Nonfiction

- is a wide kind of compositions that incorporates all books that are not
established in an anecdotal account. Creative nonfiction can be classified in
history and biography; it might be instructional; it can offer publication and
humor; and it can mull over philosophical requests. If a book is not delved in a
made-up story, by then it is certified.

The essence of originality are well-used in evident occasions, numerous

true to life stories offer unequivocally obstinate editorial on those genuine
occasions. In a short concept, nonfiction deals with reality.

Moreover, nonfiction or literary narrative nonfiction is a genre of writing that

uses creative ways on utilizing literary styles and techniques with the springboard
of factual and accurate narratives.

Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical

writing or journalism, which is likewise established in exact certainty however is
not essentially written in support of its specialty. As a classification, imaginative
true to life is still moderately youthful, and is just starting to be investigated with
the equivalent basic examination given to fiction and verse.

When you are reading or encountering stories that are based from reality or
sources came from the truth, you can simply tell that it is creativenonfiction.

◦Fact. The core of nonfiction is fact. Factual information

shall be included in the piece and not a made up
information.
◦Extensive research. Conducting and gathering
information through research provide accurate and reliable
information that you may use in writing your nonfiction
write-up.
◦Reportage/reporting. Documenting the gathered
information like interview and reports helps you keep
records and files for future usages.
◦Personal experience and personal opinion. Since the
main sources of contents are based from the personal
experiences and personal insights of the writer, it makes
an easy way to write a piece.
◦Explanation/Exposition. Explaining the story to the reader is
expected to
attain the objectives of the piece.
◦Essay format. The outputs in creative nonfiction are often
in essay format. Examples: Procedural Essay, Personal
Essay, Literary essays, descriptive essay
 Creative nonfiction is the literature of fact. Yet, creative
nonfiction writer utilizes many of the literary devices of fiction
writing. The following is a list of the most common literary devices
that writers incorporate into their nonfiction writing:
◦Storytelling/narration. The goal, challenges and
obstacles, a turning point, and resolution of the story shall
be delivered spontaneously to help the readers understand
the flow of the story.
◦Character/Characterization. In a nonfiction story,
characters are also important. The main character serves
as the core or central idea of the storyline. The story
revolves to the experiences of the main character with the
help of the other characters.
◦Setting, atmosphere and scene. The writer creates scenes that are
action
-oriented; include dialogue; and contain vivid descriptions.
◦Plot and plot structure. These are the main events that
make up the story. In a personal essay, there might be only
one event. In a memoir, there are often several significant
events.
◦Figurative language. The use of figurative languages helps the
writer to
provide aesthetics to the piece. It gives vibrant effect to the story.
◦Imagery. The use of different sensory images helps also to
add color in writing a nonfiction piece.
◦Angle/Point of view. Most of the time nonfiction adheres
with the use of First Person Point of View since the
experiences are being told.
◦Dialogue. This can help to make the story run within the
characters.
◦Theme. It is the central idea or universal truth presented in the
work.
The 5’Rs 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 uses a real life elements. The writer
creates concepts of a story using the vital and real information
about the subject which can be associated on close attributes
of the real experiences.
2. Creative nonfiction lets the writer to engage on his personal
reflection about the subject. After gathering information, the
writer needs to scrutinize and analyze the gathered
information. Assessing and considering his ideologies and
beliefs. Through this, it will help the writer to be more factual
 based.
3. Creative nonfiction instructs the author to do a complete
research. The author needs to find out relevant and vital
information about the subject. The writer needs to finish
investigating and weighing information that will be included in
the story. Finishing auxiliary examination will lead to create a
complete and substantial contents. For an instance, looking
into an individual diary, or meeting a companion or relative, to
guarantee that the data is honest and genuine.
4. The fourth aspect of creative nonfiction is reading. Reading
while conducting research is not enough. The writer must
recall the components through reading to improve and make
some modifications.
5. The final element of creative nonfiction is writing. Writing
imaginative true to life is both a workmanship and specialty.
The craft of inventive true to life necessitates that the essayist
utilizes his gifts, senses, innovative capacities, and creative
mind to compose paramount imaginative true to life.
Types of Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction always deals on reality. Reality can be
about using the topics like the use of individual encounter,
occasion, or issue in the open eye. There are different classes or
categories to consider in creative nonfiction such as the individual
article, journal, and life account.
 Personal Essay. The writer uses information that is based on
personal experience or a single event, which leads in
significant personal meaning or a lesson learned that he
encountered. The writer uses the first person “I.”
 Memoir. The writer creates a real story within a time or period
of life, one that contributed a significant personal meaning and
truth. The writer uses the first person “I” in the story.
 Literary journalism essay. The writer creates an output on an
issue or topic using the understood literary devices, such as
the elements of fiction and figurative languages.
 Autobiography. The writer writes his/her own life story, from
birth to the present, using the first person “I.”
 Travel Writing. The writer creates article narration about
travel using literary devices and figurative languages.
 Food writing. The writer crafts stories about food and cuisine
using literary techniques that mat lead to a review and
recommendation.
 Profiles. The writer constructs life stories of people using literary
devices.

Green (2018) defined theme as a thread that runs

throughout a whole book. When done well, the theme relates to
every subject and story and piece of advice. It ties everything
together.

Sometimes, themes are obvious. In Harry Potter, there are

treats battling baddies, and the primary subject is acceptable
versus evil. It likewise has subjects of bigotry and
correspondence.
In a literary text, theme is the broader message of the
story. In nonfiction informational texts, the central ideas are the
most essential ideas.
Central Ideas. These are the most essential ideas of a text; the
key points the author wants to make! The BIG idea.

Nonfiction works use supporting details to develop central ideas.

Details
within the text support and develop the central idea in the following ways:

 Prove the concept since you must consider reality;

 Explain the central idea of the story;
 Define the concept;
 Show some examples and illustrations; and
 Give additional information.

Determining Central Ideas

Often, the central idea is directly stated near the beginning

of the text. However, readers may also have to infer the central
idea by determining what point (message/idea) all the details
come together to support.

The main ideas of individual paragraphs will lead to the

central idea of the whole text.

Constructing Paragraphs in Nonfiction Text

Each paragraph has its own main idea. The main idea of
each paragraph is used to support the central idea of the whole
text.

The main idea of a paragraph must be associated with

supporting information and evidences to strengthen the
main idea.

The details of the piece shall go along with the central idea to attain
unity
and coherence.

Delivering paragraphs shall consider the strength and

weakness of the ideas being imparted in the story. Reviewing the
central idea will lead you to paragraphs that are substantial and
purposive.
Ponder with Ideas

Writing creative nonfiction is tied in with recounting to

genuine stories. You can recount to an anecdote about yourself,
making expositions about close to home encounters. You can
likewise expound on others, spots and occasions on the planet.

In nonfiction, you compose valid and verifiable stories, not

fiction. You will need to introduce reality and realities in a
convincing, engaging, and noteworthy way with the goal that
others will be enlivened to peruse your story. To compose any of
these types of imaginative true to life, you have numerous
procedures to look over, e.g. scene, synopsis, individual
reflection.

In a blog of Hood (2012), he identified the toolbox of

techniques that writers are expected to use when writing creative
nonfiction.
 Topic and Question. In prewriting, you need to choose a
topic and then try to link possible questions to be
answered. In doing this, it helps you to focus on the
areas that you intend to highlight, For instance, in
choosing a topic on a travelogue, you need to formulate
questions like How to get there? What are the amenities
or activities that can be done? The transportation fares
and routes.
 Narrative Structure or Shape of a Story. Narrative
structure lets you to discover within the way on
delivering the story through narration, meaning that you
discover the details of the story and its structure as
you write. In creative nonfiction, there are five popular
narrative structures or shapes
Narrative structure: Telling the story chronologically,
from beginning to end.

 Braided Structure: Telling a story by weaving or

combining two, sometimes three, narratives or stories.
 Collage: Using a thematic and segmented approach that
combines a quotation or two, poem, scene, metaphor,
simile, allusion, personification, image, vignette,
anecdote, a short, short, true story, with an epiphany.
 Frame: Telling a story by opening with a particular scene or
reflecting
and closing with a particular scene or reflection.
 Narrative with Flashback: Telling a story using scene,
 summary, reflection, and flashbacks.

As well, the you can experiment with the narrative

structure, resulting in a new structure or shape.
Distinctive Voice, Style, and Intimate Point of View. All good writers have a
distinctive voice, which is the persona of the writer expressed on the age.

Good writers also have a unique style. Additionally have a one of a kind style.
An author's style is his/her demeanor of persona on the page. It incorporates
decision of expression, sentence assortment, and tone, perspective, utilization of
illustration, and other abstract gadgets. The tone of the keeping in touch with
itself is in every case well disposed, conversational. Stories are regularly told
utilizing the main individual perspective.

Detail and Description. Creative writing is often a form of discovery. As you

compose, you review the subtleties, the recollections, the pictures, the felt
feeling, the more profound importance. You'll review from memory critical,
specific subtleties and afterward thinks of them down. You'll make distinctive
depictions with solid, explicit, and specific subtleties. You don't need to
incorporate everything about, those that are huge or significant. Frequently
you'll utilize tactile symbolism, language that conjures the feeling of sight,
smell, taste, contact, or hearing. The reason for including subtlety is to
reproduce the involvement with the psyche of the readers.

Scene and Summary. One of the most important techniques of creative

nonfiction is writing in scenes. A scene recreates the experience of the writer for
the reader. A scene evokes. To write a scene, you must show the reader what is
happening. A scene often includes:
Setting - time and place of the story

Action - something that happens

Dialogue - something being said

Vivid description - concrete and specific details

Imagery - language that invokes reader’s sense of sight, smell, taste, touch,
hearing
Point of View - first, second, third persons

Figurative language - simile, metaphor, etc.

Beginning, middle and ending - a scene has a beginning, middle and end

Summary involves telling the reader what happened. Telling means to

summarize and to compress, leaving out the details and descriptions. Telling is
explaining.
 You should create scenes of important events, such as for a setback and the
turning point.

Scene and summary are used for all types of creative nonfiction.
Techniques of Fiction. You’ll also rely on the techniques of fiction to tell a
true story, including:
Setting-time and place and context, which provides the backdrop to the
true story
Narrative Arc ( inciting incident, conflict and setback, climax, epiphany,
resolution)
Point of View- first person “I”, Second Person “You”, third person “He/
She”
Character development- Developing character through action,
dialogue, description
Vivid Description-descriptions that are concrete and specific
Use of imagery-literal imagery through description; figurative imagery
with simile or metaphor
Theme-the meaning of the story

The narrative arc is used to write a personal narrative essay, sometimes a

memoir. The opinion essay, meditative essay, and collage essay don’t require a
narrative. These sorts of essays tend to be structured around a theme.

Poetic Devices-Figurative Language. You’ll often use one or more of the follow-
ing poetic devices to write creative nonfiction:

- Simile
- Metaphor
- Symbolism
- Personification
- Imagery
- Assonance and alliteration
- Allusion

Experienced Writers often use any of the above to write creative nonfiction.
Simile and metaphor are the tools of choice.
Personal Reflection. In most types of creative nonfiction, you’ll share
personal reflection with the reader. These can include:

- Personal thoughts and feelings

- Opinions
- Ruminations
- Personal perspective
 - stream of consciousness
- Mediations

Personal refection is required to write a memoir. It is also used to write a

personal narrative, opinion, meditative, and lyrical essay. Personal reflection can
also be incorporated into literary journalism.
Word Choice/Diction. Check to see that you use language in a fresh and
original way, making note of connotation, the implied meaning of the word. As
well, selecting words with the best meaning. Meaning refers to diction. Avoid
using clichés and jargon.
Sentence Variety (Length and structure). Use short and long, and a variety
of syntax to create a personal essay, memoir, or literary journalism. Sentence
variety includes:

 Intentional Fragment. e.g. A pen. Pad of paper. Time, lots of time.

Experimenta- tion. A creative mind. These are the requirements of creative
writing.
 Simple, compound, complex, compound-complex sentences
 Parallel structure in sentences, e.g. I require a pen, pad of paper, spare
time, experimentation, and a creative mind, to write creatively, to write poetry,
to write fiction, to write a personal essay, to write anything.
 Declarative (statement of fact), Interrogative (ask a question), exclamatory
(emphatic) sentences
 Inverted sentence. E.g. The book of poetry he wrote…The film, the script,
the special effects, the story, I enjoyed.
 Lose sentence and periodic sentences. When writing a periodic sentence,
the main idea and clause are at the end of the sentence. For a lose sentence, the
main idea and independent clause are at the beginning of the sentence.

Lyrical Language. Sometimes, a writer will use a lyrical style to express

emotion and evoke emotion in the reader. This is often the case when writing a
lyrical essay. The writing style is based on the following:

 repetition of words, phrases, clauses;

 parallel structure;
 rhyme, both rhyme and internal rhyme;
 alliteration and assonance; and
 sensory imagery.