Writing a Draft of a

Creative Nonfiction
Piece

For you to be able to write your CNF piece or your story, you should:
1. plan
2. research
3. write
4. revise

WRITING TIPS
A. Plan
1. Choose a topic or an experience you know you can write about. Remember that
this topic or experience has to be personal but it does not mean you could not write
about others things or other people. The word “personal” here means that you will
be baring your personal take on this subject that you have chosen to write about.
According to Hidalgo (2005),

a) Your topic should be familiar to you and you are interested in it, or you are
curious about it;
b) You should be able to easily access or gain information from sources regarding
your topic;
c) Make sure that the topic has appeal to a larger audience. You may use your
common sense or do a simple survey among your peers or inquire directly from the
entity too whom you are submitting your CNF piece.

2. Determine your audience. Though your CNF piece should appeal to the general
audience, identify an intended audience. To whom are you particularly writing this
piece? The intended audience will determine (Hidalgo, ibid.):
a) what goes into the piece (as discussed in Module 2 on character and Module 4
on setting and atmosphere);
b) how it will be handled (as discussed in Module 3 on POV);
c) how it is to be organized (as discussed in Module 1 on plot and structure);
d) the language to be used (as discussed in Module 5 on symbolism and figures of
speech); and
e) the amount and type of information the piece will contain. Your intended
audience’s capacity to absorb the information will determine how much and what
sort of research you need to do.

B. Research
The following tips from Hidalgo (ibid.) will help you know more about your topic.
1. consider what kind of information you need;
2. determine the best place to get this information (in the library, on the Net,
through interviews, or through immersion);
3. know what works have already been done on this topic;
4. read extensively, even voraciously; and
5. listen to conversations.

C. Write
1. Formulate the theme or the thesis statement of your CNF piece. What would
your intended audience take away from reading your story? What insight, thought,
or message could this audience understand from your story? This should be at the
back of your mind as you write.
2. Organize and develop the ideas using the elements and conventions of CNF as
discussed in Modules 1 to 5. Module 1 discussed and showed you the plot and the
different structures a CNF piece could take. Module 2 discussed and showed you
the characters and the characterization you are to do in a CNF piece. Module 3
discussed and showed you how to handle the point of view of a CNF piece.
Module 4 discussed and showed you the setting and atmosphere of a CNF piece.
Lastly, Module 5 discussed and showed you the use of symbolism, irony, and
figures of speech in a CNF piece. All of these have to go into the writing of our
CNF piece.
3. Write the first draft. You should be able to do this once you have chosen a topic
manageable for a short CNF piece. You should have also determined your
audience and the theme of your piece. As discussed, be able to know more about
this topic even if it is a personal experience by researching to be able to establish
its authority as written document. After writing your first draft, set it aside.
D. Revise
Go over your draft one more time making some changes, then write the second
draft. Set it aside again. You will go back to it in Module 7. Module 7 will guide
you on how you will evaluate and revise it for submission or publication.
Creative Non-Fiction to Read
Long Distance by: Aby Weygan
Plot and Structure

A Letter to an Old Friend by: Freda Dao-ines

Character and Characterization

A Letter to an Old Friend by: Freda Dao-ines

Setting and Atmosphere

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not by: Freda Dao-ines

Point of view

Dream Woodcarvers by: Florenda Pedro

Symbolism, Irony, and Figures of Speech