Creative Non-Fiction Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Welcome to the pilot episode of Creative Non-Fiction.
• Sessions take place on Tuesdays from 4 PM to 4:40 PM.
• Topic for the week: Introduction to Creative Non-Fiction.

Shout-Outs

• Shout-outs to various schools and individuals in the creative writing community.
• Notable mentions include:
  • Christo Ray High School families
  • Principal Sir Noelle Pauge
  • Head Teacher Mom Gina
  • Other students and teachers participating.

Creative Non-Fiction Overview

• Definition: Creative non-fiction is a true story told in a literary way, emphasizing plot, character, development, and dialogue as important as facts and research.
• Unlike creative writing (fiction), creative non-fiction focuses on real-life events.

Key Terms

• Fourth Genre: Refers to Creative Non-Fiction as an additional genre alongside fiction, poetry, and drama.
• Narrative Non-Fiction: Another term used to describe creative non-fiction.

History of Creative Non-Fiction

• Emerged in the 21st century but has roots dating back to the 16th century with writers like Michel de Montaigne, who popularized essays.
• Lee Gutkind is known as the "Godfather of Creative Non-Fiction" for establishing the first non-fiction magazine.

Reasons for Writing Creative Non-Fiction

1. Family History: Documenting family stories for future generations.
2. Sharing Experiences: Writing about exciting or painful experiences.
3. Profound Realizations: Reflecting on important insights or realizations.
4. Trauma: Writing about difficult childhood or adulthood experiences as a form of catharsis.
5. Preservation of Emotions: Documenting feelings and emotions for self-reflection.
6. Inspiration: Sharing stories that inspire hope in others.

Fiction vs. Non-Fiction

• Characters: In fiction, characters are based on real people but can be imaginary; in non-fiction, characters are real.
• Dialogue: Fictional dialogue can be made up; non-fiction dialogue is often verbatim.
• Events: Fiction can invent events; non-fiction recounts true events.
• Research: Non-fiction requires research for accuracy.

Forms of Non-Fiction

Short Forms (750 - 5,000 words)

• Personal Essay
• Lyrical Essay
• Travel Essay/Article (Travelogue)
• Food Article/Blog
• Literary Journalism
• Science and Nature Writing
• Mosaic Vignette

Longer Forms (50,000 - 100,000 words)

• Memoirs
• Autobiographies
• Biographies
• Non-Fiction Novels

Sample Creative Non-Fiction

• Example vignette about a frog on the bathroom wall, reflecting on themes of peace and comfort in chaos.
• Discussion of insights gained from the vignette, highlighting personal reflections and the nature of finding peace.

Conclusion and Challenge

• Students are tasked with writing a short creative summary of what they learned about creative non-fiction.
• Submissions due next week on Facebook with a picture using the hashtag #nonfiction.
• Closing quote from Maya Angelou: "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."

Next Session

• Reminder to join for the next session and thank attendees.