Fiction, Nonfiction, and Memoir

Three types of books

There used to be a clear line between fiction and nonfiction. Fiction was made up stories, and nonfiction was writing about the real world. In general, this distinction still holds. 

Fiction

You know what fiction is. Somebody made up the characters and plot. Sometimes the author uses an authentic setting, such as New York City in 1980, and puts characters into that time and place. In the case of historical fiction, the author must stay true to the historical facts while creating his or her characters and plot and weaving them together.

Sometimes the writer creates an entire cohesive world from scratch, as in fantasy (for example, The Lord of the Rings). When writing science fiction, an author may create a unique world (ie, Dune), or begin with the real world and create an alternate future (Brave New World). 

Narrative Nonfiction

In narrative nonfiction or creative nonfiction, the author researches a subject and then tells it like a story, using narrative techniques. This approach leads to a more readable and emotionally-engaging book. Examples: The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson; Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Sometimes this approach leads to deceit: some authors of creative nonfiction have given in to the temptation to exaggerate and lie, and in some cases to adopt a false literary persona.

Memoir

A memoir is the author’s true story, told from their point of view. It usually focuses on one period in the author’s life, and it tends to be introspective (for example, my memoir, Bringing Mom Home, focuses on my experiences as a caregiver for my mother, and reveals the ways God worked in my circumstances to change me). It is a narrative, but not an autobiography, which is a person’s account of their entire life. 

Which one is right for the story you want to tell?

Which genre best serves the point you want to make with your book? Which will your ideal reader prefer to read?