I’ve written about my distain for the term nonfiction over the years. I’ve complained about how ridiculous it is to name something based on what it is not. To make this point with the countless students I’ve met with during author visits, I tell them to imagine a world in which there is no such word as girls; females are called non-boys. And then, to quiet the boys’ laughter and cheers get too loud, I reverse it. No such word as boys; they are non-girls. The kids get it.
Making matters worse is the role that nonfiction plays in our lives. It’s the type of reading and writing we mostly do. Sure, we read fiction, but we also read newspapers, magazines, reports, and e-mails. And, when was the last time you wrote a short story? Fiction is an essential part of living, but so is nonfiction. And so it should be accorded a more appropriate and meaningful name.
I’ve thought about this for a long time. Years. I’ve researched it and talked to anyone who would listen about my concern. Not a single person —not one—has disagreed that nonfiction should be renamed. And so, having not found an alternative term, I’ve created one: faction.
It’s simple and clear, has real meaning, and doesn’t try to upstage fiction in any way (it even has the same number of letters). It’ll be easier to teach as well as remember since fact is at its foundation.
Now, all we have to do is use the word and share it with others. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Tell librarians. If you’re a teacher, let your students and your colleagues know that they never have to use that senseless term again.
Faction is in; nonfiction is out!
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