Fiction and non-fiction writing differ in several ways, primarily in their purpose and the elements they contain. Fiction writing is imaginative and typically involves invented characters, settings, and events. The purpose of fiction is to entertain or to convey an idea, emotion, or message through storytelling. Non-fiction, on the other hand, deals with factual and real events, people, and ideas. The purpose of non-fiction is to inform, educate, or persuade readers based on reality and verifiable information.

Fiction often includes literary devices like plot, character development, setting, and dialogue. Non-fiction, on the other hand, typically relies on evidence and research to support its claims. Non-fiction writing can be categorized into various forms, such as memoirs, biographies, essays, and journalistic pieces.

Another significant difference between fiction and non-fiction is the amount of creative freedom that a writer has. Fiction writers have the freedom to create any scenario they wish, whereas non-fiction writers are constrained by the facts and real-world events they are writing about.

In summary, the fundamental difference between fiction and non-fiction writing are that fiction is imaginative, meant to entertain and convey messages through storytelling, while non-fiction is factual and aims to inform or persuade the reader based on evidence and research.