Post #8: Nonfiction

I think that if a book claims to be nonfiction it should be 100% true. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines nonfiction as writing that is about facts or real events. If nonfiction books and memoirs our fabricated then they do not fit into the nonfiction genre, simple at that.

I think that books that are based on true stories but stretch the truth are just books based on true stories. They do not qualify as memoirs or nonfiction books because they are not the truth. That is not to say that books based on stories cannot be good stories. Great stories can come from real life events that have been stretched and fabricated; they just cannot be considered nonfiction.

Books that stretch the truth manipulate the audience. An author claiming that a book is true when it really isn’t is a lie and I do not think it is okay for authors to lie to their audience, to manipulate their fans. People admire authors and get emotionally connected to books. What if you found out your favorite memoir was a lie? You would feel betrayed and lied to. The main reason authors should not lie about fiction and nonfiction is because they should never betray their audience.

Personally, I think publishing companies should do more fact checking to make sure that books that are fiction are not published as nonfiction. It is part of their job and one that needs to be carried out. I also think, however, that publishing companies should make an effort to publish more books based on true stories. Books based on true stories have the capacity to be just as good as books that are completely made up.