1. Non-Fiction
A Unit of Truth

2. Narrative Non-Fiction
Some works of nonfiction tell a story, just as works of fiction do.
In an autobiography, a writer tells his or her life story from the first-person point of view.
Using the pronoun I, the author typically focuses on the most significant events that happened to him or her.
In a memoir, a writer also uses the first-person point of view to relate events from his or her own life.
Memoirs differ from autobiographies in that they typically focus on one period of a person’s life.

3. Narrative Non-Fiction
In a biography, a writer uses the third-person point of view to write about the life of someone else.
In a narrative essay, a writer may use either the first- or the third-person point of view to relate a true story in a short composition.

4. Narrative Non-Fiction
Because works of narrative nonfiction tell a story, they have many characteristics of fiction (setting, characters, plot, conflict).
An author may present events in chronological order or an author may use flashback, going back in time to present incidents that occurred before the beginning of the story.

5. Informative Non-fiction
Informative nonfiction includes essays, speeches, and articles that explain a topic or promote an opinion.
Expository essays explain a topic.
Articles that explain the steps in a process, report the news, or analyze a work of literature are all examples of expository writing.

6. Informative Non-fiction
Persuasive essays promote an opinion or a position.
Advice columns, movie reviews, and editorials are all examples of persuasive writing.

7. Informative Non-Fiction
Many expository and persuasive essays follow a general structure of lead, body, and conclusion.
The lead, or introduction, captures the reader’s attention and often includes a thesis, or statement of the essay’s main idea.
The body develops the main idea by providing supporting details, such as facts, reasons, quotations, statistics, sensory details, examples, observations, and personal experiences.
The conclusion may restate the thesis, summarize the main points, or leave the reader with something to think about.