Introduction to Creative Nonfiction and Hybrid Forms

These flashcards cover the definitions of creative nonfiction types, elements of nonfiction, distinctions between genres, and various hybrid forms as presented in the Week 1 lecture notes.

Creative Nonfiction

A genre that blends factual storytelling with literary techniques, aiming to engage the reader through narrative and personal voice while incorporating elements like plot, character development, and setting.

Autobiography

A term first used in 1797, referring to an account that tells one’s own life story, particularly using the first person pronoun 'I' for actions performed by the author.

Memoir

A type of non-fiction writing where the author shares personal experiences and memories, providing an account of a memorable event and their specific view of life based on those experiences.

Personal Narrative

A form of creative nonfiction that relates the writer's experience of one event or incident and serves as a record of events based on the writer’s own observation.

Testimonio

An authentic narrative told by a witness moved by the urgency of a situation, largely concerned with the author’s marginality and having no fixed structure or format.

Language/Diction

The choice of words in a composition that influences tone, style, and the expression of emotion and meaning, ranging from formal to informal.

Content

The factual information, experiences, and ideas that an author explores and presents in a literary way within a work of nonfiction.

Voice

A composer’s unique style of expression as defined by tone, diction, and personality, reflecting the individual identity of the composer.

Structure

The organizational framework shaping a story, including the arrangement of events, the narrative method, and how the plot develops.

Narrative Intent

The underlying purpose or goal of a narrative, representing the 'why' of the story beyond simply recounting events.

Fiction

A literary genre comprised of narratives that are not factual but are products of the author’s imagination, such as novels and short stories.

Expository Nonfiction

A type of writing, such as textbooks or manuals, that explains or informs the reader about a specific topic using facts to educate rather than entertain.

Hybrid Personal Creative Nonfiction

A form of writing that blends personal truth with experimental structures, mixing elements like poetry, fiction, memoir, and lists for deeper emotional impact.

Fragment

A short, incomplete piece of text like a moment, line, or list, used as a deliberate stylistic choice where a sentence or phrase lacks a complete thought.

Genre-blending

The act of combining multiple styles or forms within a single piece of writing.

Autofiction

A fictionalized autobiography that mixes real experiences with imaginative elements, combining autobiography and fiction.

Reflection

A moment of thought included in a text regarding specific meanings or emotions.

Lyric Essay

A combination of poetry and essay that uses fragments, poetic images, and emotion instead of a formal structure, often blurring genre and voice.

Braided Essay

A creative nonfiction piece that includes three strands woven together, using clear, honest voice and sensory language to reflect on identity or truth.

Collage Essay

An essay where each section is self-contained but connects to a central theme, utilizing a nonlinear structure and mixing forms like lists, scenes, and dialogue.

Flash Nonfiction

True, brief writing usually between $300$ and $500$ words that captures a single moment, feeling, or memory with vivid, emotional language.

Graphic Memoir

A hybrid form that combines images and text, similar to comics or visual storytelling, to tell a personal story.

Multimedia Essay

A form of writing that combines text with audio, video, photos, or music, often found in digital or online formats.