Creative

Nonfiction
t
Gutkind defines the essential elements of
creative nonfiction as five “R's”:

real life, reflection, research, reading, and

(w)writing.

CNF is about real-life experiences, and like

journalists, CNF writers go to the places and
people, immersing themselves in new
experiences.
 Elements of Creative Nonfiction

Scenes: Use scenes to build your story. Scenes allow

you to show your readers the story, instead of just
telling them what happened.
Dialogue: Strong dialogue is key to any work of
creative nonfiction. It's okay to use quotes, even
though you may not know what was really said.

 Elements of Creative Nonfiction

Character development: Just like in fiction, you
need a well-developed central character to carry
your story.
Story arc: A good story has a calculated
beginning, middle, and end. Even though it's
nonfiction, think about where the story should
start, and where to stop for a satisfying ending.

 Elements of Creative Nonfiction

Point of view: Often in creative nonfiction, the author's

presence is felt in the story. While you may not actually be in
the narrative, you can be part of the story through your
unique writing voice or notes to the reader.

Authenticity: Although you employ literary devices used in

fiction to craft a great piece of creative nonfiction, remember
that it's nonfiction—you must tell the truth. Check your facts
and never exaggerate to improve the story.
 Elements of Creative Nonfiction

Plot. These are the main events that make up the

story. In a personal essay, there might be only one
event. In a memoir, there are often several
significant events.
Types of Creative Nonfiction
1. Personal Essay.
2. Memoir.
3. Literary journalism essay.
4. Autobiography.
5. ”Travel Writing
6. Food writing.
7. Profiles.
Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction
1. Research the topic.
2. Never invent or change facts.
3. Provide accurate information.
4. Provide concrete evidence.
5. Use humor to make an important point.
6. Show the reader what happened, don’t tell
them what happened.
7. Narrate the story.
8. Write about the interesting and extraordinary.
9. Organize the information.
10. Use literary devices to tell the story.
11. Introduce the essay or other work
with a hook.
12. End the creative nonfiction piece with
a final, important point.
Reading List
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Executioner’s Song by Norman Mailer
Paper Lion by George Plimpton
The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolf
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
The White Castle by Jeanette Walls
Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books,
by Azar Nafisi
Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
Nigh by Elie Wiesel
Magazines

There are also many popular magazines that publish all types
of creative nonfiction, including:

The Atlantic ( http://www.theatlantic.com/ )

The New Yorker ( http://www.newyorker.com/ )
Vanity Fair ( http://www.vanityfair.com/ )
Esquire (http://www.esquire.com/)
The Walrus ( http://www.walrusmagazine.com/ )
 Resources for the Aspiring Writer

To write creative nonfiction, the aspiring writer must

learn the craft. He/she can do this by taking a course
or through self-study. Both involve reading text books.
The following books will help the aspiring writer learn
how to write creative nonfiction:
Art of Creative Nonfiction by Lee Gutkind
Writing Creative Nonfiction: The Literature of Reality by
Gary Talese
The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft of Creative
Nonfiction by Dinty W. Moore
Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Truth
edited by Bill Roorbach
On Writing Well by William Zinsser
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White
Chicago Manual of Style (15th edition): The Essential
Guide for Writers, Editors, and Publishers.