semifictional

Semifictional, sometimes described as semifiction, is a term used in literary criticism to describe works that blend elements of fiction with elements of nonfiction. It refers to writing that presents real-world events, people, or settings but through fictionalized details, invented scenes, dialogue, or composites. The term implies a middle ground between strict nonfiction and pure fiction.

The technique often relies on a documentary or memoir framework, introducing real names or places while permitting invented scenes and altered chronology. Authors may use unreliable narrators, composite characters, or invented conversations to illuminate themes, memory, or perception. The aim is to illuminate subjective truth—how events are remembered, interpreted, or emotionally felt—rather than to deliver verifiable fact in every detail.

Semifiction overlaps with creative nonfiction, autofiction, and docufiction. It differs from autofiction when the author’s life details are foregrounded but may not disclose all factual information; from creative nonfiction when the factual basis is more strictly claimed; and from docufiction when real events are explicitly dramatized with fictional elements.

Critics note it can challenge readers’ assumptions about truth in narrative but warn it can blur lines between fact and fabrication. Proponents argue it offers richer exploration of memory, identity, and social context beyond documentary prose.

See also: autofiction, creative nonfiction, documentary realism, docufiction, memory studies, metafiction.