Non-fiction and transactional writing - EdexcelWhat is non-fiction and transactional writing?
Non-fiction texts are those that deal with facts, opinions and the real world. Many non-fiction texts follow specific conventions of language and structure.
Text Any piece of writing - including text messages, emails, letters, newspaper articles, novels etc. that deal with facts, opinions and the real world are usually described as non-fiction. Transactional writing is non-fiction writing that intends to communicate information between individuals or groups.
Non-fiction texts include (amongst others):
magazine articles
travel writing
obituaries
autobiography
reference books
Transactional texts include (amongst others):
letters
emails
speeches
Different text types, or forms of non-fiction have particular conventionThe normal standard practices for doing something.. These are the typical or expected features of a form and include structure, language and tone. For example, a newspaper article usually has a headline, uses formal language and takes a serious tone. A political speech usually addresses the audience directly, includes persuasive language and often has a rousing tone.
With all writing tasks it is important to consider:
the conventions of the form
PLUS
your intended audience (reader)
the purpose of your writing
Your reader might be one particular person, as with an email or letter. Or it might be a broader group of people, as with an article or speech.
Having a clear purpose will allow you to select language best suited to your task. For example, if your purpose is to entertain, your tone might be light-hearted. If your purpose is to persuade, you might include rhetorical deviceA rhetorical device is a technique that a writer uses to convey to the reader a meaning, with the goal of persuading them towards considering a topic from a different perspective..