Prepared by:

Kristal Faith R. Pagaduan

BSE 3- English Major
1|Page
Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Creative Writing

Module 1 Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Objectives
At the end of this module, you are expected to attain the following learning
outcomes:

A. Compose introduction and conclusion of creative nonfiction using the strategies

discussed;
B. Write your own coherent and unified essay.

Introduction
As the technological and educational trends are becoming more complex, the need of
people to factual information grew. Ronald Weber said:

A large and growing public that feels it really should take an interest and is looking
for guidance as to what is, currently “The Real Thing”… a liberally educated public
that had been through the required surveys of Literature, yet, was caught up in
contemporary fascination with the new and the new and the topical.

Thus, the rise of nonfiction little by little crushes the popularity of fiction, and as readers
switch from reading short stories and novels to reading news articles, creative writing is
introduced.
2|Page Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Advanced Organizer

Journalism Creative Fiction

(Nonfiction) Nonfiction
 Accurate in the  Imaginative
 Has an
presentation of
imaginative
information approach but remains
 Remains accurate in the presentation
subjective of information

Activity
Group Activity

Accomplish the advance organizer below by jotting down 8 terms associated to the word
Creative Nonfiction. Then write phrases or clauses below the advance organizer justifying why
the words you wrote are associated with Creative Nonfiction.

Creative
Nonfiction
 Analysis

Summarize your group’s responses.

We think that Creative Nonfiction is

Abstraction/Generalization

The text you just read is an example of creative biography. The actions “eyes flashing and fists
clenched” were imagined by the author for the sake of imaginative reconstruction of the event.

CREATIVE NONFICTION

Creative nonfiction was used to be called personal journalism or literary journalism or

new journalism or parajournalism. Eventually, today, it is called creative nonfiction. According
to Theodore A. Rees Cheney, “Creative nonfiction requires the skill of a story teller and the
research ability of the reporter” (1991).

This type of writing begins with the facts, elaborates on the facts, interprets them, and
more importantly, presents them in an interesting and engaging way. In other words, it is a “more
imaginative approach to reporting”.

The key word is “personal”. The writer of creative nonfiction presents the world- or the
slice of it that he wishes to focus on- through the prism of her own personality.
4|Page Module 1- Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

Creative nonfiction is a nonfiction prose which utilizes the techniques and strategies
of a fiction. It combines the authority of literature and authority of fact (Gutkind 1997).

In her book A Manual for Filipino Writers, Chistina Pantoja Hidalgo writes: The writer of
creative nonfiction may not alter facts in the interest of improving his story. He must not
deliberately misquote his sources, misconstrue his statements, or mislead his readers. He is
expected to write compelling stories about real life, and in doing so, he must employ all the
devices and strategies available to the fictionist. Sometimes, this involves the imagining of
scenes or even conversations that never actually happen.

Application

Separate the attributes of the text below based on the advance organizers presented.

Would Antonio Luna Have Been a Strongman?

Eyes flashing and fists clenched, Luna entered the house and ran upstairs,
after sleeping a sentry who had been too unnerved to salute. Upstairs, Luna was
met by his mortal foe, Felipe Buencamino, who told him that Aguinaldo had
gone to San Isidro. (Nick Joaquin, 1997, 178)

Share your answers with your group and answer the following follow-up questions:

1. What does the text say about Antonio Luna?

2. Could the clenching of fists and flashing of eyes be documented by Nick Joaquin?
3. What did the writer try to build in the minds of the reader?

4. Did the text remain factual? In what way?

Writing Exercise
From the Overview of Creative Nonfiction, I learned that …
6|Page Module 2- Types of Creative Nonfiction

Module 2 Types of Creative Nonfiction

Introduction
Creative nonfiction covers a very broad field in the writing discipline; however, at the
end of it is the term literary journalism or new journalism- writing in a personal way about the
facts in a news event, and on the other end is the literary memoir, what Annie Dillard referred
to when she said “works of nonfiction can be coherent and crafted work of Literature” (1995).

The earlier statement which is “a writer of creative nonfiction may not alter the facts in
the interest of improving his story (Hidalgo)”, may not necessarily be applied in literary
memoir or a travel essay where it may be useful to say or invent a travelling companion who
would serve as a foil to the narrator by presenting entirely different expressions of the place
described.

Advance Organizer

Creative Nonfiction

Literary Journalism
Magazine feature article Literary Memoir
Newspaper column as cultural commentary
Review
Interview story
Character sketch
Personal essay
Autobiographical sketch
 Activity
Individual Activity

Write about your most memorable stay in a place in at least 3 paragraphs.

Group Activity

Share your output in the group and discuss its type.

 Analysis
The facts, pieced together from the accounts of several people are as follows. Baltazar
Endriga, who may or may not be the president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines,
depending on whose side you’re taking in this long drawn-out conflict, arrived at the CCP on
Monday evening for the Mamila Premiere of Carmen,, in radical new version, by choreographer
Mats Ek, kicked off the festivities, though perhaps in a more literal fashion than th organizers
have envisioned. Mr. Endriga was also there in his capacity as the CCP President, his position
having been recently upheld by the Court of Appeals, which used a Temporary Restraining
Order against Endriga’s oppositors, Gloria Angara and her trustees. In the first place, Endriga,
being a citizen of this country, presumably has the right to set foot on the lobby of the CCP; he
was not carrying nuclear weapons and other explosive devices.

As Endriga who was accompanied by officers of the French embassy, approached the
entrance to the main lobby, six or ten security guards- the witnesses’ accounts vary- stood in his
path. They announced that they were under instructions to prevent Endriga from entering the
building. These instructions have been issued by their superiors, who received their orders from
Ms. Angara and her Board of Trustees. The French representatives explained that Endriga was
their guest, and they were going to watch the ballet. The security guards repeated that Endriga
was barred from the premises. Words were exchanged (a lovely turn of phrase, as if you were to
say to me, “Thaumaturgy” and I were to reply “Periodonist”), and when reason made no dent,
physical force was applied.

The security guard pushed Endriga and company out the door. The French representatives
took hold to Endriga and attempted to push their way in. The security guard tried to push them
out.. People started cussing. Soon everyone was yelling, and the jostling match erupted into full-
blown melee. The commotion was such that a group of performers rehearsing on an upper floor
heard the noise, ran downstairs, and beheld the chaos.

- Jessica Zafra, “The New Uncouthness,” June 2, 1999;

Twisted 5(Anvil 2000, 166-67)

With the various characteristics present in the text, compare your essay with the
text above. Use an advance organizer to show their relationship.
9|Page Module 2- Types of Creative Nonfiction

Abstraction/ Generalization
Due to the extensive range it covers, creative nonfiction, aside from being classified as a
literary memoir and literary journalism mentioned earlier in this module, there are still some
terms to be considered in identifying the types and classifications of writing under the mentioned
two types, which may be under literary memoir or literary journalism depending upon their
manners of construction and the information they ought to provide.
1. Profile- an in-depth article or essay that concentrates on one person or a place.
2. Literary journalism or new journalism- writing in a personal way about the
facts in a news event.
3. Personal narratives or “life stories”- may be divided into autobiographical
narratives (e.g., journals, memoirs, travel narratives, etc.); and biographical
narratives (e.g., character sketches, interview stories, etc.)

Application

Reconstruct the advance organizer presented on this unit incorporating the classifications
of creative nonfiction according to the manner of text construction and the information various
texts provide. Write a short explanation of the advance organizer you shall construct.

Writing Exercise
From the Types of Creative Nonfiction, I learned that …
10 | P a g e

Module 3- The Pre-writing Process

Creative Writing

Module 3 The Pre-writing Process

Introduction

One difficult part of writing is beginning the text- selecting what topic to write about,
who to read your text, and the process of gathering information regarding the process. All these
are needed abilities in beginning your creative nonfiction text.

Advance Organizer

Selecting a Determining the

topic Audience

Gathering Information/Doing
Research

Writing the Draft

11 | P a g e Module 3- The Pre-writing Process

Activity

Before you read the processes, explain in your own words how you deal with them.

Selecting Topic

Determining Audience

Gathering
Data
 Abstraction/ Generalization

Here are the needed preparatory activities before engaging yourself into the actual
writing process:

1. Selecting a topic
The beginning writer often complains that he has nothing to write about, yet, as
Jacobi said: “From walking. From talking. From listening. From observing. From
doing. From reading. From believing. From disagreeing. From dreaming. From
asking. From having an open mind,” subjects or topics for writing are everywhere.
You should begin with something close to home or close to you, something you
are interested in or curious about, but it shouldn’t stop you from reaching the world.
However modest it may be, a work that pretends to be literature should be both local and
universal, both timely and enduring. Alfred Gonzales (1947)
2. Determining the audience
All the facts in the world would be wasted on readers who are unable to
appreciate them.
Thus, it is necessary to handle and organize your essay depending upon who
the target audience is. Your choice of language is also a necessary factor to consider-
i.e., the choice of words, the length of sentences, the images, the allusions. Your
approach would also vary upon the audience- i.e., personal narrative would not be so
effective to children, yet, it may be effective to adult people.
The amount and type of information that the essay or article should contain would
also depend on the audience’s capacity to absorb it.
3. Gathering Data
An important thing to remember is: no matter how great your way with words,
or how engaging the personality you project, the bottom line is: how much do you
know about your subject?
In gathering information, you have to consider the following factors:
 What kind of information
 Where to get it
 Keep current information
It is also immensely important to develop in yourself the art of
listening.
13 | P a g e Module 3- The Pre-writing Process

Application

Select five topics, think of the target audience, and gather information about your topic.
Then fill up the table below.

INFORMATION
TOPIC TARGET AUDIENCE GATHERED
ABOUT THE
TOPIC
 Writing Exercise

From the Pre-writing process, I learned that …

15 | P a g e Module 4- Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Creative Writing

Module 4 Various Strategies of Creative Nonfiction

Introduction

The strategies of creative nonfiction are very much alike with the strategies of fiction.
Gutkind said that the basic objective of creative nonfiction is to teach (he refers to it as “the
mission of the genre”), but the point is to do it in such manner “that the most resistant reader will
be interested in learning more” (1997).

Eventually, it means that a good piece of creative nonfiction has a personal voice, a
clearly defined point of view, which will reveal itself to the tone, and be presented through
scene, summary, and description, as it is in fiction.

Advance Organizer

Scene Approach
Point of View
Rhetorical Techniques
Tone
Strategies

Strong
Voice
Beginning
Concrete Evocative
Details Convincing Ending
Structure

Character
 Activity
How do you identify a creative nonfiction text? Explain your answer or give
examples.

Abstraction/ Generalization

Strategies of Writing Creative Nonfiction

1. Approach

It has something to do with how the writer handles hi subject. It may also be the angle on
how the story is viewed.

Objective Approach- there is no narrator present in the text.

Subjective Approach- the writer himself is the narrator and his personal emotions towards the
subject would reflect on the text

Whether which of the two- objective or subjective approach- is appropriate in a text will
be dependent upon the writer’s circumstances.

2. Point of View

It has something to do with perspective- whether who owns the story or who can best tell
the story. The narrator may act as either a participant or an observer.

Note that point-of-view greatly differs from the grammatical person. Consequently, even
the first person is used, the point-of-view may still be that of an observer; and even the point-of-
view is that of the principal character, the third person may be used.
 Occasionally, the writer uses second person into draw the reader into the story, creating
the impression that he is a part of the story, thus he is witnessing the events described in the text.

Creative nonfiction however, generally use the first and third persons or they use the
indefinite pronoun “one”.

3. Tone

Tone is the writers attitude towards his subject. A subject may be presented in a sarcastic
tone, reverent tone, or apologetic tone, depending on the distinction of the writer.

Tone may be evident in a text through the writer’s choice of words.

NOTE: Approach, tone, and point-of-view are very important strategies in writing your essay.
Handling these three correctly and wisely on your text will effectively convey your meaning.

4. Voice

Voice is related to tone and style . It refers to the choice of word, length of sentences, use
of certain images, metaphors, allusions, etc.- which reveal a particular personality, and a
particular attitude.
5. Structure
Your topic will itself suggest the structure of your text. Structure is the arrangement or
organization of the text.
a. Chronological structure- an arrangement of events in a linear fashion as they
occurred in time.
b. Flashback structure- beginning in a certain point of the story then moving back in
the past.
c. Parallel structure- a type of structure that has several stories, running side by side
with occasional cross-cutting or convergence.
d. Collage or Mosaic structure- it involves pasting together of small fragments, which
all together build up the total picture of what happened.
e. Question and Answer structure- it allows the reader to hear the subject’s voice
without awkwardness of having to repeat “he said” or “she said” before or after every direct
quotation.
 f. Frame or The story-within-a-story- it is a good structure to use when you want to say
two stories- say, a travel narrative, where the actual physical journey is paralleled by an inner
journey.
6. A strong, Dramatic Beginning

a. Title- it is not necessarily written before the piece is written, but it is good to have a
working title to help you focus.

 Catchy and clever tiles have an advantage

 Titles which are too long are at disadvantage
 Titles should not be misleading
 It should give the reader an idea of what to expect

b. The first paragraph

First paragraphs lead the reader to reading the whole text. Thus, it must catch attention,
give the reader a hint of what the subject is, set the tone, and guide the reader to what comes
next.
The key to good creative nonfiction is dramatic writing and the key to good dramatic
writing is action.
Ways of beginning:

 Passage of vivid description

 Quotation
 Dialogue
 Question
 Striking statement
 Reference to current event
 In medias res- plunge right into the middle of the action

6. Rhetorical Techniques

a. Definition- bit is particularly important on essay writing or expository writing where

the major concern is explaining the concept or idea or issue.
b. Comparison-and-contrast- it is easier for the readers to understand an idea or
concept when compared to something they are familiar with.
 When using this method, remember not to compare and contrast more than two
items at the same time, otherwise, you may confuse your readers instead of
enlightening them.

 It is also important to compare only those that belong to the same class.
 c. Illustrations and examples- this technique makes abstract or general ideas more
concrete, it clarifies. It may be in the form of anecdotes and quotations or in simple enumeration.
 Make sure that the relation between your example and the idea you wish to clarify
is immediately apparent to the reader.

d. Classification- it is a good device for organizing complex materials provided that

there is a principle governing the classification and that principle must be meaningful enough.

e. Analogy or extended metaphor-

7. Character

The ability to reveal characters is the an important skill for writing.

Types of Characters

a. Character in Action- describes what the main character does

b. Description of physical appearance- shows the audience how the character in the
text looks like- through the way he dresses, the way he moves, his height, age, etc.
c. Presenting through the eyes of the people

d. Dialogue or monologue- presenting the character based on what he says or how he

says it.

e. Idiosyncratic behavior- gives a view on the character’s unique behavior.

f. Reconstruction of the subject’s special setting or ambiance- the place where the
character stays is described.
8. Concrete and evocative details

The most successful pieces of creative nonfiction are rich in details. Bare facts are never
enough. They need to be fleshed out; they need to be humanized.

a. Details should be accurate and informative

b. Details must be suggestive or evocative

9. Scene

The chief distinction between traditional reporting and creative nonfiction is the use of
scenes and dramatic writing. It heightens the feeling of being “right here” in the thick of what
happened. This is done by presenting the news not through summary and exposition but through
scenes.

10. A convincing ending

It must be the logical conclusion of the flow of your text or of the development of your
ideas. The reader must be left with the impression that the subject was adequately discussed or
presented.

Ways of ending:

a. Dramatic denoument

b. Note of quiet lyricism

c. Moral lesson

d. Anecdote

e. point made at the beginning of the essay

Application

Choose one topic from the following and write an essay incorporating the strategies you
learned from this module. Write a catchy title for your text.

a. My unforgettable travel

b. My best friend

c. My favorite pet

d. My greatest learning

e. My college life

e. Environmental issues

f. Animals or insects
 Writing Exercise

From the strategies of writing creative nonfiction, what important

characteristics must a writer of creative nonfiction possess?
Synapse Strengthener

Research examples of texts employing the various types of presenting the following techniques:

1. Rhetorical Devices

2. Character

3. Convincing Ending
23 | P a g e References

REFERENCE

Hidalgo, Christina P. (2005) Creative Nonfiction A Manual For Filipino Writers. Quezon City:
The University of the Philippines Press.