25 Types of Nonfiction Writing and Their Characteristics

Updated March 10, 2023

Nonfiction is a popular category of written work that describes real events. Nonfiction writing can take many forms, including biographies, history books and travel guides. Whether you're an author trying to pick the correct category for your work or a reader wanting to know more about fact-based literature, you might benefit from learning about types of nonfiction writing. In this article, we review what nonfiction writing is and list 25 types and their features so you can better understand this genre.

What is nonfiction writing?

Nonfiction writing is a genre that includes all books that don't tell a fictional story. It might use history or a biography to teach readers something. The difference between fiction and nonfiction is fiction doesn't always base its stories on facts. Fiction includes novels, poetry, short stories, screenplays, plays and television scripts. Nonfiction includes all other literary works and bases its content on true events. Some nonfiction books, however, might offer opinions on those events. Nonfiction includes these four major categories and several subgenres:

Expository nonfiction: Expository nonfiction explains historical events, fashion trends or natural phenomena. It can also address philosophical questions and includes science and philosophy books. E expository nonfiction authors typically do a lot of research on their topic so they can explain it clearly and accurately to readers who might be learning about it for the first time.

Narrative nonfiction: Narrative nonfiction writing discusses facts in the style of a story. It uses chapters to structure the books rather than organizing the work by topic as expository nonfiction does. Examples of narrative nonfiction include memoirs and biographies.

Persuasive nonfiction: With persuasive nonfiction, the author takes a position on a topic. They use facts to support their arguments and convince the readers. An example of persuasive nonfiction is an editorial in a newspaper.

Descriptive nonfiction: With descriptive nonfiction, the writer uses figurative language, rich details and sensory language to help readers understand the information. An example of descriptive nonfiction is a travel guide.

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25 types of nonfiction writing

Nonfiction includes many genres. Here are 25 of the most common types of nonfiction writing:

1. History

History is a nonfiction writing genre that describes true historical events and eras. History books detail political and social situations, using primary and secondary sources to help readers understand their legacies and causes. Some simply tell the facts, while others tell history from the author's desired angle. In both cases, historical nonfiction books present true stories.

2. Philosophy

Philosophy nonfiction analyzes concepts such as ethics and freedom and invites readers to think about them. It also explains philosophical paradigms to beginners who want to learn about them and leads them to experts on the topics. University publishing houses release many philosophy books.Related: 13 Creative Writing Courses To Pursue To Improve as a Writer

3. Religion and spirituality

Religion and spirituality nonfiction can take multiple forms. Some books describe the author's personal experience, some are theory-based and others are self-help books for readers wanting to grow their spirituality. Religion books often focus on a specific belief system.

4. Journalism

While most journalism nonfiction writing is magazine and newspaper articles, it includes many media types, including TV news reports. Journalism describes current events that are relevant to the target audience. It can also include true crime books.One subcategory of Journalism it's called narrative or literary journalism. Narrative journalism uses techniques and styles taken from fiction and short stories, but applied to real-life situations. For example, many authors of literary journalistic pieces use a first or close third-person perspective to offer more emotional or psychological insight into the real people they're describing than typically provided by journalism articles. Related: 6 Types of Journalism Jobs To Explore

5. Self-help and instruction

Self-help books provide advice and help readers solve personal problems or achieve specific goals. Self-help topics include building confidence, relationship advice, financial management, dieting or business success. Self-help nonfiction can be research-based or spontaneous.

6. How-to

How-to manuals and guides help the reader understand the steps required to develop certain skills. They usually provide practical, experience-based advice. This genre includes cookbooks, athletic instructions, tutorials for home hobbyists and musical notations.Related: Narrative Devices: Definitions, Benefits and Tips

7. Science

Science books describe academic research and might include technical information. Science nonfiction writing is well-organized and follows academic conventions such as indexing and referencing. It also includes an appendix of scientific proof to support the writer's statements and further the reader's knowledge. A subset of science books is popular science. Popular science books are books with scientific topics that are written for a more general audience. These books typically either remove or explain the jargon and technical terms found in more academic scientific pieces of writing.

8. Politics and social sciences

Political and social science books analyze and comment on a particular attribute or structure in society. Some authors of this genre base their writing on academic papers, and others use anecdotal evidence. Examples of social science topics include anthropology, sociology, communication, psychology and archeology.

9. Essays

Essays are often personal and introspective. Essay books gather several pieces of writing from the same author or multiple authors under one theme. Essay authors often have personal experience with or authority on the subject.Related: How To Become an Author in 5 Steps (Plus Tips for Success)

10. Business and economics

Business books often serve as guides about management and entrepreneurship. The authors of this genre have experience in the market or industry and share their tips with readers. Economic books describe topics such as stock market movement, consumer pricing and interest rates to help readers understand how the economy works.Related: 5 Steps for Great Business Writing (With Tips)

11. Health and wellness

Health and wellness books cover topics such as stress management, sleeping habits or diet. They can address physical, mental or spiritual health. Authors of health and wellness nonfiction are often doctors and researchers with technical knowledge.

12. Crafts and hobbies

Craft and hobby nonfiction answers questions readers might have about their interests. Examples of craft and hobby book topics include calligraphy, crochet, gardening or origami. Authors of these books usually have authority on the subject or a well-known online presence.Related: 26 Narrative Techniques for Writers (With Examples)

13. Travel guides

Travel guides help tourists and travelers prepare for and discover new regions by describing places to visit, languages and prices. Travel guides often include cultural and historical information. Writers who create travel guides might focus on a travel theme such as relaxation, adventure or culinary experiences.Related: 11 Common Types of Figurative Language (With Examples)

14. Children's nonfiction

Children's nonfiction writing explains topics to a young audience using pictures, chapters and stories. These books might cover biographical, historical or scientific topics. Children's nonfiction writers often partner with illustrators to create drawings for their books that capture young readers' attention.Related: 12 Tips for Starting a Career as an Author

15. Textbooks

Textbooks provide comprehensive information to help readers learn about a particular subject. They're usually part of a curriculum and include questions that encourage learners to review the book's subject. Textbook authors might be researchers or educators with deep knowledge of the topic.

16. Educational guides

Most educational guides give college and high school students advice about various topics. Others target an older audience. Educational guides can describe different types of education or educate readers about various subjects.Related: How To Write a Literary Analysis Step by Step

17. Parenting and family

Parenting books help readers understand the psychology of children and ways to care for them. They provide helpful advice based on academic sources and experience. Parenting and family books target an audience of people who want to become better caregivers.

18. Humor

Humor nonfiction includes memoirs of talk show hosts and comedians and books from journalists or essayists. These books deliver social commentaries and discuss issues people often ignore with humor. Writers of humor books aim to amuse readers.Related: 7 Satire Techniques With Tips

19. Language books

Language books teach people how to communicate in a new language. Some language books also explain the origins and functions of tongues or dialects. Authors of this nonfiction style are experts in the language they write about and provide tools for readers to learn it.Related: 13 Examples of Tone in Writing

20. Memoirs and autobiographies

Memoirs and autobiographies tell a story about the author's life. Memoirs focus on an event, such as childhood or an experience in a specific industry. Autobiographies describe the writer's experience on their entire life's journey. While anyone can write a memoir, autobiographies are typically the works of famous people, allowing them to share their opinions and journeys with their followers.Related: 11 Writing Strategies for Effective Communication

21. Biographies

Biographies are life stories authors write about someone other than themselves. If the subject they want to write a biography about is still alive, authors require their consent. Sometimes, biographies of long-deceased subjects are similar to history books that focus on that person's life.

22. Travel literature

Also known as travel memoirs or travelogues, travel literature books invite readers to self-reflect while providing information about various cultures. This type of nonfiction writing is usually insightful and poetic. Travel literature includes nature writing, outdoor literature and travel memoirs.Related: 15 Careers for Avid Readers (With Job Duties and Salaries)

23. Food writing

Another popular category of nonfiction writing is food writing. Food writing can include:

Cookbooks
Individual recipes
Restaurant guidebooks
Cultural studies of various cuisines around the world
Personal essays or memoirs related to the author's memories of food
Historical nonfiction about food, such as how people used or traded a particular food throughout a historical era
Modified recipes, such as for dietary restrictions or a different cooking method
Reviews of restaurants or recipes

24. Cultural criticism

Cultural criticism focuses on analyzing or offering a unique take on some aspect of modern culture. This aspect can be an array of things, including a product, social trend, political movement or film. Cultural criticism often focuses on a specific product or mindset and then develops connections to wider social movements or ideas throughout the piece of writing. Related: What First Person Point of View Is and When It's the Right Choice

25. Flash

Flash nonfiction refers to very short works of nonfiction. Depending on the author or publisher, flash nonfiction may refer to nonfiction pieces under 500, 1,000 or 2,000 words. The genre of flash nonfiction prioritizes using highly precise diction and relying more on subtext, allowing the reader to infer ideas that the text alludes to without stating them directly.