What is the nonfiction genre?
Most people know that nonfiction stories are those based on real events. However, many may not know that the genre is divided into many subcategories.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to those nonfiction subcategories and top book recommendations to get you started on all the sub-genres of nonfiction.
The types of nonfiction
For beginners who are unfamiliar with nonfiction work, here is a list of the types of writing in the subcategory of the genre and their main characteristics.
Creative nonfiction
Creative nonfiction is also referred to as narrative nonfiction or literary nonfiction. Compared to other types of factual writing, the true events in this nonfiction subgenre are told more like a story.
The author employs literary techniques such as fiction and poetry to achieve this kind of creative writing. There are different types of creative nonfiction, including the following:
- Literary journalism – This category is close to newspaper writing. It requires interviews and research to provide factual information.
- Personal essays – The writer bases the essay on a personal experience, its impact, and the lesson learned. This kind of creative nonfiction writing includes travel writing, nature writing, magazine articles, sports writing, and science writing.
- Memoirs – These are the most common form of creative nonfiction. Recounting a true story, they are presented from the main character’s point of view as they recount real-life events during a specific period.
- Reporting – Contrary to other types of nonfiction writing, reporting is not based on personal experiences but on information acquired through an extensive investigation. Hence, all the facts provided must be verifiable.
Self-help books
Self-help books are one of the most popular categories in the nonfiction genre. Readers turn to these kinds of books for self-improvement.
Among this category, you’ll find all kinds of subject matters, including finance, wellness, parenting, and more.
Travel guides and travelogues
Travel writing is divided into two subcategories with specific characteristics.
- Travel guides – These stories tend to be more instructive than storytelling. Based on personal experiences, the author provides helpful information, advice, and suggestions for travelers.
- Travelogues – These kinds of nonfiction stories are written in the first person. The author shares with the readers a personal experience lived while traveling to a particular destination.
Cookbooks
Cookbooks are a nonfiction subgenre not only limited to a compilation of popular recipes.
Along with the cooking instructions, the author may include short stories with personal anecdotes or the historical context of the procedures that lead to a culinary masterpiece.
Diet books
Healthy eating is one of the most sought-after habits worldwide, and books on the subject are extremely popular.
These books include much more than a list of healthy foods to incorporate into your diet. Readers will learn the benefits of healthy eating habits through nutritional information and wellness advice.
Historical nonfiction
As the name implies, historical nonfiction is the recount of a historical event.
The author may choose a creative outline for the information provided in history books. However, the information must be fact-based and legitimate.
Instruction manuals
Also known as expository nonfiction, the central theme of an instruction manual is to provide the reader with a complete guide to acquiring a new skill.
This type of nonfiction writing includes very detailed step-by-step instructions to guide the reader through the entire process.
True crime books
The subject matter of true crime books is acts of violence, such as kidnapping and murder, and the aftermath of the event.
The author recounts a crime in a third-person point of view after extensive research on the facts of the events.
On occasion, however, true crime books are written as a memoir. In these cases, the story’s narrator is someone close to the victim.
Nonfiction books for you to read today
If you’re interested in exploring the world of nonfiction books, here is a list of popular choices you need to check out:
- As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee
- My Fourth Time, We Drowned by Sally Hayden
- Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller
- The Living Mountain by Nan Shepard
- Shakespeare by Bill Bryson
Listen to nonfiction writing on Speechify Audiobooks
Nonfiction writing has many subcategories, and you can discover them all with Speechify. From historical nonfiction, such as Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth Century by J. Bradford DeLong, to self-help books, including Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell, Speechify has great titles to get you started on enjoying nonfiction books.
Likewise, Speechify audiobooks also features thousands of fictional works, if you want to escape reality and transport yourself on an adventure or to a mystical world.
Visit Speechify Audiobooks and start exploring the world of nonfiction with your first audiobook free.
FAQ
What are the benefits of reading nonfiction books?
Reading nonfiction books is highly beneficial. Readers will learn new skills and specific vocabulary related to a certain topic.
It can also help them understand world history, which is made easier by reading historical nonfiction.
Reading nonfiction also aids the development of analytical thinking. Readers learn how to extract and retain relevant information.
In addition, to fully understand factual information, you’ll have to be entirely concentrated. Thus, the reader’s comprehension and concentration abilities will also improve, thanks to nonfiction literature.
How does nonfiction differ from fiction?
Nonfiction books are based on real people’s true stories. In fiction stories, on the other hand, the plot and characters are a creation of the author.
Who writes the best nonfiction books?
Some of the best nonfiction authors are Truman Capote and Malcolm Gladwell.
