NON: Lesson - Nonfiction Writing

Nonfiction Writing

When students think of English class, most likely the following will come to mind: novels, poetry, short stories, and creative writing. However, what many often overlook is the rich world of nonfiction texts that can coexist with these types of writing. Nonfiction writing is different from fiction. While fiction centers around fabricated characters, places, and events, nonfiction concerns itself with real people, places, and events.

A Brief History of Nonfiction

Nonfiction writing was produced many centuries ago, as historians documented the lives of rulers and philosophers alike. Various documents chronicled the laws and ways of various groups of people – such as the Akkadians and the Sumerians (the tablet pictured to the right is a peace treaty inscribed in cuneiform, for instance).

Most early nonfiction writing came in the form of laws and record-keeping. However, numerous city-states developed around the world, and as they did so, economies flourished and cities grew. Eventually, people began to write diaries and journals to document their day-to-day experiences and record their thoughts regarding a variety of topics. Such writers include the likes of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and Samuel Pepys (1633-1703).

Over time, the reading public has generated further interest in nonfiction. From the letters written between U.S. President John Adams and his wife Abigail, to the diary entries of holocaust victim Anne Frank, nonfiction offers a tremendous insight into the lives of extraordinary people who share the same concerns and hopes as their readers.

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