Using Literary ~Lee Gutkind, The Art of Creative Nonfiction:

Writing and Selling the Literature of Reality

Conventions in B. Forms of Creative Non-Fiction

Writing Creative 1.
2.
Nonfiction narratives
Personal essay
3. Autobiography
Nonfiction 4.
5.
Memoir
Journal
6. Diary
Creative Nonfiction: An Overview
7. Lyric essay
A. What is Creative Non-Fiction? 8. Literary journalism: travel writing, food
narratives, art-trip appreciations, reading
1. “Creative nonfiction differs from fiction because accounts, among others
it is necessarily and scrupulously accurate and
the presentation of information, a teaching C. Modes of Development in CNF
element to readers, is paramount. Creative
nonfiction differs from traditional reportage, 1. Description:
however, because balance is unnecessary and
subjectivity is not only permitted but In a way, capturing the senses,
encouraged.” embodying the sensorium, because as Diane
2. “Creative nonfiction writers, however, are Ackerman says, “we live on the leash of our
permitted a different form of literary license: to senses.” We see through the senses, either
use the literary devices previously and subjectively (describing that is shaped by feelings,
exclusively available to the fiction writer (and thought, or reactions) and an objective (describing
the poet and playwright) in the writing of their what is actually there) way. In any case,
true and accurate creative nonfiction stories.” descriptions basically concretize the abstract.
3. “In other words, nonfiction writers cannot alter
2. Narration:
the facts, but they can capture and present them
much more dramatically.”
 Narrative plays with time. When you need: character, conflict, and narrative arc.
narrate, you actually capture time through A good opening needs to establish all three in the
language. first few sentences. By examining great beginnings
in both fiction and nonfiction, you will find that
D. The “Creative” in CNF
these three characteristics are interrelated:
1. To write great creative non-fiction, a writer must Interesting characters are conflicted; characters
tell a fact-based story in an imaginative way. with conflict have come from somewhere and are
2. Non-fiction writers must be dedicated to going somewhere.
preserving the truth of their stories—the who,
what, why, where, when, and how.
3. The creativity enters through the use of Example:
perspective, which, like a camera lens, allows
The opening line of C. S. Lewis’s 1950 children’s
the writer to focus the reader’s attention and
novel, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader reads,
engage his or her imagination.
“There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb,
4. Nonfiction writers have a sort of contract with
and he almost deserved it.”
readers: We are not allowed to make anything
up. We must be rigorous reporters of lived
experience. Our impulses must be documentary
1. We have a character: a boy with an unfortunate
5. Creative nonfiction stories also offer something
name who almost deserves it. He must be a real
fiction cannot: the power of true human
challenge, but also sympathetic, or it would not be
experience.
almost.

2. We have conflict: If Eustace were just rotten to

the core, there would not be any tension to be
Writing Creative Nonfiction
resolved; the same applies if he were an angel. The
A. Writing Great Beginnings fact that Eustace almost deserves such a terrible
name makes things complicated.
One of the hardest parts of telling a story is
beginning it. Once you commit to a beginning 3. We have a narrative arc: Eustace has done
moment, from that moment certain things must something to almost deserve his name. Lewis has
follow. Any writer might find that challenging. Great piqued our curiosity about that and about whether
beginnings need exactly what great stories as a he will be a better boy or a worse one by the story’s
whole end.
 she does not know what she is doing. Eustace, on
the other hand, may not even be aware of his own
Here is the opening sentence to Sylvia Plath’s novel
conflict, even though the narrator sees his mixed
The Bell Jar, from 1963: “It was a queer, sultry
good and bad qualities
summer, the summer they electrocuted the
Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in
New York.”
Narrative Arc
The clause “I didn’t know what I was doing in New
What does the term “narrative arc” really mean in
York” tells us we have an internally conflicted
practice? Narrative arc is when action implies
character. The connection between her story and a
consequences. Something happens, and the reader
pair of infamous spies suggests conflict in the
knows something else must inevitably follow from
external atmosphere. Even the word “queer”—not a
that event. If there is an action from which nothing
word typically applied to “summer”—heightens this
follows—if there are no consequences—then there
sense of discomfort.
is no story.
The clause “I didn’t know what I was doing in New
2. Building the Story
York” tells us we have an internally conflicted
character. The connection between her story and a A narrative essay shows us experiences that in
pair of infamous spies suggests conflict in the some way have changed you. Some life events may
external atmosphere. Even the word “queer”—not a be huge but they do not necessarily change you. A
word typically applied to “summer”—heightens this life event may be interesting or disappointing or
sense of discomfort. funny, but is there a story? Did you undergo a
change after going through the event? Find a point
Conflict
of change in your life and you will find your story.
What conclusions can we draw from these two Once you found your material, shape it into a
examples? First of all, we seem to have established narrative. But rather than writing aimlessly, outline
that the core of an interesting character is some your story. Think of it as the skeleton of your work.
sort of conflict—be it internal (with the self) or Without it, the story will not hold.
external (with other people). In fact, conflict, as we
In developing your story, be systematic and tight.
will see, is the key to telling an interesting story in
Make everything connected and come together.
general.
Observe the narrative sequence below:
Conflict can be presented straightforwardly or
subtly. Sylvia Plath’s narrator tells us outright that a. Goal -> conflict -> disaster
b. Reaction -> dilemma -> decision

Ending your story could prove as challenging as

beginning it. There is no one size fits all type of
GOAL—what you want to have ๏ CONFLICT—an
ending for narrative essays. You have to
unexpected obstacle to your goal ๏ DISASTER—
experiment on how to leave a lasting impression on
further complication, a terrible development that
your reader's mind after they read the last words of
seemingly keeps you away from your goal ๏
your story. Below are some suggestions you can
REACTION—your raw and immediate response to
try:
disaster ๏ DILEMMA—ensuing agony caused by
conflicting choices ๏ DECISION—a bold moment of a. provide a clear resolution to, for example, a
clear choice and fearless risk-taking. specific answer to the question you raised in your
story

b. for a humorous story, throw a punchline

Following the practical flow of narration above, you
can now explore how you can add details to your c. leave a lesson without sounding preachy
story. Your skills and styles will help you shape
d. leave a rhetorical question
your story.
e. lead the readers back to the point you made at
the beginning of your story
3. Writing A Convincing Ending
f. insert an anecdote
It is important to leave your reader with a sense of
g. provide a plot twist
satisfaction and completion once they read the last
sentences of your story. This does not mean that all
questions are answered or all problems are solved.
You may even pose a new question or problem if
you want to. But it is important that your readers
will be left with the impression that the subject
was adequately discussed or presented. In short,
your ending must make sense to your reader who
has painstakingly read your story when they could
have done something else with the time they spent
digesting your story.