Death to Non-Fiction!
Author of factual books, Andy Seed, challenges us to consider what we call these books in today’s post, which he calls ‘Death to Non-Fiction!
In today’s post, Andy Seed explains why he feels so passionately about the need for some change…
Death to Non-fiction!
There, that got your attention, didn’t it? But, don’t panic, I am not calling for non-fiction books to be banned, burned or even ignored – quite the opposite, since I write factual books for children myself. No, it’s the word, the label, the phrase that I would like to see dead!
Without doubt, the term ‘non-fiction’ (and its evil siblings nonfiction and non fiction) wins the prize for the dreariest, most negative and unappealing name for a category of anything, never mind just books. Why on earth do we define something by what it is not? Right now, I am writing this article on a non-banana and sipping a cup of non-coffee… But when absurdity meets publishing, we don’t even blink.
For me as a full-time author of NF books, this stinker of a label really doesn’t help with the broader issue of the genre being the poor relation of children’s publishing, along with that other Cinderella, kids’ poetry. Compared with fiction, children’s NF gets very little airtime: fewer reviews, shelf space, awards, recommendations etc. NF books are a key route to reading for pleasure for many children (I was one), but when I visit schools, so often they are old, outdated, chucked in a pile or only brought out for topic work.
And yet, look at the latest children’s NF and you will see beautifully illustrated, well-written, cleverly designed books which bring the world alive in visually exciting ways. They’re entertaining! Furthermore, there’s a NF book about almost everything, so we can feed children’s interests and get them reading with enthusiasm.
It would definitely help the profile of NF books to have a better label. So, if we condemn non-fiction to the gallows, what should take its place? Some people prefer the term information books. OK, it’s not negative like NF, but it is still dreary and dry. For me the word information brings to mind bus timetables, washing instructions or directions for replacing a hearing aid battery, not exciting facts about volcanoes or harpy eagles. The remarkable true story of teenager Juliane Koepcke surviving a plane crash and her long, dangerous walk through a rainforest to reach rescue (as featured in a notable kids’ NF title) can’t really be classified as information, surely?
These non-boring books are much more than information!
Should we call them fact books? Hmmm, this does suggest that they’re all just full of facts. Biographies and ‘true-life’ stories are not just books of facts – and nor are several other genres that come under the non-fiction label such as puzzles and activity books.
The best label in my view is factual books. OK, it’s not perfect but it does solve most of the problems. It’s short, descriptive, positive, easy to remember and it’s a nice counterbalance to the word fiction. People who know me are fully aware that I bang on about this all the time. Apologies, but it’s for a good reason – the books deserve better than ‘non’ and children deserve to see more of them!
So, how do we kill the NF beast? It’s like a vampire, stalking the world of publishing, refusing to die and biting victims until they become zombified compliant users of the term. We need lots of bold heroes, so come on, take up your stakes and mallets, find that silver bullet that Great Aunt Sybil gave you in 1987 and make some garlic nibbles. To spur you on I am offering a reward. Whoever slays this monster can win a free set of signed Andy Seed Books, a gold moustache pencil and some nice stickers. Death to Non-fiction! Arise, Factual books!
Andy Seed
Many thanks to Andy for taking part in NNFN2024 and giving us lots to think about!
