autofiction

American  

[aw-toh-fik-shuhn] / ˈɔ toʊˌfɪk ʃən /

noun

1. a genre of novel or short story whose narrator or protagonist is understood to be the author, and which explores the author’s real-life story using the techniques and devices of fiction.

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Etymology

Origin of autofiction

First recorded in 1975–80; auto- ¹ ( def. ) + fiction ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

autofiction

Whether the genre is romantasy or autofiction, making up stories often demands making up stories about real people — exploiting them — to serve a narrative purpose.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Unlike much contemporary literary fiction, which weighs heavily toward interiority and autofiction, Shriver’s novels are both idea- and plot-driven.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026

Allen has suggested that some of the songs are written "in character", saying that the lyrics "could be considered autofiction" - a genre that combines autobiography and fiction.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2025

In this occasionally saccharine yet blithely comical piece of rich-people-problems autofiction, Clooney is the funniest he’s been in years, taking shots at himself and the life he’s chosen with a marksman’s aim.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2025

Mitchell’s recording career, which began in the 1960s, has included her early folk music, the autofiction of her classic albums “Blue” and “Court and Spark,” and the jazz that followed.

From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2024