CHARACTERISTICS AND ELEMENTS OF CREATIVE NONFICTION

 CHARACTERISTICS OF CREATIVE NON-FICTION

    Because creative nonfiction is still nonfiction, there are important criteria that a piece of writing must meet in order to be considered part of this genre. 

The writing must include: 

1. Facts: Creative nonfiction must be rooted in facts. No part of the story can be made up or fabricated. 

2. Extensive research: Both primary and secondary sources should be used throughout the research process. It is the writer’s responsibility to conduct extensive research for the most accurate narrative possible.

 3. Reporting: The writer should use said research to accurately document events or personal experiences. 

4. Personal experiences or opinions: Though this is not a requirement, personal experiences or the opinions of others can help create a more complete picture. 

5. Exposition or explanations: The topic or experience(s) presented should be explained to the reader. 

ELEMENTS OF CREATIVE NON-FICTION 

1. Storytelling/narration: Unlike a straightforward historical report, creative nonfiction should be told like a story, meaning that inciting incidents, goals, challenges, turning points, and resolutions are present. 

2. Characters: Every creative nonfiction piece should have a main “character,” even though they must be real and accurately presented. In a memoir, for example, the narrator is typically the protagonist. 

3. Setting/Scene development: The setting should be brought to life with vivid descriptions and scenes filled with action and dialogue. 

4. Plot structure: The story should have a plot, with key events that make up the story. There might be one event in a personal essay, or several significant events and turning points, as is common in memoirs.

 5. Figurative language: Figures of speech, such as similes or metaphors, can be used to create an interesting work of creative nonfiction. 

6. Imagery: A skillful use of imagery is essential in creative nonfiction in order to bring important scenes alive for the readers. 

7. Point of view: Point of view is important in this genre, as it affects the entire storytelling process. Most often, these stories are told in the first person (using “I” to narrate firsthand experiences and events). 

8. Dialogue: Dialogue can really help build the narrative and develop scenes. Rather than reporting with “he said/she said”, including scenes with dialogue helps to place the reader directly in the scene. 

9. Theme: Every essay and story should have a theme, or central idea that ties the whole work together. This can also be considered the main “message” of your work.


Reference: 

Barron, K. (2022). What is creative nonfiction? Definitions, examples, and guidelines. TCK Publishing. https://www.tckpublishing.com/creative-nonfiction/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MANGA

Image
MANGA Manga is the form of comic books and graphic novels that originated in Japan. The word manga comes from two Japanese words: “man,” which means “whimsical or impromptu,” and “ga,” which translates to “pictures.”   The term manga in Japan encompasses both comics and cartoons, while it primarily refers to Japanese-originated comics when used outside of the country.   Most Manga narratives are presented in black and white , allowing readers to absorb the extensive material without any interruptions. Nevertheless, a few distinct full-color publications have been published.   Manga is commonly distributed in installments that come out every week or month and are featured in manga anthologies. These segments make up tankōbon volumes, which can be obtained at bookstores or dedicated manga shops as paperback books.   Manga, which encompasses various genres including romance, sports, science fiction and fantasy as well as horror among others topics is intricately linked...
Read more

THE 5R'S OF CREATIVE NONFICTION

Image
The 5R's of Creative Nonfiction       Lee Gutkind , who is a writer, professor, and expert on creative nonfiction, wrote an essay called “ The Five R’s of Creative Nonfiction.” In this essay, he identified five essential elements of creative nonfiction. These include:  1. Creative nonfiction has a “real life” aspect. The writer constructs a personal essay, memoir, and so forth, that is based on personal experience.  He also writes about real people and true events.  2. Creative nonfiction is based on the writer engaging in personal “reflection” about what he/she is writing about . After gathering information, the writer needs to analyze and assess what he/she has collected. He then must evaluate it and expression his thoughts, views, opinions. Personal opinion is permissible and encouraged.  3. Creative nonfiction requires that the writer complete “research”. The writer needs to conduct research to learn about the topic. The writer also needs to...
Read more

CREATIVE NON-FICTION

Image
CREATIVE NON-FICTION: AN OVERVIEW       The Creative Nonfiction (CNF) genre can be rather elusive. It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and denouement, just like fiction. However, nonfiction only works if the story is based in truth, an accurate retelling of the author’s life experiences. The pieces can vary greatly in length, just as fiction can; anything from a book-length autobiography to a 500-word food blog post can fall within the genre.      Additionally, the genre borrows some aspects, in terms of voice, from poetry; poets generally look for truth and write about the realities they see. While there are many exceptions to this, such as the persona poem, the nonfiction genre depends on the writer’s ability to render their voice in a realistic fashion, just as poetry so often does. Writer Richard Terrill, in comparing the two forms, writes that the voice in creative nonfiction aims ...
Read more