What Is the Difference Between Fiction & Nonfiction Writing Careers?

Fiction writers create the worlds they write about, while nonfiction writers base their work on facts. The publishing markets for each genre often, but not always, differ.

Definitions

Fiction is written work that springs from the author's imagination. Some incorporate true events or historical figures in their work (e.g., fiction author E. L. Doctorow).

Nonfiction is fact-based literature that covers personal or general history/current events or the writer's opinions.

Fiction Writing Careers

Writers of fiction write books and/or short stories for submission to magazines or quarterly journals. Others write movie scripts or plays or blog.

Nonfiction careers

Nonfiction writers include journalists who write newspaper and magazine articles on a salaried or freelance basis. Historians and authors of how-to's, self-improvement, autobiographies and documentaries also fall into this genre. Nonfiction writers also work for public relations and marketing firms or do technical writing for computer, science and medical companies or government agencies.

Crossover

Many book publishers, magazines and some newspapers publish fiction and nonfiction. All book writers must submit through literary agents, who market the material to and represent authors' interests. Publishers also require a pre-submission query letter, explaining the subject and how the writer will present it.

How to Get Published

Nonfiction writers often start out by interning for newspapers or accepting entry-level jobs at small-town newspapers, companies, government agencies or nonprofit organizations.

Fiction writers often get their start by submitting to the few magazines that accept unsolicited submissions or to small quarterly journals.

Blogging is a publishing option for both genres.

References

• Beth Morrow (fiction writer)
• New York Times
• Writer's Market

Resources

• writing-world.com