CREATIVE

Nonfiction
Give one literature
work and name of
the author
t
Gutkind defines the essential elements
of creative nonfiction as five “R's”:

real life, reflection, research, reading,

and (w)writing.

CNF is about real-life experiences, and like

journalists, CNF writers go to the places
and people, immersing themselves in new
experiences.
 Elements of Creative
Nonfiction
Scenes: Use scenes to build your story. Scenes
allow you to show your readers the story, instead
of just telling them what happened.
Dialogue: Strong dialogue is key to any work
of creative nonfiction. It's okay to use quotes,
even though you may not know what was
really said.
 Elements of Creative
Nonfiction
Character development: Just like in fiction,
you need a well-developed central character
to carry your story.
Story arc: A good story has a calculated
beginning, middle, and end. Even though it's
nonfiction, think about where the story should
start, and where to stop for a satisfying
ending.
 Elements of Creative
Nonfiction
Point of view: Often in creative nonfiction, the author's
presence is felt in the story. While you may not actually be
in the narrative, you can be part of the story through your
unique writing voice or notes to the reader.

Authenticity: Although you employ literary devices used

in fiction to craft a great piece of creative nonfiction,
remember that it's nonfiction—you must tell the truth.
Check your facts
and never exaggerate to improve the story.
 Elements of Creative
Nonfiction
Plot. 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.
Types of Creative
Nonfiction 1.Personal Essay.
2.Memoir.
3.Lit erary journalism
essay.
4.Autobiography.
5.”Travel Writ ing
6. Food writ ing.
Guidelines for Writing Creative
Nonfiction
1.Research the topic.
2.Never invent or change facts.
3.Provide accurate information.
4.Provide concrete evidence.
5.Use humor to make an important point.
6.Show the reader what happened, don’t
tell them what happened.
7. Narrate the story.
8. Write about the interesting and
extraordinary.
9. Organize the information.
10. Use literary devices to tell the story.
11.Introduce the essay or other work
with a hook.
12.End the creative nonfiction piece with
Reading
List
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Executioner’s Song by Norman
Mailer Paper Lion by George
Plimpton
The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by
Tom Wolf
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The White Castle by Jeanette Walls
Three Cups of Tea, by Greg
Mortenson
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in
Books, by Azar Nafisi
Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Happiness Project by Gretchen
Rubin Nigh by Elie Wiesel
Magazines

There are also many popular magazines that publish all

types of creative nonfiction, including:

The Atlantic ( http://www.theatlantic.com/ )

The New Yorker ( http://www.newyorker.com/
) Vanity Fair ( http://www.vanityfair.com/ )
Esquire (http://www.esquire.com/)
The Walrus ( http://www.walrusmagazine.com/
)
 Resources for the Aspiring Writer

To write creative nonfiction, the aspiring writer must

learn the craft. He/she can do this by taking a
course or through self-study. Both involve reading
text books.
The following books will help the aspiring writer
learn how to write creative nonfiction:
Art of Creative Nonfiction by Lee Gutkind
Writing Creative Nonfiction: The Literature of Reality
by Gary Talese
The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft of
Creative Nonfiction by Dinty W. Moore
Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of
Truth edited by Bill Roorbach
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition): The
Essential Guide for Writers, Editors, and