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Weeks 13-16
Writing a Creative Nonfictional Piece
I
As you grasp all the writing styles and techniques in writing creative non-
fiction, it is notice able that writing a non-fiction involves writing about personal
experience, real people, or events. It is writing about fact, rather than fiction wherein
the writer can write about anything, such as a personal experience, current events, or
issues in the public eye. The writer can also inject personal thoughts, feelings, or
opinions into the writing. Often, the writer uses the first person “I.” Popular types of
creative nonfiction include the personal essay, memoir, autobiography, literary
journalistic essay, travel writing, and food writing. Being familiar with the various
creative nonfictional texts enable us to provide valid and considerable commentaries
and critiques which can be a great help to enrich and to improve the texts for further
development. In this lesson, you are expected to write a desirable creative nonfiction
piece based on memorable real-life experience.

D
Gentle Reminder: Before writing, read first the Notes part below,
chew them and eat them by heart. Always enjoy writing and never stress
yourself because what you feel is reflected on what you write. PS. All
articles must be posted on the link to be provided, except for those who are listed in
no internet connection list.
Learning Task 1: A Walk to Remember
Directions: Go on a walk around a place you know well, maybe it's your home, your
neighborhood, or a specific park or building. As you're walking, take a photo and make
mental note of places that trigger certain memories from your past. Then, when you
get back from your walk, write about the most vivid memory you recollected. Tell your
stories in 5 paragraphs. (Include the photos you have taken. You can do this either
by printing the photos or posting on the online platform link, I will send you. Keep
updated in our Messenger’s Group Chat.
Learning Task 2. How-To
Directions: Think of something you are particularly skilled at; maybe it is cooking,
playing sports, manipulating gadgets, etc. Then, use the format of a how-to guide, or
self-help manual written in second person, as a framework to write about your
expertise and experience with this activity. Filipinos are said to be great imitators.
Though you research for information, please be original. You are gifted with your own
unique talent and wisdom, so make the best out of it and be the Best version of your
creative self.
a. Title:
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b. Body (discussing the ideas showing the procedures of how-to)

c. Conclusion
Notes:
Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction
The article from https://davehood59.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/writing-
creative nonfiction/ discusses that not only must the aspiring writer of creative
nonfiction learn the techniques, but he/she also requires a good understanding of the
guidelines. The following are 12 guidelines for writing any type of creative nonfiction:
1. Research the topic. Both primary (interview, personal experience, or participant
observation) and secondary research (books, magazines, newspaper, Web)
2. Never invent or change facts. An invented story is fiction.
3. Provide accurate information. Write honestly and truthfully. Information should be
verifiable.
4. Provide concrete evidence. Use facts, examples, and quotations.
5. Use humor to make an important point.
6. Show the reader what happened, don’t tell them what happened. To do this,
dramatize the story.
7. Narrate the story. A story has an inciting incident, goal, conflict, challenges,
obstacles, climax, and resolution.
8. Write about the interesting and extraordinary. Write about personal experiences,
interesting people, extraordinary events, or provide a unique perspective on everyday
life.
9. Organize the information. Two common techniques are chronological or logical
order.
10. Use literary devices to tell the story. Choose language that stimulates and
entertains the reader, such as simile, metaphor, imagery.
11. Introduce the essay or other work with a hook. Its purpose is to grab the readers’
attention and compel them to reader further. Popular hooks include a quotation,
question, or thought-provoking fact.
12. End the creative nonfiction piece with a final, important point. Otherwise, the
reader will think, “So what!” “What was the point? It was an interesting story, but how
does it apply to me or my life?”
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Now that you have learned some of the guidelines to consider in writing a
creative writing non-fiction, prepare yourself in the next phase of the lesson on writing
your own creative nonfiction piece based on your memorable real-life experiences.

E
Learning Task 3: Memory Lane
Now that you underscore the guideline in writing creative non-fiction, it is now
the time to write your own – page piece. Select two topics from the given scenarios
below and make a creative nonfiction piece based on your memorable real-life
experiences. Make sure that you are telling your story following the writing format you
have learned in the previous discussion.
A. Think of a lesson you learned recently and apply it to a memory. How would
your behavior have changed if you had applied the lesson back then?
B. Recall a key lesson that parents or family members tried to impart onto you
as a child. Revisit that lesson as an adult and connect it to how you have come to
interpret it as you grew up or in your adult life. Feel free to pick a less serious lesson
and have a little bit of fun with it.
C. What do you want more than anything in your life? Write about the burning
hot core of your desire, and how that desire has changed over your life.
D. What single experience most shaped who you are? Describe the experience
in a single, vivid scene.
E. Choose a happy or comfortable memory and write it in a way that makes the
memory creepy or eerie to the reader.
F. Recall a routine that you keep on doing before COVID- 19. Discuss the
reasons why you miss doing that routine?
G. Tell the story of the most important person that has shaped your town and
its culture (you might have to do some research). How did the activity of that person
influence the way you grew up or live currently?
H. Write a scene of a time when someone older than you gave you advice and
write about how you followed it or ignored it and the consequences.
Learning Task 4: No Man Is an Island, Work Together To Achieve Great Things
Read and Share. Look for a partner from your classmates. Read the creative
nonfiction piece based on a memorable real-life experience. Using the table in the
previous learning task, write a mini critique of a peer’s work based on coherence and
organization of paragraphs, development of literary elements, use of factual
information, and other qualities concerning form and content. Send your honest
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critique to your partner thru a text, chat or any form. Take a screenshot of your
conversation and post it together with your revised article (next task).
A. Clarity of B. Coherence C. Appropriate D. use of E. Effective
idea and Use of the Factual combination of
Organization Element Information the idea and the
chosen literary
element

A Learning Task 5: Don’t skip.

Revise the creative non-fiction piece you have created based on a
desirable quality of a well- written creative non- fiction. This will serve as your
final output in Creative Writing. This will be the matrix to be used in grading
your output.
Criteria Exceeds Meets Almost Meet Does Not Meet
Standards (4 Standards Standards (2 Standards
pts) (3 pts) pts) (1 pt)
CREATIVITY Writing is Writing is Writing contains a Writing contains
extremely creative. somewhat few imaginative many cliché ideas
Ideas and style are creative. Some ideas, but style is and an uninspired
refreshing and new and mostly uninspired. style.
imaginative. imaginative
Talented Writing. ideas. Good
writing.
SPELLING & Proper use of There are a few Poor spelling and There are so many
GRAMMAR spelling and grammar and grammar muddle errors in grammar
grammar is spelling errors, the overall and spelling that
employed however, it does effectiveness of results to difficulty
consistently not take away the piece. in understanding
throughout the from the overall the piece.
writing quality of the
assignment. writing
assignment
WORD CHOICE Strong, vivid words Strong words Some strong Poor word choice
and description and descriptions words and and descriptions
throughout. Words throughout. descriptions. throughout.
are above average Many words are Some above Elementary word
and used above average average word choices and many
appropriately and used choices, however, words misused.
throughout the appropriately many words are
work. throughout the used
work. inappropriately.
FLUIDITY There is a strong There is a An obvious
rhythm and flow of rhythm and flow attempt to create a No attempt to
language. of language. rhythm and flow. create a rhythm.
Sentence structure Sentence Sentence Sentence structure
is varied structure is often structure not is not varied.
throughout the varied. varied.
piece.
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ORGANIZATION Excellent creativity Good creativity Some creativity No creativity, poor

& idea. Organization idea. idea. Attempted organization and
DEVELOPMENT and use of Organization and organization and no attempt to
supporting details use of supporting use of some supply supporting
evident in the work. details evident in supporting details details.
the work. evident in the
work.

-FIN-

An Open Letter for You

A year of struggles and uncertainties had passed. You were not used to it at first, but you keep yourself fit unto it.
Of course, it is normal to cram, to be frustrated or disappointed, to get angry, to hate, to fear, to blame, to lose confidence, to
say No, to give up and fail…. It seems that you can’t do it, that it’s impossible. You complain and tell yourself and others,
it’s hard! You blame DepEd, your teachers, the situation, anyone…. It seems that the world is turning its back from you. You
think that you don’t have a choice, but to follow and do what is expected from you.
But now, hey, look at you! Congratulations! You survive! You are a successful survivor! Despite those struggles and
challenges that you’ve met in your new normal learning, here you are accomplished and successfully overcome the mixed
emotions, the pessimisms and the uncertainties amidst this pandemic. And I as your teacher is proud of you, that despite my
shortcomings, you are able to fill them and often exceeds them to the best you can. Sorry for somewhat “disconnection”, if only
all of you have this online connection, we can at least see each other and exchange live virtual “chitchats”. You may find me
strict, but actually, I am the opposite. Yet, thanks for those who constantly make an effort to communicate to clarify things,
yet honestly, sometimes I got annoyed to a few who can’t get my point and I tend to become a “broken record”, repeating the
explanations and replies many times . I am not a devil or a witch guys (kahit tanungin ninyo pa previous students ko
hahaha), but sometimes I am prank especially if you tend to go “beyond the line”, so don’t hesitate to message me, I try to
reply if I do not that rush paper works, but I try to message back after, it is better late than never as they say, so just please
be patient.
Anyway, I tend to overshare na naman. Again, with this success you have successfully achieved, use it as a weapon
for a more difficult journey you are about to face. There will be more crossroads to take, but with your wit and character, plus
faith in God, another milestone of yours will be recorded for sure. Good luck , God bless and always remember , Only those
who believe and persevere stay. Be one of them. I am praying for your future success.
Once again. This chapter has been closed. Congratulations!

P.S. You still have your final assessment to be announced on weekend. (Peace Yow ).

Sincerely,
Ma’am Mench