystery is a genre of fiction that focuses on solving crimes and
mysterious events. Ordinarily, the protagonist is a detective, and the
remaining characters are suspects until proven otherwise. Common
characteristics of the mystery genre include:
•A mysterious crime or death that needs to be solved.
•Suspects that have motives that the detective must evaluate.
•Clues left by the author that show the reader possible outcomes
about who the murderer might be.
•Red herrings, or clues that lead the reader to false conclusions
about the murder.
Ex. Enola Holmes
3. Horror
- The horror genre’s purpose is to create feelings of terror and
excitement in the reader. Common characteristics include:
•Explorations into the darker aspects of humanity.
•Main characters who readers can identify with and who often have
haunted pasts and emotional traumas.
•Supernatural elements such as ghosts or demonic forces.
•A goal to provoke terror in their readers.
Ex. The Purge
4. Realistic Fiction
- Realistic fiction is a type of fiction in which a story is told that could
easily happen in today’s society. It contains believable characters
and events and takes place in an actual setting, but the storyline
itself is one that has never actually happened. Characteristics of
realistic fiction include:
•Conflicts that the reader could face in everyday life.
•A setting that takes place in the present-day and is an actual
location or a fictional place that could be real.
•Characters that seem like actual people you might encounter.
•Conflicts that are solved realistically.
Ex. Bridge to Terabethia

5. Science Fiction
- Science fiction stories often take place in the future and involve
fictional aspects of science and technology. Characteristics of science
fiction include:
•Space or time travel.
•Futuristic setting or alternate history.
•Advanced technology.
Ex. Interstellar

NON-FICTION - It is any document or content that supports in good faith

to represent truth and accuracy regarding information, events, or people.
Types of Nonfiction
1. Biography
- Form of literature, commonly considered nonfictional, the subject of
which is the life of an individual. One of the oldest forms of literary
expression, it seeks to re-create in words the life of a human being—
as understood from the historical or personal perspective of the
author—by drawing upon all available evidence, including that
retained in memory as well as written, oral, and pictorial material.
2. Autobiography
- The biography of oneself narrated by oneself. Autobiographical
works can take many forms, from the intimate writings made during
life that were not necessarily intended for publication (including
letters, diaries, journals, memoirs, and reminiscences) to a formal
book-length autobiography.
3. Essay
 - An analytic, interpretative, or critical literary composition usually
much shorter and less systematic and formal than a dissertation or
thesis and usually dealing with its subject from a limited and often
personal point of view.
4. Memoir
- “Memoir” comes from the French word for memory. It’s a genre of
literature where the author writes about his or her memories, usually
going back to childhood. Memoirs are typically written by celebrities,
world leaders, pro athletes, etc. But anyone can write a memoir, and
sometimes they turn out to be great works of literature even when
the author hasn’t led a particularly unusual life. Memoirs usually
cover the entire span of the author’s life, but in some cases, they just
cover the important parts.
5. Informational Text
- Information texts are non-fiction texts that give information on
particular subjects. Examples of information texts include non-
chronological reports, biographies and essays.
6. Journalistic Text
- Journalistic texts are texts that are elaborated in the field of social
communication and journalism as professional areas. In this sense,
texts are developed with the purpose of updating the reader or the
public regarding a situation, information or event that is of interest
to the public opinion as a whole or to large groups of people.

Prepared by:
Deramas, Neil Christian E.
Demapelis, Stephany V.
Activity:

FICTION
•Made up stories and characters.
•Purpose: to entertain.
•Little or no academic vocabulary.

NONFICTION
•Factual information, true stories, and real people.
•Purpose: to inform.
•Lots of academic vocabulary.