creative nonfiction

1. AUTOBIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY

2. Autobiography
■ a life narration which includes particular attributes
■ it is a story, what the narrator writes about, and on the
other hand, the story which is influenced by what the
readers imagine
■ autobiographies are representations of the everyday
situations and events that are experienced differently by
different people
■ In her book titled Writing Techniques in Creative Nonfiction,
Sonia B. SyGaco (2017) clearly explained that an
autobiography is a “story of a person’s life in a specific
moment in time that is told by the person himself or
herself.
■ it is always told in the first person point of view

3. Elements of an Autobiography
■ Characters: you need to make it possible for
readers to picture out who the people in your
story are
■ Setting: This refers to the place in and the
time at which the story occurs.
■ Details: Objective details verify the
authenticity of an event, while subjective
details describe your personal feelings and
opinions on certain matters.

4. Elements of an Autobiography
■ Order: The events in an autobiography are
based on the real-life experiences of the
author. Thus, it only makes sense to arrange
them from childhood to adulthood. Following
a chronological order of events makes it
easier for readers to understand how
something happened and why.

5. Elements of an Autobiography
■ Point of View: Autobiographies are
typically written in the first-person point
of view. Since you are the subject of the
story, using the pronouns I, me, and mine
are essential to allow readers to see
things from the writer’s perspective.
■ Author’s Purpose: You must have a
reason for writing.

6. Biography
■ a detailed description of a person’s life
■ a biography is the story of a life from
another person’s perspective.
■ It involves more than just the basic facts
like education, work, relationships, and
death; it portrays a person’s experience
of these life events.

7. Elements of a Biography
■ Birthplace and date - When was the person
born? Where was the person born? Why
was the family in that location at that time?
■ Family Members - Birth Order, Spouse,
Children. Any other members of the family
who were notable in some way Childhood
and
■ School Life - Interesting stories about
childhood or school. Early achievements.
Any events that had an impact on their
later life

8. Elements of a Biography
■ Hobbies, Interests, and Activities - Do the
person’s hobbies or activities make them
more interesting? Do the hobbies/activities
have a bearing on why they have a biography
about them? Do the hobbies/activities relate
to other aspects of their life?
■ Anecdotes - Interesting stories about why
they are famous. Interesting stories about
the impact they have had on others

9. Elements of a Biography
■ Career - Is their career why they have a book
written about them? Is their job similar or
different from their hobbies and activities?
Have they made significant contributions to
mankind through their job?
■ Reason for Fame - What did they do that
caused someone to want to write a book
about them? At what point in their life did
they become famous?

10. Elements of a Biography
■ Later Life/Old Age - What did they do near the end
of their life? Did they contribute to society, enjoy
life, continue working? Were they honored in their
lifetime for their achievements?
■ Death - When and where did they die? Was there
anything unusual or significant about their death?
(Ex. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died
on July 4, 1826)
■ Photos and Likenesses - Photographs or artists’
renderings of the person may be included.

11. OP-ED/ SOCIAL
COMMENTARY

12. Op-ed/ Social Commentary
■ Op-ed is short for "opposite the editorial page". It
is a written prose piece typically published by a
newspaper or magazine which expresses the
opinion of an author usually not affiliated with
the publication's editorial board.
■ Opinion pieces may take the form of an editorial,
usually written by the senior editorial staff or
publisher of the publication, in which case the
opinion piece is usually unsigned and may be
supposed to reflect the opinion of the periodical.

13. Op-ed/ Social Commentary
■ Opinions or social commentary provide
commentary on the issues of the society. It may
be informative (those that just give information,
review or announce certain facts or events) like
about a need for population education. It can be
an entertainment (written to give in a light vein,
primarily to entertain readers). Example is an
opinion about first day in school. It can also be
about special occasions like about an opinion on
new year.

14. Op-ed/ Social Commentary
■ Traditionally, it used rhetoric to promote change,
in a modern (or more accurately, post modern)
social commentary tends to be truthful to the
degree in which it reveals the narrator’s
experience and emotions without necessarily
suggesting any kind of change.

15. CRITIQUE/
COMMENTARY

16. Critique/Commentary
■ A critique/commentary is a formal analysis and
evaluation of an article, poem, production or
performance. In writing it, you should summarize
the author’s point and intention, present the
strengths and weaknesses of the article, give
positive feedback and constructive criticism and
lastly leave a helpful and encouraging remark.

17. Critique/Commentary
On how to write a critique, consider the following:
■ Before the Critique
– Read the piece twice simulating the
experience of an ordinary reader to changing
perspective during the second reading.
– Read the piece at least once more and take
notes again to help you develop a global vision
of the work's structure and notice additional
details.

18. Critique/Commentary
■ Suggested Critique Format
– Summarize and interpret by not judging the piece or
offering suggestions but telling the author how well he or
she has succeeded in communicating so he/she will likely
to consider your feedback seriously. Consider the genre,
point of view, theme, grammar, structure, content and
style
– Say what you think is working well by giving positive
feedback and pointing out the best parts of the piece and
the strengths of the author's writing.
– Give constructive criticism by being respectful and
delivered in a form that allows the author to make specific
improvements on the piece.