Similarities:
1) They are both genres of books.
2) They can be any length.
3) Often times when writing either one, authors will start will a brief outline or plan.
4) Both may contain dialogue and/or quotes.
5) Both contain narrative.
6) Both may teach you something whether its a fact, a lesson, and/or a moral.
Differences:
1) Fiction is not real, while nonfiction is about something that happened.
2) Fiction can take place in the past, present, or future, while non fiction can only take place in the past or present.
3) In fiction you can reference a real person, but in nonfiction you cannot reference one that was made up.
4) You will often find a bibliography in nonfiction books, but not in fiction ones.
5) Nonfiction books are categorized by the Dewey Decimal System in libraries, where fiction books are typically alphabetized.
6) Nonfiction books can be kept in the reference section of the library, but fiction ones are not.
