Lawrence Mae A.

Pamotillo
Teacher II,DGCHS
Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Creative Writing

Module 1 Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Objectives
At the end of this module, you are expected to attain the following learning outcomes:

A. Compose introduction and conclusion of creative nonfiction using the strategies

discussed;
B. Write your own coherent and unified essay.

Introduction
As the technological and educational trends are becoming more complex, the need of people to
factual information grew. Ronald Weber said:

A large and growing public that feels it really should take an interest and is looking
for guidance as to what is, currently “The Real Thing”… a liberally educated public
that had been through the required surveys of Literature, yet, was caught up in
contemporary fascination with the new and the new and the topical.

Thus, the rise of nonfiction little by little crushes the popularity of fiction, and as readers
switch from reading short stories and novels to reading news articles, creative writing is
introduced.
1|Page

Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Advanced Organizer

Journalism Creative Fiction

Nonfiction
(Nonfiction )
 Has an  Imaginative
 Accurate in the
presentation of imaginative
information approach but remains
accurate in the
 Remains
subjective presentation of
information

Activity
First Activity

Accomplish the advance organizer on the next page 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
Nonfiction

Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

2|Page

Analysis

Summarize your responses.

I think that Creative Nonfiction is

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Abstraction/Generalization

The text you just read is an example of creative biography. The actions “eyes flashing and fists
clenched” were imagined by the author for the sake of imaginative reconstruction of the event.
3|Page

CREATIVE NONFICTION

Creative nonfiction was used to be called personal journalism or literary journalism or new
journalism or parajournalism. Eventually, today, it is called creative nonfiction. According to
Theodore A. Rees Cheney, “Creative nonfiction requires the skill of a story teller and the
research ability of the reporter” (1991).

This type of writing begins with the facts, elaborates on the facts, interprets them, and
more importantly, presents them in an interesting and engaging way. In other words, it is a “more
imaginative approach to reporting”.

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.
Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

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).

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.

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 sleeping 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)

Share your answers with your group and answer the following follow-up questions:

1. What does the text say about Antonio Luna?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4|Page

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. Could the clenching of fists and flashing of eyes be documented by Nick Joaquin?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. What did the writer try to build in the minds of the reader?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. Did the text remain factual? In what way?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Writing Exercise

From the Overview of Creative Nonfiction, I learned that …

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5|Page

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Introduction
Creative nonfiction covers a very broad field in the writing discipline; however, at the end of it
is the term literary journalism or new journalism- writing in a personal way about the facts in
a news event, and on the other end is the literary memoir, what Annie Dillard referred to when
she said “works of nonfiction can be coherent and crafted work of Literature” (1995).

The earlier statement which is “a writer of creative nonfiction may not alter the facts in the
interest of improving his story (Hidalgo)”, may not necessarily be applied in literary memoir or
a travel essay where it may be useful to say or invent a travelling companion who would serve
as a foil to the narrator by presenting entirely different expressions of the place described.
6|Page

Advance Or ganizer
Creative Nonfiction

Literary Journalism  Magazine feature Literary Memoir

article
 Newspaper
column as cultural
commentary
 Review
 Interview story
 Character sketch
 Personal essay
 Autobiographical
sketch

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Activity
Individual Activity

Write about your most memorable stay in a place in at least 3 paragraphs.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7|Page

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Analysis
The facts, pieced together from the accounts of several people are as follows. Baltazar Endriga,
who may or may not be the president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, depending on
whose side you’re taking in this long drawn-out conflict, arrived at the CCP on Monday evening
for the Mamila Premiere of Carmen,, in radical new version, by choreographer Mats Ek, kicked
off the festivities, though perhaps in a more literal fashion than th organizers have envisioned.
Mr. Endriga was also there in his capacity as the CCP President, his position having been
recently upheld by the Court of Appeals, which used a Temporary Restraining Order against
Endriga’s oppositors, Gloria Angara and her trustees. In the first place, Endriga, being a citizen
of this country, presumably has the right to set foot on the lobby of the CCP; he was not carrying
nuclear weapons and other explosive devices.

As Endriga who was accompanied by officers of the French embassy, approached the entrance
to the main lobby, six or ten security guards- the witnesses’ accounts vary- stood in his path.
They announced that they were under instructions to prevent Endriga from entering the building.
These instructions have been issued by their superiors, who received their orders from Ms.
Angara and her Board of Trustees. The French representatives explained that Endriga was their
guest, and they were going to watch the ballet. The security guards repeated that Endriga was
barred from the premises. Words were exchanged (a lovely turn of phrase, as if you were to say
to me, “Thaumaturgy” and I were to reply “Periodonist”), and when reason made no dent,
physical force was applied.

The security guard pushed Endriga and company out the door. The French representatives took
hold to Endriga and attempted to push their way in. The security guard tried to push them out..
People started cussing. Soon everyone was yelling, and the jostling match erupted into full-
blown melee. The commotion was such that a group of performers rehearsing on an upper floor
heard the noise, ran downstairs, and beheld the chaos.
8|Page

- Jessica Zafra, “The New Uncouthness,” June 2, 1999; Twisted

5(Anvil 2000, 166-67)

With the various characteristics present in the text, compare your essay with the text
above. Use an advance organizer to show their relationship.

Types of Creative Nonfiction

Abstraction/ Generalization
Due to the extensive range it covers, creative nonfiction, aside from being classified as a
literary memoir and literary journalism mentioned earlier in this module, there are still some
terms to be considered in identifying the types and classifications of writing under the mentioned
two types, which may be under literary memoir or literary journalism depending upon their
manners of construction and the information they ought to provide.
1. Profile- an in-depth article or essay that concentrates on one person or a place.
2. Literary journalism or new journalism- writing in a personal way about the facts in
a news event.
3. Personal narratives or “life stories”- may be divided into autobiographical
narratives (e.g., journals, memoirs, travel narratives, etc.); and biographical
narratives (e.g., character sketches, interview stories, etc.)

Application

Reconstruct the advance organizer presented on this unit incorporating the classifications of
creative nonfiction according to the manner of text construction and the information various texts
provide. Write a short explanation of the advance organizer you shall construct.

Writing Exercise
From the Types of Creative Nonfiction, I learned that …
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________
9|Page

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
10 | P a g e

One difficult part of writing is beginning the text- selecting what topic to write about, who to
read your text, and the process of gathering information regarding the process. All these are
needed abilities in beginning your creative nonfiction text.

Advance Organizer

Selecting a Topic

Determining the Gathering

Audience Information/Doing
Research

Writing the Draft

Activity

Before you read the processes, explain in your own words how you deal with them.
11 | P a g e

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Selecting Topic _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Determining _____________________________________________________________

Audience _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________

Gathering Data _______________________________________

_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Abstraction/ Generalization
12 | P a g e

Here are the needed preparatory activities before engaging yourself into the actual writing
process:

1. Selecting a topic
The beginning writer often complains that he has nothing to write about, yet, as Jacobi
said: “From walking. From talking. From listening. From observing. From doing.
From reading. From believing. From disagreeing. From dreaming. From asking.
From having an open mind,” subjects or topics for writing are everywhere.
You should begin with something close to home or close to you, something you are
interested in or curious about, but it shouldn’t stop you from reaching the world.
However modest it may be, a work that pretends to be literature should be both local and
universal, both timely and enduring. Alfred Gonzales (1947)
2. Determining the audience
All the facts in the world would be wasted on readers who are unable to appreciate them.
Thus, it is necessary to handle and organize your essay depending upon who the
target audience is. Your choice of language is also a necessary factor to consider- i.e.,
the choice of words, the length of sentences, the images, the allusions. Your approach
would also vary upon the audience- i.e., personal narrative would not be so effective to
children, yet, it may be effective to adult people.
The amount and type of information that the essay or article should contain would also depend
on the audience’s capacity to absorb it.
3. Gathering Data
An important thing to remember is: no matter how great your way with words, or
how engaging the personality you project, the bottom line is: how much do you know
about your subject?
In gathering information, you have to consider the following factors:
• What kind of information
• Where to get it
• Keep current information
It is also immensely important to develop in yourself the art of
listening.

The Pre-writing Process

Application

Select five topics, think of the target audience, and gather information about your topic. Then
fill up the table below.
TOPIC TARGET AUDIENCE INFORMATION
GATHERED ABOUT
13 | P a g e

THE TOPIC

The Pre-writing Process

Writing Exercise
From the Pre-writing process, I learned that …

______________________________________________________________
14 | P a g e

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Creative Writing

Various Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Introduction

The strategies of creative nonfiction are very much alike with the strategies of fiction. Gutkind
said that the basic objective of creative nonfiction is to teach (he refers to it as “the mission of the
genre”), but the point is to do it in such manner “that the most resistant reader will be interested
in learning more” (1997).

Eventually, it means that a good piece of creative nonfiction has a personal voice, a clearly
defined point of view, which will reveal itself to the tone, and be presented through scene,
summary, and description, as it is in fiction.

Advance Organizer
 Scene Approach

15 | P a g e Point of View
Rhetorical
Activity
How do you identify a creative nonfiction text? Explain your answer or give examples.
Techniques
Tone
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Strategies
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Strong
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Voice
______________________________________________________________________________
Beginning
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________
Concrete
Structure Convincing
Abstraction/ Generalization
Evocative
Ending
Character
Strategies of Writing Creative Nonfiction Details
1. Approach

It has something to do with how the writer handles hi subject. It may also be the angle on how
the story is viewed.

Objective Approach- there is no narrator present in the text.

Subjective Approach- the writer himself is the narrator and his personal emotions
towards the subject would reflect on the text

Whether which of the two- objective or subjective approach- is appropriate in a text will be
dependent upon the writer’s circumstances.

2. Point of View

It has something to do with perspective- whether who owns the story or who can best tell the
story. The narrator may act as either a participant or an observer.

Note that point-of-view greatly differs from the grammatical person. Consequently, even the
first person is used, the point-of-view may still be that of an observer; and even the point-of-view
is that of the principal character, the third person may be used.
16 | P a g e Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Occasionally, the writer uses second person into draw the reader into the story, creating the
impression that he is a part of the story, thus he is witnessing the events described in the text.

Creative nonfiction however, generally use the first and third persons or they use the indefinite
pronoun “one”.

3. Tone

Tone is the writer’s attitude towards his subject. A subject may be presented in a sarcastic tone,
reverent tone, or apologetic tone, depending on the distinction of the writer.

Tone may be evident in a text through the writer’s choice of words.

NOTE: Approach, tone, and point-of-view are very important strategies in writing your essay.
Handling these three correctly and wisely on your text will effectively convey your meaning.

4. Voice

Voice is related to tone and style. It refers to the choice of word, length of sentences, use of
certain images, metaphors, allusions, etc.- which reveal a particular personality, and a particular
attitude.
5. Structure
Your topic will itself suggest the structure of your text. Structure is the arrangement or
organization of the text.
a. Chronological structure- an arrangement of events in a linear fashion as they occurred
in time.
b. Flashback structure- beginning in a certain point of the story then moving back in the
past.
c. Parallel structure- a type of structure that has several stories, running side by side with
occasional cross-cutting or convergence.
d. Collage or Mosaic structure- it involves pasting together of small fragments, which all
together build up the total picture of what happened.
e. Question and Answer structure- it allows the reader to hear the subject’s voice without
awkwardness of having to repeat “he said” or “she said” before or after every direct quotation.
f. Frame or The story-within-a-story- it is a good structure to use when you want to say
two stories- say, a travel narrative, where the actual physical journey is paralleled by an inner
journey.
17 | P a g e

6. A strong, Dramatic Beginning

a. Title- it is not necessarily written before the piece is written, but it is good to have a working
title to help you focus.

• Catchy and clever tiles have an advantage

• Titles which are too long are at disadvantage
• Titles should not be misleading
• It should give the reader an idea of what to expect
b. The first paragraph

First paragraphs lead the reader to reading the whole text. Thus, it must catch attention, give the
reader a hint of what the subject is, set the tone, and guide the reader to what comes next.
The key to good creative nonfiction is dramatic writing and the key to good dramatic
writing is action.

Ways of beginning:

• Passage of vivid description

• Quotation
• Dialogue
• Question
• Striking statement
• Reference to current event
• In medias res- plunge right into the middle of the action 

6. Rhetorical Techniques

a. Definition- bit is particularly important on essay writing or expository writing where the
major concern is explaining the concept or idea or issue.
b. Comparison-and-contrast- it is easier for the readers to understand an idea or concept
when compared to something they are familiar with.
• When using this method, remember not to compare and contrast more than two
items at the same time, otherwise, you may confuse your readers instead of
enlightening them.

• It is also important to compare only those that belong to the same class.

c. Illustrations and examples- this technique makes abstract or general ideas more
concrete, it clarifies. It may be in the form of anecdotes and quotations or in simple enumeration.
18 | P a g e Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

• Make sure that the relation between your example and the idea you wish to clarify
is immediately apparent to the reader.

d. Classification- it is a good device for organizing complex materials provided that there is
a principle governing the classification and that principle must be meaningful enough.

e. Analogy or extended metaphor- Extended metaphor is an author’s exploitation of a single

metaphor or analogy.
7. Character

The ability to reveal characters is the an important skill for writing.

19 | P a g e Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Types of Characters

a. Character in Action- describes what the main character does

b. Description of physical appearance- shows the audience how the character in the text looks
like- through the way he dresses, the way he moves, his height, age, etc.
c. Presenting through the eyes of the people

d. Dialogue or monologue- presenting the character based on what he says or how he says
it.

e. Idiosyncratic behavior- gives a view on the character’s unique behavior.

f. Reconstruction of the subject’s special setting or ambiance- the place where the
character stays is described.

8. Concrete and evocative details

The most successful pieces of creative nonfiction are rich in details. Bare facts are never enough.
They need to be fleshed out; they need to be humanized.

a. Details should be accurate and informative

b. Details must be suggestive or evocative

9. Scene

The chief distinction between traditional reporting and creative nonfiction is the use of scenes
and dramatic writing. It heightens the feeling of being “right here” in the thick of what happened.
This is done by presenting the news not through summary and exposition but through scenes.

10. A convincing ending

It must be the logical conclusion of the flow of your text or of the development of your ideas.
The reader must be left with the impression that the subject was adequately discussed or
presented.

Ways of ending:

a. Dramatic denoument

b. Note of quiet lyricism

c. Moral lesson
20 | P a g e Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

d. Anecdote

e. point made at the beginning of the essay

Application

Choose one topic from the following and write an essay incorporating the strategies you learned
from this module. Write a catchy title for your text.

a. My unforgettable travel

b. My best friend

c. My favorite pet

d. My greatest learning

e. My college life

e. Environmental issues

f. Animals or insects

Writing Exercise

From the strategies of writing creative nonfiction, what important

characteristics must a writer of creative nonfiction possess?
21 | P a g e Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
22 | P a g e

Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Synapse Strengthener

Research examples of texts employing the various types of presenting the following techniques:

1. Rhetorical Devices 2. Character 3. Convincing Ending

23 | P a g e
References: Hidalgo, Christina P. (2005) Creative Nonfiction A Manual For Filipino Writers.
Quezon City: The University of the Philippines Press.