This document provides an overview of creative nonfiction and how to develop a story using true events. It discusses that creative nonfiction brings literary techniques like point of view and dialogue to tell factual stories. The key aspects are finding a story, researching details about characters, and developing a narrative arc with dramatic tension. It encourages focusing on specific details like a character's lipstick to reveal aspects of their personality. Effective stories require complex characters that change or struggle against each other. The document also outlines steps for researching like identifying primary sources, evaluating source credibility, and properly documenting archival materials.

1. Week 1:
Finding the Story +
Researching
ENG: 3217 Creative Nonfiction

2. What is nonfiction anyway
• Creative nonfiction: the art of
brining all the strategies of
storytelling to the narration of
factual events.
• Telling true stories from a
particular perspective using
literary techniques
• Writing creative nonfiction is about
finding your voice and
perspective.

3. Types + Elements
• Types: memoirs, memos, e-mails,
reports, biographies, lit journalism,
news…
• The Contract: we are not allowed
to make things up!
• But…that doesn’t mean we can’t
tell the story using literary
elements like point of view,
description, or dialogue.
• Set a vivid scene + tell the story
(that happens to be true) in great
detail

4. Finding the Story
• Every story must have
momentum
• Choose your characters
carefully
• Make the reader think about
your narrative arc

5. How might you write
this story?
12:05 p.m., Café Dufrain. Present:
girl, wearing heels, red lipstick,
cute; guy, out of breath, foreign
accent. Introductions. Girl orders
double vodka. Guy orders
espresso. Guy: “Sorry to be late, I
was just….”

6. Finding the Story
• If fiction, rewriting this story
would be simple
• But in nonfiction, we cannot
invent anything.
• So why nonfiction: the power of
true human experience.
• To find the story, you have to
gather as many details bc
characters are in the details.

7. Finding the Story
• If fiction, rewriting this story
would be simple
• But in nonfiction, we cannot
invent anything.
• So why nonfiction: the power of
true human experience.
• To find the story, you have to
gather as many details bc
character is in the details.

8. Focus the Lens
• When characters meet, something
has to happen to create dramatic
tension
• You can’t create dramatic
moments, but you can decide
which order to present them
• Where you shift the “camera” is
the POV and that’s what makes a
story your story.
• E.g. focusing on lipstick says what
about the character?

9. Three Elements of a
Good Story
• Narrative Arc: series of events
filled with dramatic tension
• Drama/Conflict: opposition and
struggle is interesting
• Character: one who is capable of
transformation; characters who
struggle against each other with
different goals/aims.
– Characters must be complex to be
interesting.

10. Researching
• The most challenging/most
important aspect of writing CNF
• Think: where might you find
materials? What kind of
information can you get access
to? How is what you have
groundbreaking?
• CNF = new material, new
perspective, new research.

11. Primary v Secondary
Sources
• Primary: the person him/herself
• Interviews, memoirs, letters,
oral histories, direct exp or
testimony
• Secondary: books/resources
written by someone about
someone/thing.

12. Where to find info
• Bibliographies in books
• Bibliographies of bibliographies
• Digital databases
• Historical archives
(some digital others not)
• Genealogy sites
(ancestry.com)
• Library of Congress

13. Steps to Researching
• Make a list of primary sources +
track them down + seek
permission from the archivist
• Know before you go: what
you’re going to see, who can
give you access, how much
time you’ll have, and how you’ll
track, copy, and annotate
archival information.

14. Evaluating Sources
• Does it have a bibliography?
• Is is an academic source? A
government source? A
business?
• What biases are apparent?
• Anonymous or
identifying/contact information?

15. Homework
Wiki
Discussion Boards
Reading

16. In-Class Exercise