This document provides an introduction to creative nonfiction, including definitions and examples. It explains that creative nonfiction tells true stories using techniques from fiction like character development and narrative structure. It discusses key elements like setting, plot, characters, point of view, and the different forms creative nonfiction can take such as memoirs and personal essays. Common techniques are also outlined, including using narration, observation, braiding multiple narratives, and drawing insights from personal experiences.

1. INTRODUCTIONTO
CREATIVE NON FICTION

2. CREATIVE NONFICTION: WHAT IT IS AND
HOW TO WRITE IT
•Creative nonfiction employs the creative writing
techniques of literature, such as poetry and fiction, to
retell a true story.
•In short, creative nonfiction (CNF) is a form of
storytelling that employs the creative writing
techniques of literature, such as poetry and fiction, to
retell a true story.

3.  According toTheodoreA. Rees Cheney,
“Creative nonfiction requires the skill of a story
teller and the research ability of the reporter”
(1991
 The key word is “personal”.The writer of
creative nonfiction presents the world- or the
slice of it that he wishes to focus on- through
the prism of her own personality.

4. • Creative nonfiction is a nonfiction prose
which utilizes the techniques and strategies
of a fiction. It combines the authority of
literature and authority of fact (Gutkind
1997).

5. In her book A Manual for Filipino Writers,Chistina Pantoja
Hidalgo writes:The writer of creative nonfiction may not alter
facts in the interest of improving his story. He must not
deliberately misquote his sources, misconstrue his statements,
or mislead his readers. He is expected to write compelling
stories about real life, and in doing so, he must employ all the
devices and strategies available to the fictionist. Sometimes,
this involves the imagining of scenes or even conversations
that never actually happen.

6. Creative nonfiction writers don’t just share pithy anecdotes,
they use craft and technique to situate the reader into their
own personal lives. Fictional elements, such as character
development and narrative arcs, are employed to create a
cohesive story, but so are poetic elements like conceit and
juxtaposition.

7. In Cold Blood is a non-fiction novel by
American author Truman Capote, first
published in 1966. It details the 1959 murders
of four members of the Clutter family in the
small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas

8. GROUP ACTIVITY: Accomplish the advance organizer below by
jotting down 8 terms associated to the word Creative Nonfiction.
Then write phrases or clauses below the advance organizer
justifying why the words you wrote are associated with Creative
Nonfiction.
Creative
non-
fiction

9. Summarize your group’s responses.
We think that Creative Nonfiction is
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10. APPLICATION
Separate the attributes of the text below based on the advance
organizers presented.
Would Antonio Luna Have Been a Strongman?
Eyes flashing and fists clenched, Luna entered the
house and ran upstairs, after slapping a sentry
who had been too unnerved to salute. Upstairs,
Luna was met by his mortal foe, Felipe
Buencamino, who told him that Aguinaldo had
gone to San Isidro. (Nick Joaquin, 1997, 178)

11. 1.What does the text say about Antonio Luna?
2. Could the clenching of fists and flashing of eyes
be documented by Nick Joaquin?
3.What did the writer try to build in the minds of the
reader?
4. Did the text remain factual? In what way?

12. Let's practice your writing skills:
Make a research on how did Dr. Jose Rizal being
exiled in Bagumbayan and describe every details of
his last hour before the execution.Write at least 1-2
paragraph consisting 350 words.

13. ELEMENTS OF CREATIVE NONFICTION

14. 1. Setting
•Each story has a setting. The setting is the
place where the story takes place. Usually,
an effective story establishes its setting early
in the story: otherwise readers will have a
difficult time visualizing the action of the
story. Below is an example of how a writer
might establish setting in a way which
immerses the reader: by showing rather
than telling.

15. TELLING
• I went to the lake. It
was cool.
Showing
• My breath escaped in ragged
bursts, my quadriceps burning as I
crested the summit.The lake
stretched before me, aquamarine,
glistening in the hot August
afternoon sun. Ponderosa pines
lined its shores, dropping their spicy-
scented needles into the clear
water. Despite the heat, the Montana
mountain air tasted crisp.

16. using the five senses The use
of visual (sight), auditory (sound), olfactory
(smell), tactile (touch),
or gustatory (taste) imagery helps the reader
picture the setting in their mind. By the final
draft, the entire story should be compelling
and richly detailed.

17. descriptive imagery before. Basically, it
is the way the writer paints the scene, or
image, in the mind of the reader. It
usually involves descriptions of one or
more of the five senses: sight, sound,
smell, touch, or taste. For example, how
would you describe a lemon to a person
who has never seen one before?

18. Imagine you are describing a lemon to someone who has never
seen one before. How would you describe it using all five
senses?
•Sight
•Sound
•Smell
•Touch
•Taste
One might describe a lemon as yellow, sour-smelling and
tasting, and with a smooth, bumpy skin. They might
describe the sound of the lemon as a thump on the table if
it is dropped, or squelching if it is squished underfoot.
By painting a picture in the reader's mind, it immerses
them in the story so that they feel they are actually there.

19. 2. Figurative Language
As a counterpart to descriptive imagery,
figurative language is using language in a
surprising way to describe a literary moment.
Figurative language can take the form of
metaphor, such as saying "the lemon tree was
heavy with innumerable miniature suns." Since
the lemons are not actually suns, this is
figurative. Figurative language can also take the
form of simile: "aunt Becky's attitude was as sour
as a lemon." By comparing an abstract concept
(attitude) to an object (lemon), it imparts a
feeling/meaning in a more interesting way.

20. Plot
Plot is one of the basic elements of every story:
put simply, plot refers to the actual events that
take place within the bounds of your narrative.
Using our rhetorical situation vocabulary, we can
identify “plot” as the primary subject of a
descriptive personal narrative. Three related
elements to consider are scope, sequence, and
pacing.

21. Scope
The term scope refers to the boundaries of plot. as an example, how you might
respond if your friend asked what you did last weekend. If you began with, “I woke up
on Saturday morning, rolled over, checked my phone, fell back asleep, woke up, pulled
my feet out from under the covers, put my feet on the floor, stood up, stretched…” then
your friend might have stopped listening by the time you get to the really good stuff.
Your scope is too broad, so you’re including details that distract or bore your reader.
Instead, focus on the most exciting or meaningful moment(s) of your day: "I woke up
face-down to the crunch of shattered glass underneath me. When I wobbled to my feet
I realized I was in a large, marble room with large windows overlooking the flashing
neon lights of the Las Vegas strip. I had no idea how I got there!" Readers can expect
this story will focus on how the storyteller arrived in Las Vegas, and it is much more
interesting than including every single detail of the day.

22. Sequence
The sequence of your plot—the order of the
events—will determine your reader’s experience.
There are an infinite number of ways you might
structure your story, and the shape of your story is
worth deep consideration. Although the traditional
forms for a narrative sequence are not your only
options, let’s take a look at a few tried-and-true
shapes your plot might take.

23. Freytag's Pyramid: Chronological
A. Exposition: Here, you’re setting the scene, introducing characters,
and preparing the reader for the journey.
B. Rising action: In this part, things start to happen. You (or your
characters) encounter conflict, set out on a journey, meet people, etc.
C. Climax: This is the peak of the action, the main showdown, the
central event toward which your story has been building.
D. Falling action: Now things start to wind down. You (or your
characters) come away from the climactic experience changed—at the
very least, you are wiser for having had that experience.
E. Resolution: Also known as dénouement, this is where all the loose
ends get tied up. The central conflict has been resolved, and everything
is back to normal, but perhaps a bit different.

24. Characters
A major requirement of any story is the
use of characters. Characters bring life to
the story. Keep in mind that while human
characters are most frequently featured
in stories, sometimes there are non-
human characters in a story such as
animals or even the environment itself.

25. Characterization
Whether a story is fiction or nonfiction, writers
should spend some time thinking about
characterization: the development of characters
through actions, descriptions, and dialogue. Your
audience will be more engaged with and
sympathetic toward your narrative if they can
vividly imagine the characters as real people.

26. CHARACTERIZATION
Directly,
• My mom is great. She is an average-sized
brunette with brown eyes. She is very
loving and supportive, and I know I can
rely on her. She taught me everything I
know.
Indirectly,
• In addition to some of my father’s
idiosyncrasies, however, he is also one of
the most kind-hearted and loving people in
my life. One of his signature actions is the
‘cry-smile,’ in which he simultaneously cries
and smiles any time he experiences a
strong positive emotion (which is almost
daily).

27. To break it down to process, characterization can be
accomplished in two ways:
1.Directly, through specific description of the
character—What kind of clothes do they wear? What
do they look, smell, sound like?—or,
2.Indirectly, through the behaviors, speech, and
thoughts of the character—What kind of language,
dialect, or register do they use? What is the tone,
inflection, and timbre of their voice? How does their
manner of speaking reflect their attitude toward the
listener? How do their actions reflect their traits?
What’s on their mind that they won’t share with the
world?

28. Round chara
cters
are very detailed,
requiring attentive
description of their
traits and behaviors.
Your most important characters should be round:
the added detail will help your reader better
visualize, understand, and care about them.
Flat characte
rs
are minimally
detailed, only briefly
sketched or named.
Less important characters should take up less
space and will therefore have less detailed
characterization.
Static charac
ters
remain the same
throughout the
narrative.
Even though all of us are always changing, some
people will behave and appear the same
throughout the course of your story. Static
characters can serve as a reference point for
dynamic characters to show the latter’s growth.
Dynamic cha
racters
noticeably change
within the narrative,
typically as a result of
the events.
Most likely, you will be a dynamic character in your
personal narrative because such stories are
centered around an impactful experience,
relationship, or place. Dynamic characters learn
and grow over time, either gradually or with an
epiphany.

29. Point of View
The position from which your story is told will help shape
your reader’s experience, the language your narrator and
characters use, and even the plot itself.

30. 1st
person
Narrator uses
1st
person pronouns
(I/me/mine or
us/we/ours)
Can include internal monologue
(motives, thoughts, feelings) of
the narrator. Limited certainty of
motives, thoughts, or feelings of
other characters.
I tripped on the last stair,
preoccupied by what my
sister had said, and felt
my stomach drop.
2nd
person
Narrator uses
2nd
person pronouns
(you/you/your)
Speaks to the reader, as if the
reader is the protagonist OR uses
apostrophe to speak to an absent
or unidentified person
Your breath catches as
you feel the phantom
step.
O, staircase, how you
keep me awake at night.
3rd
person limited
Narrator uses
3rd
person pronouns
(he/him/his,
she/her/hers,
they/they/theirs)
Sometimes called “close” third
person. Observes and narrates but
sticks near one or two characters,
in contrast with 3rd
person
omniscient.
He was visibly frustrated
by his sister’s
nonchalance and wasn’t
watching his step.
3rd
person
omniscient
Narrator uses
3rd
person pronouns
(he/him/his,
she/her/hers,
they/they/theirs)
Observes and narrates from an all-
knowing perspective.Can include
internal monologue (motives,
thoughts, feelings) of all
characters.
Beneath the surface, his
sister felt regretful. Why
did I tell him that? she
wondered.
A Non-Comprehensive Breakdown of POV

31. DIFFERENT FORMS OF CREATIVE
NONFICTION
• MEMOIR
• PERSONAL ESSAY
• LYRIC ESSAY
• LITERARY JOURNALISM

32. HOW TO WRITE CREATIVE NONFICTION:
COMMON ELEMENTS AND TECHNIQUES
• NARRATION
Just like fiction, nonfiction relies on effective narration. Telling the story
with an effective plot, writing from a certain point of view, and using the
narrative to flesh out the story’s big idea are all key craft elements. How
you structure your story can have a huge impact on how the reader
perceives the work, as well as the insights you draw from the story itself.

33. Consider the first lines of the story “To the Miami University Payroll Lady”
by Frenci Nguyen:
You might not remember me, but I’m the dark-haired, Texas-born,
Asian-American graduate student who visited the Payroll Office the
other day to complete direct deposit and tax forms.

34. • OBSERVATION
Telling the story involves more than just simple plot elements, it also
involves situating the reader in the key details. Setting the scene requires
attention to all five senses, and interpersonal dialogue is much more
effective when the narrator observes changes in vocal pitch, certain facial
expressions, and movements in body language. Essentially, let the reader
experience the tiny details – we access each other best through minutiae.

35. • The story “In Transit” by Erica Plouffe Lazure is a perfect
example of storytelling through observation. Every detail of
this flash piece is carefully noted to tell a story without direct
action, using observations about group behavior to find
hope in a crisis. We get observation when the narrator notes
the following:
• Here at the St. Thomas airport in mid-March, we feel the
urgency of the transition, the awareness of how we position
our bodies, where we place our luggage, how we consider
for the first time the numbers of people whose belongings
are placed on the same steel table, the same conveyor belt,
the same glowing radioactive scan, whose IDs are touched
by the same gloved hand

36. • BRAIDING
We’ve used this word a lot, but what is braiding? Braiding is a technique
most often used in creative nonfiction where the writer intertwines
multiple narratives, or “threads.” Not all essays use braiding, but the
longer a story is, the more it benefits the writer to intertwine their story
with an extended metaphor or another idea to draw insight from.

37. • “The Crush” by Zsofia McMullin demonstrates braiding
wonderfully. Some paragraphs are written in first
person, while others are written in second person.
• The following example from “The Crush” demonstrates
braiding:
• Your hair is still wet when you slip into the booth
across from me and throw your wallet and glasses and
phone on the table, and I marvel at how everything
about you is streamlined, compact, organized. I am
always overflowing — flesh and wants and a purse
stuffed with snacks and toy soldiers and tissues.

38. • The author threads these narratives together by having both people
interact in a diner, yet the reader still perceives a distance between the
two threads because of the separation of “I” and “you” pronouns.
When these threads meet, briefly, we know they will never meet again.

39. • INSIGHT
• Speaking of insight, creative nonfiction writers must draw novel conclusions
from the stories they write. When the narrator pauses in the story to delve
into their emotions, explain complex ideas, or draw strength and meaning
from tough situations, they’re finding insight in the essay.
• Often, creative writers experience insight as they write it, drawing conclusions
they hadn’t yet considered as they tell their story, which makes creative
nonfiction much more genuine and raw.

40. • The story “Me Llamo Theresa” by Theresa Okokun does a fantastic job of finding
insight. The story is about the history of our own names and the generations that
stand before them, and as the writer explores her disconnect with her own name, she
recognizes a similar disconnect in her mother, as well as the need to connect with
her name because of her father.
• The narrator offers insight when she remarks:
• I began to experience a particular type of identity crisis that so many immigrants and
children of immigrants go through — where we are called one name at school or at
work, but another name at home, and in our hearts.