FORMS AND TYPES OF CREATIVE NONFICTION

Autobiography – It is a story written by the person himself.

Biography – It is a life’s story that is written by another person.

Journal – It is a day to day account intended to purely document life’s events.

Diary – It is a written account of the author which involves his/her secrets.

Letter – It is a communication or written message that addresses to a certain person or organization.

Memoir - It refers to the personal account of a person which teaches them something. It is more of a
memory that cannot be easily forgotten.

Literary Journalism or Reportage – It refers to magazine or newspaper writing or closely related to it. It
is journalism with a touch of an artistic value of literature in it.

Reflection Essay - It refers to the narrator's personal view and experiences. It Is more on thoughts and
feeling of the author.

Testimonio Essay - It refers to the personal experience of an author or the author witnesses an abuse
and oppression in a workplace.

Travelogue - It is a written account of a person during his/ her travel. It focuses on the scenery, people
and the warmness of the place and the people.

Understanding Various Forms and Types of Creative Nonfiction - Creative nonfiction has many types
and it generally focuses on the experiences of an individual. That maybe it could inspire many individuals
as you write it and share these experiences. Moreover, creative nonfiction comes in various ways and
almost often we are not aware that our experiences could become good literary pieces.

The Significance of an Audience - Understanding the significance of your audience plays a vital role as
you write your piece. Because they are the ones who will read and be inspired by your stories. In a
sense, your goal is to inspire the readers to read because they could learn something from it.

Close Reading - Close Reading is a matter of understanding the text presented by the author by
observing every detail in a text. A writer often uses unique ways to convey their messages to the
readers. Thus, as a reader you need to be observant always.

LITERARY JOURNALISM is a type of creative nonfiction that is closely related to magazine and
newspaper writing. It is journalism but it deviates from the traditional journalism because it has touch of
literature. It is journalism with a twist.

Before writing a literary journalism you need to consider the following:

•Select a topic of your interest

•Conduct a research about your topic

•Write a dramatic story that will catch the reader’s attention.

•Include a lead, facts/content, and dramatic ending.

IT SHOULD HAVE THE FOLLWING DETAILS:

Scene must takes place at a particular time.

Place a scene happens in a specific place

Details a scene always include important details. These details are the sensory details which help the
reader picture out the event.

Action it includes the information about the event.

Dialogue it includes conversation, however, this may not always the case it is also considered one of the
most important aspect of journalism.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE is a story about narrating your personal experience. It contains descriptive
words as you tell your story that can inspire or motivate the readers and they could also relate as well.

“In writing your personal narrative, you need to remember that setting, characters, climax, and ending
play a vital role in your narrative.”

TRAVELOGUE - one of the types of creative that deals with travel that presented in narrative way. In a
modern way, it is called travel blogs. It is more on sharing the wonders of the place you have visited and
igniting the spirit of audience to visit the place also.

How to do travelogue?

1.Show the beauty and picturesque scene of the place.

2. Provide helpful information to the audience, they might use it in the future.

3. Boast a simple thing, enough to encourage someone to visit the place.

4. Show photographic scenery of the place so that the audience could picture it out and eventually
would arouse their interest to appreciate it more.

5. Point out the various picturesque view of the place.

6. Include the means and ways of transportation and on how to reach the place.

7. Provide information on accommodations.

8. Do not forget the cultural beauty of the place.

9. Follow the Do’s and Don’ts of the place to avoid conflict.

10. Sell the beauty of the place so that many tourists will visit it.
REFLECTIVE ESSAYS refers to an insight gained through your experiences. This type of prose analyses
your past event in the present. In addition, it is more likely about what had you learned from your
experiences as it is also based on the underlying concept that experience is the best teacher.

COMMON TOPICS FOR A REFLECTIVE ESSAY

True experience

Something in your mind

A certain place or object

Something that you have read, watched, touched, ate, and many more

Places you have been

Significant events of your life

Unforgettable experience

Loved ones

BLOG is an online journal and is also known as “web log”. It is a forum where you can share information
on ideas and views about a certain topic. Hence, t is your diary that can be found on the internet.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF BLOGS

Artblogs

Photoblogs

Videoblogs

Music blogs

Podcasts

Edublogs

Personal blogs

Corporate blogs

Organizational blogs

Microblogs
Testimonio or often called as testimonial narrative is a new type of literary genre. It has the same
characteristics with autobiography because it is written in the first person point of view. But unlike
autobiography, which primarily revolves around the personal development or accomplishments of the
author. The testimonio recounts personal experience of an author being oppressed or has experienced
and witness the lives of the people belongs in the socially impoverished state became victim of human
rights violation.

Testimonio is different from academic papers since its main purpose is to call the attention of the
different leaders to hear their plea.

CHART FOR COMPARISON

BASIS FOR COMPARISON

Meaning (Biography) Biography refers to a life’s story that is written by someone.

(AUTOBIOGRAPHY) Autobiography refers to your own life story that is written by you yourself.

Written in (Biography) Can be written with or without the person's authorization. As long as you know
about his/her life and your story is authentic. (Autobiography) No need to ask permission from yourself.

Purpose (Biography) To inform the readers about someone else’s life. (Autobiography) To express,
inspire or entertain others.

Outlook (Biography) Based on the researches by the author. (Autobiography) It is full of emotional
thoughts.