This document provides an overview of key elements of nonfiction writing, including different types of nonfiction such as biographies, autobiographies, letters, journals, essays, and informational texts. It discusses characteristics of the personal essay format and provides tips for writing personal narratives and nonfiction stories. These include using scenes, narration, images, dialogue, and other elements to craft an engaging beginning, middle, and end to the story. The document emphasizes connecting with the reader and using one's own experiences and perspectives to explore meanings and themes.

1. Nonfiction
Creative Writing
ENG 211

2. Types of Nonfiction
• Biographies- tell the story of someone’s life from the
perspective of another writer
• Autobiographies- tell the story of the author’s life and
reflect the writer’s thoughts and feelings about events.
• Letters- are written forms of communication from one
person to another.
• Journals & Diaries- records of daily events and writer’s
thoughts & feelings about them. Can be private or
public.
• Essays & articles- brief written works about a specific
topic. Purpose might be to explain, persuade, or inform.
• Informational Texts- written documents such as
textbooks, applications, instructions, and articles.

3. Elements of Nonfiction
• Nonfiction deals only with real
people, events, or ideas.
• Narrated from the point of view, or
perspective, of the author, who is a real
person.
• Nonfiction presents facts or discusses
concepts
• It may reflect the historical context of the
time period, including references to major
social and cultural information.

4. The Personal Essay
• The personal essay format is used for
articles, op-ed pieces, book
reviews, complaint letters, court
statements, declarations of love, and
philosophical musings.
• The job of the essay is to give the
readers the feeling that the narrator is
on the edge of discovering something
about his/herself, others, or the
situation.

5. Characteristics
• Presence of the author is felt
• Engagement with the writer and the
world.
• The writer’s self-discovery or
exploration of self.
• Must do both the showing and telling of
the story.
• Shows writer’s authority
• Mutability of form.
• Sense of intelligence when creating
plot, quest, engagement of reader, or
end payoff.

6. Personal Narrative Tips
• The place to look for the voice of
your narrative is within yourself.
• To create a real world essay, you
don’t have to be sensitive, rational, or
reasonable.
• The writer will be considered an
explorer—charting new territory and
writing from the heart.

7. Tips Continued
• If using an anecdote, make sure to
provide context.
• Don’t make up what didn’t happen but
recreate what did happen in a way
that is faithful to what you think
happened.
• Commit all ideas to paper to create a
rough guide to follow—draft by draft
the story will emerge.

8. Tips Continued
• Understand that the story will
change and morph as it develops
though is may not reach any great
conclusions or profound insights as
long as the writer sees something
fresher in the story.

9. General Information
• The strength of an essay comes from
the connection the reader feels with
the writer.
• Writers discover who they are by who
they were, who they are, and who they
are becoming.
• In nonfiction you must construct a
realistic realm with storytelling, but
there will also be
interpretation, commentary, analysis, r
eflection, opinions, and viewpoints.

10. Information Continued
• Must be fail to memories of
events, characters actions, and what
might have been said.
• The narrator for nonfiction is
essentially the writer.
• Slight distortions and minor
exaggerations are allowed.
• Make sure the writer’s presence or
persona is felt in the story.

11. Information Continued
• Diversions can help the paper move
forward and be stronger.
• A nonfiction story strives for a
deeper understanding of something
that the writer had in the
beginning—it doesn’t have to reach
a solution though.
• If the story about understanding
something, there are questions that
need to be answered along the way.

12. Information Continued
• Personal stories draw more toward
themes and meanings because they
are about someone’s real world that
many see as recognizable.

13. Writers write for
readers. Their medium is
language, and deftly used
language communicates.
Writing worth its salt
carries meaning. And
thus it species all our
lives.
―Personal Essay & Memoir.‖ MFA. P. 93

14. Elements of Nonfiction
• Scenes: scenes that change and make
sense.
• Narration: use narration between
moments of drama—break narration up
and do not give too much.
• Images: give visuals, pictures, and
images—create the movie in the
reader’s mind.

15. Elements Continued
• Mise-en-scene: the surroundings of a
story—description needs to be done to
carry the scene forward and not just
tell where things are located.
• Dialogue: need to intersperse with
spoken
words, thoughts, interactions, tags, and
pauses.
• Pauses: pauses can make a significant
impact by making things seems more
vital.

16. Elements Continued
• Titles: it is one of the most important
parts because it gives a clue to the
theme or the meaning of the story.
• Details: add color but do not overdo
them because they will play no role in
the story.
• Narrative Drive: make sure there is
meaning, direction, and a purpose to the
story.

17. Parts of the Story
• The beginning should start with a
hook or lead to grab the reader and
pull him/her into the story.
– Show the reader the story is worth
his/her time.
– First line is critical because it is where
the writer is met.
– Sets the direction the essay will move
toward.
– May reveal the theme.

18. Parts of Story Continued
• Middle of the essay is where the story opens
out, grows in possibilities, and where the story is
found and refined.
– Where the story unfolds.
– Theme is revealed
– Arguments given
– Examples shown
– Evidence sorted
– Anecdotes used
– Analysis done
– Reflection put in action
– Fictional techniques utalized

19. Parts of Story Continued
• The ending brings the story to a final
point.
– Leaves the reader with a sense of
completeness.
– Last thing the reader sees.
– Should leave resonance.
– Can save a so-so essay
– Sense of completion

20. Ideas for Drafts
• A word, thing, event, question, or
conflict about a subject can act as
the catalyst for the story.
• Looking within one’s self to find
quirks and oddities.
• Anything that you oppose and can
take a stance on.
• Telling readers something they
already know in their hearts but have
never actually put to words or telling
them what they don’t know.