The document discusses the key differences between essays, articles, and speeches as forms of nonfiction. It notes that while all three can be informative, persuasive, or entertaining, essays examine topics through a personal viewpoint, articles provide information about specific topics, and speeches are addressed to a live audience. The document also explains that an author's style and tone are important elements in nonfiction works, with style referring to language usage and tone representing the author's attitude towards the subject or audience.