A Note About Non-Fiction

Memoir is growing in popularity. In the last decade, creative non-fiction (memoir, mostly) has increased sales and readership. Creative non-fiction works exactly like fiction. There is very little difference, except that the plot, characters, setting, etc. are based on real people, places, and events. A writer of non-fiction must tell a story. That is the primary function of non-fiction, and it is often forgotten when attempting it. There is usually dialogue, a rise of action to a climax, an epiphany, and attention to imagery, characterization, and other literary devices. Lack of memory is not an excuse for lack of detail. If a writer doesn’t remember the details exactly, she must provide these details from her imagination. The goal is to tell an interesting story.