Sakprosa

Sakprosa, or non-fiction prose, is a category within Norwegian literature and media that covers texts based on facts and real-world subjects. It includes journalism, essays, reportage, travel writing, biographies, history, science writing, manuals, and other forms of factual prose. The defining characteristic is its grounding in reality and its reliance on sources, evidence, and documentation.

The primary aim of sakprosa is to inform, explain, analyze, or reflect on real events, phenomena, or ideas. Writers often present an argument or explanation while maintaining accuracy and verifiability. Although sakprosa may employ narrative techniques or literary devices to enhance readability, it remains distinct from fiction by its factual basis and responsibility for truthfulness.

Subgenres encompass investigative journalism, popular science writing, memoirs, biographical prose, historical prose, and various forms of documentary and instructional writing. In education and literary studies, sakprosa is examined as a field that balances clarity, accountability, and rhetorical effectiveness, with attention to sources, citations, and method.

Historically, sakprosa has deep roots in Scandinavian and European traditions of factual prose. It developed significantly during the rise of modern journalism, scientific publishing, and public debate in the 19th and 20th centuries, and has since expanded with new media, including digital reporting, long-form essays, and data-driven narratives.