Department of Education

NEW GENERATION INTERNATIONAL, SCHOOL INC.

Topic:CREATIVE NONFICTION: PERSONAL ESSAYS, MEMOIR, AND

FIRST-PERSON JOURNALISM
Creative Writing Non-Fiction
Guillermo S. Alvarez
Week 2 Lesson 2 (January 11, 2021)
Quote for the day :

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have
passed at home in the bosom of my family.” Thomas Jefferson

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. Defining the creative writing non-fiction;
2. Differentiate non-fiction and the literature elements; and
3. Produces written out put of a creative writing non-
fiction.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 WHAT IS CREATIVE NON-FICTION?
“Creative nonfiction is also known as:
 The Art of Fact
 The Art of Truth
 Gonzo Journalism
 Neo-gonzo Journalism
 The Fourth Genre (after poetry, fiction and drama)
 The Literature of Reality
 New Journalism
 Literary Journalism
 Narrative Nonfiction
 Whatever you call it -- and as you can tell from the list I've just enumerated, the genre goes by
lots of names -- in the last decade there's been an explosion of interest in the form. “
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
Basically, it is a “hybrid” of non-Fiction and literature

• Essay Format  Narrative

• Researched Facts
 Setting
 Characterization
• Focus on Ideas and
Facts
 Author is Personally
Involved
• Standard  Literary Voice
Organizational  Polished Language
Patterns

Non-Fiction Literary Elements

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 3 Main TYPES

• Memoir
• Personal Essay
• Travel- Place Essay

SOME OTHERS
 Food Writing
 Biography
 Literary Journalism

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 MEMOIR
By Audrey Owen
The French word memoire simply means memory. In literature, the memoir is a reflection on
memory. It is not an autobiography. An autobiography tells a life story from the point of view of
the writer. A memoir explores the writer’s memory of other people or events. Although it is more
than “important people who knew me,” that phrase helps me to remember what a memoir is. It is
my reflection on the things or people that influenced me. It is focused either in time or place. The
autobiography spans a lifetime. The memoir narrows the view.
A powerful memoir consists of highlights that point out an underlying theme. The highlights are
A Heart-breaking
linked in a story form, similar Storyon why something happened or on a
to fiction, with an emphasis
resolution to a problem. Meaning is paramount.
Henry David Thoreau said, “What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters
compared to what lives within us.” As you write your memoir you take what lies behind you,
filter it through what lives within you, and inform what lies ahead for you and others.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
Memoir

“A memoir is how one remembers one’s own

life, while an autobiography is history, requiring research, dates, facts double-
checked.”
- Gore Vidal

“Unlike the autobiography, which moves in a dutiful line from birth to fame,
memoir narrows the lens, focusing on a time in the writer’s life that was
unusually vivid, such as childhood or adolescence, or that was framed by war
or travel or public service or some other special circumstance” – William
Zinsser in
Inventing the Truth: The Art and Craft of Memoir
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 THE PERSONAL ESSAY

Personal essay, as the very name suggests, is describing yourself and opening up,
that is getting up, close and personal with the reader. This form of essay is very
commonly used while writing for college admission essays as it allows the reader
to get a personal view of you through your writing and form an opinion of the
unknown and unseen you. This is a good opportunity where one can present
oneself in the best light if written thoughtfully, honestly and with care. It can
become a platform where you can voice your opinions , air your views and share
your innermost thoughts without any reservations. What remains now, is to choose
the perfect personal essay topic, that will catch the imagination of the reader and
will attract him towards the written article.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 THE TRAVEL ESSAY
A travel/place essay takes travel or a place as its point of origin. The essay is probably not
simply about a place or a journey, but rather is about what one may discover about people or
life on that journey or in that place. People are often defined by the places they grow up in or
choose to call home. There is something about landscape that is more than just sky and earth.

A travel essay needs to include some details of a journey, a vacation, a trip. But what else do
you want to say. Would an essay about a family vacation to Disney World be interesting? If it is
just like everyone else's family vacation to Disney World, then probably no. What is it about
your topic that makes it not just a travel diary. A travel diary is simply a record of what you did
each day.

A essay about place begins with an author's recognition that some aspect of a particular place is
worth writing about. Most of us have special or meaningful places in our lives. But again, a
essay about place goes beyond just describing the place.
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Guidelines for Writing
Creative Non-Fiction
1. Research thoroughly. If you can’t remember something specifically, do not write about it
until you have it right.
2. Cultivate relationships with your subjects over a period of time to create trust, absorb
information, note change, and know individuals so you can describe their thoughts, feelings, and
attitudes correctly. This is very important if you are writing about someone else and not
yourself.
3. Never invent or change facts or events. The truth is stranger than fiction.
4. Avoid composites. In other words stick to one story, theme, topic, etc. Don’t try to join more
than one.
5. Aim for a clear style with rhythm, "texture," color, and a dramatic pace.
6. Write for real people to enrich their lives. Deep, right?
7. Write about real events and people to make them come alive and record them. MAKE THE
READER FEEL LIKE HE OR SHE IS THERE!
8. "Have faith in the value and importance of human being and human events..."
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Goals of creative non-fiction
1. Deal with an issue/problem people are concerned about or find a way
to make them concerned or interested.
Consider your audience
Use non-fiction techniques to draw the reader in:
Give background to educate your readers
Give your readers new information to help them understand themselves, the world
better.

2.Provide accurate data.

Be truthful.  Be honest.
Research thoroughly and carefully (the more you look, the more you’ll find)
Use a variety of sources: primary (interviews, trips to the place, personal experience,
surveys) secondary (library research . . . .)
Cite your sources so readers know how you gathered the information.
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 3. Report fairly.
Be objective.
Be logical.
Select information carefully.
Provide details.
Use facts, real people, real situations. Be frank. Don’t be too personal.
4. Interpret your information.
*Introduce
*Give facts, examples, quotations, . . .
*Analyze, interpret, explain, synthesize.
5. Draw conclusions.
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 6. Organize your information.
Put your information in a logical order (chronological, spatial,
dramatic, general to specific. . . .).
Put your information in an interesting order.
Use clear paragraphs (topic/purpose).
Deal with information in blocks.
Consider using headings.
7. Use interesting language.
vivid, useful details quotations / vernacular metaphor
imagery, humor, rhythm, pacing
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Ethics

In recent years, several well-publicized incidents within the United States

have called into question the truthfulness and factual standards of creative
nonfiction. Given its different styles and characteristics, it is not held to the
same journalistic ethics and standards as direct reporting or news
publications. Its allowances of artistic license to authors are not standardized,
and some have accused writers of glorification of interpretation, and even of
fabrication. A recent example of these incidents is the James Frey
controversy in regards to his memoir A Million Little Pieces, published in
2003. In his memoir, Frey claimed to have had certain experiences, which
were revealed in 2006 to be fabrications.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 THE
WRITING
PROCESS
FOR
CREATIVE
NON-FICTION
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Writing process

 Then, THINK about

• Choosing a topic • Your class is your
by thinking about audience; when your topic. Don’t
the purpose or brainstorming just start putting your
theme of what ideas for your draft together.
you are trying to writing, think THINK about it.
accomplish with about the things Why are you writing
your writing. PICK others would want about it? What do
SOMETHING YOU to read about. you really want
WILL LIKE FOR people to know about
AWHILE!
your topic?
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Relate your topic to  Your writing will  With a partner, look
people, need to get the over the handout on
relationships, love, attention of the leads. Choose a
death, joy, sorrow, reader from the very situation and write a
humor, anything that beginning. This is lead about it. Then
you can think of that called writing a good compare your lead
will get a real “lead”. to your partners and
response out of the answer the
reader. questions on the
handout.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Writing process
 No matter what type of
essay you write, you will
be telling some kind of
story. While you are not
writing a five paragraph
essay, you should be
writing in paragraphs.
Some may be long;
some may be short. You
may have characters in
action (something is
happening). Always keep
your purpose in mind.
Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com
Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982
 You won't be writing  Voice is an important
a standard summary
aspect of creative
conclusion. The nonfiction. The ethos
purpose of your of the writer is
conclusion or ending important.
is to make your essay
feel finished. But
even more than that,
it should create a
lasting impression on
the reader.
EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART
NGIS
  What style and tone • Organize the details • Use transitions, but
are you using? in a logical order to not formal
Personal essays have keep your readers' transitions that
an informal style. It attention and to best sound stuffy, like
could be so informal tell the story. "therefore,"
as to use slang here "whereas," or "on
• Use paragraphs!
and there, especially the other hand."
in dialog. Will the
narrative voice be
casual and easy-going,
humorous, or more
serious.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Writing process
• Dialogue should be natural
and should advance the
story. Don't use it if you
don't need it.
• Use concrete details and
descriptions of people,
places and things.

• Use inventive metaphors to

get readers to see ideas in a
new way.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS
 Writing process
• Dialogue should be natural
and should advance the
story. Don't use it if you
don't need it.
• Use concrete details and
descriptions of people,
places and things.

• Use inventive metaphors to

get readers to see ideas in a
new way.

Email Address: ngisshs@gmail.com EDUCATION WITH THE CULTURE OF HEART

Tel. No.: (046) 419-2272 / 419-1982 NGIS