CREATIVE NON-FICTION

MODULE 1
LESSON 1 – Understanding Conventions of Traditional Genres

I. INTRODUCTION
According to Villanueva (2016), Creative nonfiction has been interpreted generally in two ways.
The first views the genre in relation to other genres. This is the creative use of skills and techniques that
are traditionally acceptable to fiction, poetry and drama. This is not just a compelling and imaginative non-
fictional writing, not just informational but, literature. The second way creative fiction has been interpreted is
more specific to its similarities with fiction. Creative nonfiction is narrative nonfiction or writings about real
events that are primarily driven by the recreation of scenes that make up a story. Both focus on the
techniques used in writing. The “traditional” genres of fiction, poetry, and drama have techniques attributed
to them, creative nonfiction borrows techniques from the other genres.
This course introduces the learners to the reading and writing of creative nonfiction as a literary
form focusing on formal elements and writing techniques. The learners will understand conventions of
traditional genres and are expected to:
1. Identify dominant literary conventions of a particular genre.
2. Analyze and interpret the theme and techniques used in a particular text.
3. Write a draft of a short piece using any of the literary conventions of genre.

We will be using the following platforms for our lesson proper:

1. Edmodo,
2. Zoom,
3. Google meet; and
4. Messenger/ messenger chat room.

II. ACTIVITY

A. Directions: For a start let us, watch a video on Literary Genre Nonfiction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQINQAxu-5k

B. Instructions: Write your answer in capital letter on the space provided.

A B
_______1. Book about life of a famous basketball player A. Historical
_______2. Funniest play My Fair Lady B. Science Fiction
_______3. Long poem about hero Achilles C. Biography
_______4. Story about life in Mars in the year 3000 D. Autobiography
_______5. Story of fighters in World War 1 E. Comedy
F. Epic
III. ANALYSIS

Instructions: Analyze the following group of words and identify if they are elements or conventions that
can be found in fiction, prose, or drama. Write F for fiction, P for Poetry and D for drama
_________1. stanzas, couplets
_________2. novel, myth, short story
_________3. Free verse as less restrictive
_________4. actors, story line, villains
_________5. Figments of the imagination
_________6. Relationship of varied syllables, creates patterns
_________7. Ending may be happy, tragic, or a combination of both
_________8. Character development can be realistic or not
_________9. Subgenres defined by content, technique, and tone
_________10. Filled with complex climaxes and turning points

IV. ABSTRACTION

Literary conventions mean the aggregate of norms and standards like plot, character, setting, icon,
theme, or effect in a genre story) created un the realm literary heritage. Each literary genre possesses
certain conventions that produce remarkable effects. They are the defining elements of the different genres
and subgenres. Conventions can also refer to the way ideas are expressed: literal or figurative. In this
sense, it can mean the use of language that includes grammar ( i.e. tense, syntax, vocabulary, story
structure, etc. Literary genres are collections of conventions that aim to create novelty and creativity.

Traditional Conventions

Fiction is a literary genre that tells something based on imagination rather than facts. It features
creativity in inventing place, characters, settings, and theme within and beyond factual realms. Imaginative
stories which could be realistic or not, usually emphasize character development.

Furthermore, it is also categorized into subgenres defined by content, technique, and tone. These
are the novel, myth, short story, legend, able, historical fiction, adventure, fantasy, mystery, science fiction,
traditional literature, and folktales. Realistic fiction is a story that can happen in real life with true-to-life
characters, reasonable and believable outcomes, and contemporary or historical setting.

Literary norms in poetry refer to how structure and rhythm are linked to content and theme. We know
it is a poem because it is composed of verses or pairs of lines and is metered. Furthermore, patterns and
techniques contribute to the overall meaning of the literary piece. For example, a narrative poem tells a
story. A lyrical poem evokes emotions, reflections, and thoughts.

Western literary tradition has three primary poetic conventions, meter, rhythm, and rhyme.

Meter highlights the stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem. Spoken languages employ a
variety of combinations of stressed and unstressed syllables. The relationship of these varied syllables
creates a certain pattern in a line of verse or stanza, called rhythm. Finally, the most obvious convention of
poetry is rhyme or the repetition of similar or the same sounds in the lines of verses, usually in the final
syllables of a poem or song.

The poem “Scaffolding” is an example of a poem with rhymed verses.

Scaffolding
Seamus Heaney - 1939-2013

Masons, when they start upon a building,

Are careful to test out the scaffolding.

Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,

Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.

And yet all this comes down when the job’s done
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.

So, if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be

Old bridges breaking between you and me

Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall

Confident that we have built our wall.

The poem’s structure is easy to understand; it has ten lines (five paired lines) with consistent
rhyming in every pair.

Many poets have experiment on creating conventions without losing the norms of poetry. This may
include deviation from the rules of poetic grammar, the use of nontraditional structures and line breaks to
fashion new ways to express themes and emotions. For instance, the use of unrhymed words paved the
way to the creation of free verse.

Drama reveals situations through its characters, settings, and plot. It is filled with climaxes and
turning points that develop the characters, it also brings out social issues aimed to evoke emotions in the
audience as they relate to the complications of the story and the actions.

The ending may be happy, tragic, or a combination of both. Moreover, not all drama follows these
conventions as playwrights continue to inject creativity to their masterpieces.

Different genres may have varied norms, but certainly these conventions define the informational
and entertainment purposes of literature. They have the power to engage the reader and audience to relate
themselves with the characters.
V. APPLICATION

A. Instructions: Cross out which does not belong to the group and identify the literary genre.
(Non-Fiction, Fiction, Periodicals, Poetry, Elements, Plot)

___________1. Shakespearean sonnet Romeo and Juliet Stanza Metaphor

___________2. Memoirs Mysteries Romance Fantasy

___________3. Character Rising Action Comedy Time

___________4. Newspapers Magazines Journals Fictitious

___________5. Imaginary Unreal Authentic Artificial

B. Instructions: Complete the table with the correct information found in the word pool

FANTASY BIOGRAPHY COMEDY

PERIODICALS REFERENCE

NARRATIVE DRAMATIC MYSTERY THRILLER FOLKLORE

AUTOBIOGRAPHY NARRATIVE LYRIC HISTORICAL

TRAGEDY

SCIENCE ROMANCE REALISTIC

FICTION FICTION
DRAMATIC

DRAMA FICTION NONFICTION POETRY

C. Directions: Write a draft of a short piece using any of the literary conventions of genre.