Tired of trying to spark lively discussions in your publishing community? Fact or Fiction templates are a proven way to ignite curiosity and debate. Use these ready-to-go prompts to get members thinking, guessing, and sharing their insights.
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Fact or Fiction prompts thrive on our innate curiosity. When presented with a surprising statement, people naturally want to know if it is true or false. This creates a perfect hook to encourage participation, especially in knowledge-driven communities like publishing.
Asking your members to weigh in not only increases engagement but also fosters critical thinking and deeper discussion. Revealing the answer or inviting debate can turn passive readers into active contributors, building stronger community bonds. Plus, publishing is full of myths and little-known facts, making this format both fun and educational.
Fact or Fiction: The first novel ever written was published in Japan.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The first novel ever written was published in Japan. What do you think?"
Fact or Fiction: The word 'bookworm' was once an insult.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The word 'bookworm' was once an insult."
Fact or Fiction: J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter in coffee shops.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter in coffee shops. Guess below!"
Fact or Fiction: Paperback books outsell hardcovers every year.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Paperback books outsell hardcovers every year."
Fact or Fiction: The New York Times Best Seller list started in the 1930s.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The New York Times Best Seller list started in the 1930s. Any guesses?"
Fact or Fiction: There is a genre called 'cli-fi' focused on climate fiction.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: There is a genre called 'cli-fi' focused on climate fiction. True or false?"
Fact or Fiction: Audiobooks now make up more sales than eBooks.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Audiobooks now make up more sales than eBooks. What do you think?"
Fact or Fiction: Ernest Hemingway only wrote standing up.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Ernest Hemingway only wrote standing up. Fact or fiction?"
Fact or Fiction: The term 'bestseller' is legally defined.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The term 'bestseller' is legally defined."
Fact or Fiction: Self-publishing has existed for over 100 years.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Self-publishing has existed for over 100 years. What is your guess?"
Fact or Fiction: Charles Dickens originally published his novels in serial form.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Charles Dickens originally published his novels in serial form. Agree or disagree?"
Fact or Fiction: The ISBN system was created in the 1980s.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The ISBN system was created in the 1980s. What's your answer?"
Fact or Fiction: Graphic novels are a recent invention.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Graphic novels are a recent invention."
Fact or Fiction: Some publishers pay advances to authors before books are sold.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some publishers pay advances to authors before books are sold. Is this true?"
Fact or Fiction: The longest book ever published is over 7,000 pages.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The longest book ever published is over 7,000 pages. Fact or fiction?"
Fact or Fiction: Print-on-demand technology was invented in the 21st century.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Print-on-demand technology was invented in the 21st century. Thoughts?"
Fact or Fiction: The phrase 'Do not judge a book by its cover' is older than 100 years.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The phrase 'Do not judge a book by its cover' is older than 100 years."
Fact or Fiction: Some famous authors used more than 10 pen names.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some famous authors used more than 10 pen names. Can you guess who?"
Fact or Fiction: Book banning still happens in the 21st century.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Book banning still happens in the 21st century. What do you think?"
Fact or Fiction: The Guinness World Records once included the largest book ever printed.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The Guinness World Records once included the largest book ever printed. Fact or fiction?"
Fact or Fiction: The Harry Potter series has been translated into over 80 languages.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The Harry Potter series has been translated into over 80 languages. True or false?"
Fact or Fiction: The first eBook was published in the 1970s.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The first eBook was published in the 1970s. What do you guess?"
Fact or Fiction: Most best-selling books are self-published.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Most best-selling books are self-published."
Fact or Fiction: The Library of Alexandria had over one million scrolls.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The Library of Alexandria had over one million scrolls. What is your take?"
Fact or Fiction: Authors get royalties from secondhand book sales.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Authors get royalties from secondhand book sales. Fact or fiction?"
Fact or Fiction: The Nobel Prize in Literature has never been awarded to a publisher.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The Nobel Prize in Literature has never been awarded to a publisher. What do you think?"
Fact or Fiction: There is a library in Norway that will open its books in 2114.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: There is a library in Norway that will open its books in 2114. Have you heard of it?"
Fact or Fiction: Some classic novels were first rejected by more than 20 publishers.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some classic novels were first rejected by more than 20 publishers. Share your guess!"
Fact or Fiction: The average novel contains about 50,000 words.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The average novel contains about 50,000 words. What is your estimate?"
Fact or Fiction: The first printing press was invented in China.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The first printing press was invented in China. Agree or disagree?"
Fact or Fiction: Book covers were once plain and unillustrated.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Book covers were once plain and unillustrated."
Fact or Fiction: The largest publishing market by revenue is the United States.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The largest publishing market by revenue is the United States. Thoughts?"
Fact or Fiction: Some novels are written entirely without the letter 'e'.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some novels are written entirely without the letter 'e'. Can you name one?"
Fact or Fiction: The average person reads less than 5 books a year.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The average person reads less than 5 books a year. What do you think?"
Fact or Fiction: Some publishers specialize only in poetry.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some publishers specialize only in poetry."
Fact or Fiction: The term 'blockbuster' originally referred to books.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The term 'blockbuster' originally referred to books. Any guesses?"
Fact or Fiction: Some authors have won both the Pulitzer and the Nobel Prize.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some authors have won both the Pulitzer and the Nobel Prize. Who comes to mind?"
Fact or Fiction: Books were once chained to shelves in libraries.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Books were once chained to shelves in libraries. Fact or fiction?"
Fact or Fiction: The first paperback books were called 'pocketbooks'.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The first paperback books were called 'pocketbooks'. What do you think?"
Fact or Fiction: Some books have been written in under a week.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some books have been written in under a week. Can you name any?"
Fact or Fiction: The term 'ghostwriter' comes from a 19th-century publishing scandal.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: The term 'ghostwriter' comes from a 19th-century publishing scandal. Guess below!"
Fact or Fiction: Some books are printed with invisible ink for privacy.
💡 Example: "Fact or Fiction: Some books are printed with invisible ink for privacy. Fact or fiction?"
To use these templates, simply copy and paste a prompt into your chosen platform and tailor it to suit your community's focus or theme. For extra engagement, ask members to explain their reasoning or share related experiences. After members have responded, reveal the answer and provide a credible source if possible. Rotate topics and vary difficulty to keep things fresh and inclusive.
On all platforms, pair each Fact or Fiction post with an eye-catching image or relevant emoji to boost visibility. Use polls for quick responses on platforms that support them, or invite comments for longer discussions. Pin posts or stories to highlight popular prompts and maximize participation.
Fact or Fiction templates are ideal for clarifying widespread misconceptions in publishing, like unrealistic expectations about how quickly manuscripts are reviewed or misunderstandings about royalty calculations. Use these templates to post statements such as 'Most publishers take less than a month to review a manuscript—Fact or Fiction?' and provide authoritative answers. This helps educate your community and manage expectations among aspiring authors.
To engage both authors and editors, craft prompts around nuanced industry standards, such as 'Every edition of a book needs a new ISBN—Fact or Fiction?' or 'All manuscripts go through three rounds of editing before publication—Fact or Fiction?'. These encourage dialogue between different roles in the publishing process and surface valuable insights on standard practices.
Approach sensitive topics with carefully worded statements that invite discussion without accusation. For example, 'It's common practice for publishers to require authors to hire ghostwriters—Fact or Fiction?' or 'Plagiarism detection is handled solely by editors—Fact or Fiction?'. Follow up with factual information and encourage respectful conversation to maintain a professional and supportive community atmosphere.
Absolutely. Use Fact or Fiction prompts to demystify digital publishing concepts, such as 'eBooks sold on all platforms are always DRM-protected—Fact or Fiction?' or 'Authors retain full distribution rights for digital formats after signing with a traditional publisher—Fact or Fiction?'. These posts promote digital literacy and help both newcomers and veterans stay informed about evolving industry norms.
Frame Fact or Fiction statements to tackle controversial subjects with objectivity, such as 'Hybrid publishing is always a scam—Fact or Fiction?' or 'Authors should never pay any fees to have their work published—Fact or Fiction?'. Cite reputable sources in your answers and encourage members to share their experiences, creating a balanced discussion that helps demystify complex business models in publishing.
Tie your Fact or Fiction prompts to current events by addressing common beliefs about them. For example, during award season, post 'Winning a major literary award guarantees bestseller status—Fact or Fiction?' or around book fairs, 'Most book deals are made directly on the convention floor—Fact or Fiction?'. This approach leverages industry timelines to boost engagement and keep conversations timely and relevant.
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