What do you call stories that are not based on real events, including genres like historical fiction and fantasy?

The term used for stories not based on real events is fiction. Fiction encompasses a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, and historical fiction, where imaginative or invented elements are central to the narrative, even if they are set in a historically influenced context.

For example, in historical fiction, while the setting may be real and based on actual history, the characters and some events are often products of the author's imagination. Similarly, in fantasy, the story may include magical elements or creatures that do not exist in reality. This contrasts with nonfiction, which is rooted in factual events and information, and other forms such as biography or memoir, which focus on real-life accounts of individuals. Therefore, recognizing that fiction covers any narrative created from an imagined perspective helps distinguish it clearly from other genres.