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GRADE 11

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

GALILEA

Senior High School

CREATIVE NONFICTION
Quarter 4 – Module 2- Lesson 3
Principles, Elements, Techniques, and
Devices of Creative Nonfiction

Prepared by: GALILEA T. DELA RAMA

Instructor
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Creative Writing

Module 4 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
Point of View
Rhetorical Techniques
Tone
Strategies

Strong Voice
Beginning
Concrete Evocative
Details Convincing Ending
Structure

Character
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Activity
How do you identify a creative nonfiction text? Explain your answer or
give examples.

Abstraction/ Generalization

Strategies of Writing Creative Nonfiction

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.
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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 writers 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.
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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.

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.
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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.
 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-

7. Character

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

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

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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

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
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Writing Exercise

From the strategies of writing creative nonfiction, what

important characteristics must a writer of creative nonfiction
possess?
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Synapse Strengthener

Research examples of texts employing the various types of presenting the

following techniques:

1. Rhetorical Devices

2. Character

3. Convincing Ending
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REFERENCE

Hidalgo, Christina P. (2005) Creative Nonfiction A Manual For Filipino Writers.

Quezon City: The University of the Philippines Press.