This document provides an overview of different types and purposes of nonfiction writing. It discusses journalism, essays, personal chronicles like diaries and journals, letters, autobiographies, memoirs, biographies, speeches, historical writing, and other genres of nonfiction. It also outlines some key elements of nonfiction like characters, plot, setting, purpose, and tone. Finally, it provides tips for critically reading nonfiction works.

1. READING NONFICTION
Types and Purposes

2. WHAT IS NONFICTION?
The subject of nonfiction is real
 The author writes about actual
persons, places and events.
 The writer may just report facts
 The writer may also include personal
opinions
 Often there is a mixture of both
 Readers must read critically

3. CRITICAL READING
Look at writer’s background
Look at writer’s purpose
Look at writer’s attitude
Look at writer’s audience

4. JOURNALISM
•Newspapers
•Magazines
•Online sources

5. TYPES OF JOURNALISM
Interviews
Columns
Reviews
Articles
Editorials
Editorial Cartoons

6. ESSAYS

7. TYPES OF ESSAYS
•Formal Essay
•A prose discussion on a serious topic in a
serious manner, usually rigidly structured
and organized.
•Informal Essay
•A prose discussion on any topic in a
light, humorous, amusing manner; often
loosely organized, rambling and casual in
approach.

8. OTHER TYPES OF
ESSAYS
Comparison and
Contrast Essays
Persuasive
Essays
Cause and Effect
Essays

9. PERSONAL
CHRONICLES

10. DIARIES AND
JOURNALS
Diaries: a private
form of writing with
no further intended
audience
Journals: varying
styles and topics.
Give a glimpse of
the writer’s value of
his or her world

11. LETTERS
Private Letters
Public Letter
Letters can
 Reveal character
 Express opinions
 Ask for information
 Give information
Audience and Purpose
influence tone.

12. AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Written by the subject for publication
Author has some purpose for writing
 To teach
 To arouse awareness
 To warn
 Simply to entertain

13. MEMOIRS
A TYPE OF AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL
WRITING, DEALING WITH THE
RECOLLECTIONS OF PROMINENT
PEOPLE OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
BEEN A PART OF OR HAVE
WITNESSED SIGNIFICANT EVENTS.
CONSIDERED BOTH
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL AND
HISTORICAL

14. BIOGRAPHY
The accurate
presentation of a life
story from birth to death
of an individual.
Historical biographies
include strands of an
individual’s life
interwoven with
historical persons,
places and events.

15. OTHER TYPES OF
NONFICTION
Speeches
Historical Writing
Science Writing
Technical writing
Writing online
Miscellaneous
writing

16. ELEMENTS OF
NONFICTION
Characters, Plot, and Setting. Like
fiction, nonfiction has characters, plot,
and setting. However, these elements
are real, not made up. The main
character in an autobiography or
biography is called the subject. The
subject's words, thoughts, and actions
are presented.

17. MORE ELEMENTS
Purpose. Different types of nonfiction have
different purposes. Biographies and
autobiographies, for example, have the
purpose of informing the reader. They use
explanatory, descriptive, and narrative
paragraphs. Other types of nonfiction, such
as newspaper editorials, are intended to win
readers over to a certain opinion. They use
persuasive paragraphs. Sometimes a piece of
writing combines purposes.

18. AND MORE ELEMENTS
Tone. The writer's attitude
toward his or her subject matter
is called tone. A writer's tone
may be sympathetic, It may be
bitter, It may be comic, hopeful,
solemn, or anything the writer
likes.

19. HOW TO READ
NONFICTION
Try to separate Facts
from Opinions.
The writer has chosen
facts that present a
certain picture of the
subject.
Think about what
might be missing as
well as what is there.

20. MORE READING TIPS
Think about the
writer's purpose.
Is the writer trying to
win you over to his or
her opinion?
Learn to appreciate
how well a writer says
something, even when
you don't agree.
Be a critical reader.

21. FINAL READING TIPS
Be aware of the
writer's tone.
Frequently a writer
reveals much about
himself or herself by
the tone he or she
uses.
This is especially
important in
autobiographical
writing