Lesson 1: Creative Non-Fiction (Introduction)

Lee Gutkind

• Godfather of Creative Nonfiction, a literary magazine in 1993

• Studied at the University of Pittsburgh: Department of English

• Described CNF as “every man’s genre”, in regard to how anyone can write in the creative nonfiction genre, as people do not have to have certain credentials or professions to write creative nonfiction.

Background (Gutkind)

• Juggle with multiple jobs

• Taught in university without a PhD

• Influenced by the death of his family members and friends.

• CNF is a fusion of different genres

Tips for CNF

• Immersion and connecting with oneself

• Narrative Arc (Stripping Ideas)

  • Device used to connect the events

• Think about the readers

• Be open to changes

Tom Wolfe’s Manifesto of Journalism

Insistence of making a statement in the importance of not abiding to rules.

Creative Non-Fiction

• True stories well-told

• Fusion of Creativity (artistic) and Nonfiction (based on true life)

• CNF Writers are encouraged to utilize fictional techniques to make the readers engaged.

• The goal is to communicate a bit of the world

• Encourages writer to be part of the story

  • Writer is the narrator

  • You can opt to include or exclude yourself

• Transcript of life

  • Capturing events as they appear

  • Only add scenes important to the narrative

Method of Verisimilitude

• Used to make a story feel realistic by incorporating authentic details, natural dialogue, or familiar settings.

• Attempt for the close resemblance of reality

5Rs of CNF according to Lee Gutkind

1. Be familiar with the Real life aspect through immersion

2. Reflect about life

3. Research on topic → Immersion, Interview, Printed Materials

4. Read the works of the master

   • You may borrow techniques, but do not imitate

5. The “Riting” stage may undergo two types of creative phases: “intellectual explosion” or “creative”

   • The ability to think outside the box

Memoir

• Shorter version of biography

• Author’s personal memories

Literary Journalism

Fusion of Journalism (based on facts) and literary (aspects of literature)

Personal Essay

• Known as Informal essay

• Free writing

• Similar to short story

  • The only difference is that short stories are fictional while personal essays are true to life

• Meant to be shared to all

Travel Writing

• About places that are visited by the writer

• A description of the place, its food, culture, and reasons why it is worth visiting

Biography

• Bio (life) and Graphe (writing)

• Writing the life of another person

Autobiography

• Story of the writer’s personal life written by themselves

• Full blown

Blogs/Vlogs, Other social media

Literatures published in social media (ex: Twitterature)

Journals & Diary

• These are your choice to share

• Journals → More intimate than Diaries

• Diary → Private account of daily experiences. Only talks about the writer.