NONFICTION VERSUS CREATIVE

NONFICTION
NONFICTION
 Comprises written works based on real events
 Most common nonfiction genres are biographies, autobiographies
and memoirs, essays, and journalism.
CREATIVE NONFICTION
 Uses the techniques of literature such as narrative, plot,
characterization, etc.
 Involves writing from personal experience or reporting on other
people’s experience
 Presents facts in a literary voice by introducing place, scene, and
setting
 Adds characterization so readers can relate and become
involved in the story
 Allows the reader to hear the author’s perspective
BIOGRAPHY
 Provides details regarding the life of a person or a thing in an
entertaining but informative manner
a. Select a person you are interested in and find out basic
facts about him or her.
b. Do additional research about the person.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
 Tells the story of the writer’s own life
 Authors of autobiographies often want to make sense of events in
their lives and to communicate an important personal statement
about life.
a. Create a timeline of your life events.
b. Identify the people who made an impact in your life.
c. Select the best stories of your life.
d. Write it in your own voice.
MEMOIR
 Focuses on an event or series of events that evoke a change of
view or feelings in an entertaining way
a. Choose a topic you care about, a “snapshot” of your life.
b. Seek a deeper theme within the simple description of an
event a reader can connect to.
c. Use your own unique voice in writing.
TRAVEL WRITING
 Records the experiences of travelers in some interesting places and
circumstances
 Includes vivid descriptions, illustrations, historical background, and possibly
maps and diagrams
a. Go on an adventure.
b. Start with a clear storyline.
c. Describe the place in great detail and use imagery.
d. Get the facts about the place, people, events, culture, etc.
FOOD WRITING
 Focuses on communicating information about food
 Lets readers experience the relationship of food to man, to agriculture
nature, climate, nation-building, culture, tradition, and even religion
a. Use your five senses in describing.
b. Research the background or history of the topic.
c. Include recipes to follow.
d. Use your own style of writing.
PROFILE
 Takes us behind the scenes of familiar places and gives a glimpse of the
inner workings of a person
 Introduces unusual professions, hobbies, and personalities
a. Know the subject – their personality and interests.
b. Research other information about the person.
c. Choose a theme that suits your subject.
d. Interview the person and the people surrounding him or her.
PERSONAL ESSAY
 Focuses on a topic through the lens of the personal experience of the
narrator
 It can be narrative or nonnarrative – it can tell a story in a traditional way
or improvise a new way.
a. Focus on one specific topic.
b. Organize your ideas.
c. Use language in expressing what you really mean to say
LITERARY JOURNALISM
 Uses the techniques of journalism in order to look outside of the
straightforward, objective world that journalism creates
a. Get the facts straight by researching.
b. Conduct interviews when necessary.
c. Outline the story.
d. Use literary devices in writing.
e. Write dramatic scenes – dialogue, details, action.
 MOVIE REVIEW
 Provides a short description of a film and includes the reviewer’s opinion about it.
 Assesses the movie’s overall quality and determines whether or not the film is worth recommending
a. Select a film and watch the film at least twice.
b. Read about the story behind the film. Include interesting and peculiar facts about the
production process, the basis of the story, the cast and the crew, the budget, and location.
c. Take note of the critical scenes of the characters.
d. The introduction should include the basic information about the film.
e. The main body includes the analysis of the story as a whole, include scenes from your notes.
f. State the audience’s and the critic’s perception. Express your personal opinion and either
recommend or not the film.