Authors use their imagination to write fiction, a kind of literature. Even though a work of fiction may be based on actual events, it is not a retelling of facts. Literature based on facts is called nonfiction. This type of writing includes biographies (stories of real people's lives), histories, how-to books, and cookbooks. In fiction, authors invent the characters, their conversations, and the setting of the story. Authors also make up the plot, or what happens in the story. There are two main types of fiction: novels and short stories. Novels usually tell long, complex stories. They generally have several characters, each with a different personality. A novel is usually published in the form of a book. A short novel is sometimes called a novella. Short stories are shorter than novels. They usually have fewer characters than novels and only a few important scenes. The characters are generally less complicated. Short stories appear in magazines and in books of short stories. Poetry and drama are other types of literature that are based more on imagination than on facts. However, people usually think of poetry and drama as separate categories of literature, not fiction. |