Contemporary Popular

Explore the dynamic world of

and Emergent Literature: contemporary popular and
emergent creative non-fiction
literature. From deeply personal
Creative Non-Fiction memoirs to insightful explorations
of the human experience, this genre
captivates readers with its raw
authenticity and narrative power.
PRESENTED BY:
CHARLOTTE SUALIBIOS
BSED-2-A-ENGLISH
The Rise of Creative Non-Fiction
Emergence in the 20th
Century
Creative non-fiction emerged
as a distinct literary genre in
the early 20th century,
blending factual reporting with
literary techniques to create
engaging narratives.
Pioneering Writers
Figures like John Hersey, Joan
Didion, and Tom Wolfe were
instrumental in establishing
creative non-fiction as a
respected and influential form
of writing.
 WHAT IS CREATIVE
NONFICTION?
Expanding Boundaries

Creative nonfiction is a genre

of writing that combines
In the latter half of the
factual accounts found in
century, the genre continued
nonfiction with literary
to evolve, with writers
techniques found in fiction and
experimenting with new
poetry. In other words, it’s a
styles, forms, and subject
true story with a touch of
matter to push the
literary flair.
boundaries of non-fiction
storytelling.

Certain genres of nonfiction are
often written as creative
nonfiction, such as memoir,
personal essays, literary
journalism, and travel and food
writing. An effective creative
nonfiction story both informs
and entertains its readers.
4 Elements of Creative Nonfiction
The key difference between
traditional nonfiction and creative
nonfiction is the use of literary
devices and techniques. While the
characters and events in a work of
creative nonfiction should be
factually accurate, they are presented
in a way that is
purposely engaging to the reader.
Some elements that you’ll find in
creative nonfiction include:
.

 Scene setting
Writers focus on the tangible
details about a time and place
to immerse their readers in a
scene. This can be achieved
through literary devices such
as imagery,
simile, and metaphor.
 Character development
Real people are fleshed out with
backstories, mannerisms, and
motivations, just like in real life.
Some literary techniques that
you might find in creative
nonfiction are flashbacks,
direct characterization, and
dialogue.
  Subjectivity
 Narrative

In traditional nonfiction, the writer keeps a

distance from the subject. But in creative
nonfiction, the writer’s perspective,
emotions, and insights can be part of the
story. This is particularly true of personal
essays, which are often written from a
first-person point of view.
In terms of structure, creative nonfiction
borrows elements from fiction such as
chapters, acts, nonlinear timelines, and
pacing. In creative nonfiction, writers
shape events into stories, in a way that
flows naturally and keeps readers engaged
from start to finish. But facts are still
primary.
Much like novels, creative
nonfiction stories have a
beginning, middle, climax, and
end. The order in which these
events unfold is the story’s
narrative. By using different
narrative structures, the writer
can control the pace at which
events unfold and draw the reader
further into the story.
 Forms of Creative Nonfiction
Memoir
A memoir is a type of creative
nonfiction in which the author writes
about past experiences and events from
their own life. Memoirs are typically
longer narratives that involve extensive
reflection, character development,
dialogue, scene descriptions, and other
literary techniques to share the author’s
memories and insights. The goal is to
craft an accurate but engaging life story.
Personal essay
The personal essay is a short prose
composition in which the author explores
a specific topic, experience, or idea from
their personal point of view. Personal
essays use literary tools like descriptive
language, humor, and philosophical
musings to share thoughts and reflections
with readers. Events and topics are drawn
from the author’s life and can range from
the absurd to the mundane and everyday.

Literary Journalism
Also known as narrative
journalism, literary journalism
combines factual reporting and
research with vivid scenic
descriptions, character profiles,
dramatic pacing, and rich sensory
details. In traditional journalism,
there is a structure known as “the
inverted pyramid,” which describes
the way journalists place the most
important information at the beginning
of the story, and then work their way
down through the details until they reach
a pointed conclusion. Literary
journalism allows the journalist to
abandon this structure to tell the story in
the way they think will be most
compelling to readers.
Other forms
Some other forms of creative
nonfiction are travel writing, food
writing, and oral histories. Sometimes
these genres overlap, like in Elizabeth
Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love (travel
writing and memoir) or My Life in
France by Julia Child (food writing,
travel writing, and memoir).

Nonfiction and Fiction vs.
Creative Nonfiction
Most of the time, the
difference between fiction and nonfic
tion
is straightforward. True stories are
nonfiction; invented stories are
fiction. Once in a while, you’ll come
across a piece of writing that reads
like fiction but is based in fact.
You’ve found a piece of creative
nonfiction.
Nonfiction simply aims to convey
factual information or arguments in a
clear, straightforward way. It generally
lacks extensive descriptive language,
character development, or narrative
elements. Examples of straightforward
nonfiction are scientific research
papers, police reports, textbooks,
traditional journalism articles, and
some biographies. Fiction invents
characters, settings, and plots that are
ultimately products of imagination.
The author is free to alter events and
outcomes to serve the story. Fiction
may be inspired by true events, but if
any part of the story is untrue, altered,
or unverifiable, then the story is
considered fiction.

WHILE…….
Creative nonfiction lives in
between these two genres,
merging factual accuracy with
literary flair. Nothing is made
up, but the use of literary
elements might make the story
read more like a mystery,
drama, comedy, or other genre
of fiction.
Creative Nonfiction Examples
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
This memoir chronicles a year that the
author, Elizabeth Gilbert, spent
traveling the world after a difficult
divorce. She uses a three-part
narrative structure based on the three
different countries she visited that
year. Though the events and characters
are rooted in her experiences, her use
of nontraditional narrative structure,
flashbacks, imagery, and first-person
point of view make it a work of
creative nonfiction.
The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean Irons in the Fire by John
McPhee

To report Irons in the Fire, John

McPhee traveled with a cattle
The Orchid Thief is a work of literary
brand inspector through rural
journalism that threads together three
Nevada, researching and taking
distinct storylines.
notes on every interaction and
Orlean uses extensive research,
conversation he had along the
interviews, character studies, and her
way. His long-form article is full
own experiences to generate the
of rich character dialogue,
nonfiction material. She then breaks
descriptive scene setting, and
the story into three distinct threads and
even elements of suspense and
braids them together, using a
mystery as McPhee relays story
nontraditional narrative structure and
after story of cattle disputes in the
pacing adopted from dramatic fiction.
Wild West.
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Truman Capote’s famous work of
creative
. nonfiction, “In Cold Blood”
tells the true story of the murder of a
Kansas farm family. Rather than
simply presenting the facts gathered
through police reports and
interviews, as a traditional journalist
might, Capote shifts perspectives
and uses flashbacks to build up the
lives of his subjects.
They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill
Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
In an essay titled “It Rained in
Ohio on the Night Allen Iverson
Hit Michael Jordan With a
Crossover,” Hanif Abdurraqib
recounts in granular detail a three-
second play during a basketball
game. The play did actually
happen, but the insights he gleans
and the language he uses splinter
away from a straightforward play-
by-play.

The Role of Technology and Digital
Platforms in Shaping
Creative Non-Fiction
Digital Writing Tools
Writers today leverage a variety of
digital tools and platforms to
compose, edit, and publish their
creative non-fiction works,
expanding the possibilities of the
genre.
Online Publishing
The rise of blogs, social media,
and other digital platforms has
enabled writers to share their
personal stories and essays with
wider global audiences.
Multimedia Integration
Creative non-fiction is
increasingly incorporating
multimedia elements such as
videos, podcasts, and data
visualizations to enhance the
storytelling experience for
readers.
The Importance of Research and
Accuracy Conclusion: The Enduring
Appeal of the Genre

Creative non-fiction has endured

as a popular and influential genre,
In the realm of creative non-fiction,
captivating readers with its unique
the pursuit of truth is paramount.
blend of factual storytelling and
Authors must meticulously research
literary artistry. As the boundaries
their subjects, cross-checking facts
between fiction and non-fiction
and verifying details to ensure the
continue to evolve, the genre's
authenticity of their narratives.
ability to engage and enlighten
Accuracy and credibility are the
audiences ensures its lasting
foundations upon which compelling
relevance in the literary landscape.
non-fiction is built.
 REFERENCES:
THANK YOU

FOR LISTENING!
https://creativenonfiction.org/

https://www.grammarly.com/bl
og/creative-nonfiction/