flash essay and testimonio are examples of creative nonfiction

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Deep Dive into Short Forms: Flash Nonfiction

Mar 05, 2019 by Brenda Joyce Patterson published in Writing

It’s fitting, as a poet, that my first published foray into fiction, Let It Go , was a piece of flash fiction. The story clocked in at a brief 286 words.

Brevity is the bedrock of writing flash. I consider flash writing forms as cousins to poetry. Grant Faulkner, the editor of the literary magazine 100 Word Story , describes flash similarly: “I think of flash fiction as being one part story, one part poem.” Flash shares the same mandate as poetry—brevity and distillation. Like poetry, every word counts. Its collective hybrid forms rely on the importance of description carefully chosen to evoke character, setting, time and place.

To understand the literary hydra that is flash, let’s dip into its many faces, names, and word counts. Generally, flash encompasses both fiction and nonfiction. It straddles the line between poetry and longer fiction. Between poetry and long-form creative nonfiction.

The term “flash” refers to the form’s length, which can vary anywhere from six to 2,000 words. Most published flash falls between 300 to 1,000 words. Flash nonfiction, specifically, usually runs between 500 to 1,000 words.

Flash fiction goes by multiple names—microfiction, short-shorts, quick fiction, immediate fiction, and sudden fiction—and rambles through a variety of genres. Flash nonfiction focuses on memoir, essay, and factual writing. It’s also called by more than one name, such as micro essay, flash creative nonfiction, and flash memoir.

At this point, you’re probably expecting me to discuss boring specificities like point-of-view requirements—first person, second person, or third person omniscient. Not so much. Although flash nonfiction is all about the facts, there’s more to it than that. That’s what makes flash nonfiction so exciting.

We read fiction to be transported; we read nonfiction to be amazed. After all, what’s more astonishing than life? The only specificity about flash nonfiction is writing what’s true, writing what’s factual, while using fiction-writing techniques and a poet’s sensibility. Telling the truth with flair.

Where There’s Flash, There’s Flair

A single theme, metaphor, or decisive action becomes the lens a poet uses to lead readers into their poem. In Niya Marie’s The Black Hairstory Lesson , I’m reminded how true that is, too, for flash nonfiction. She uses the ritual of haircare and its place in Black culture as the lens to tell her history or hairstory. In a mere 715 words, she unspools beauty shop culture, pop culture, and her evolving sense of self.

She begins sometime between “the year micro-braided, brokenhearted girls sang Ashanti” and “the year triple-X-tee’d boys-will-be-boys broke down the name of Osama bin Laden”.  Her hairstory frames the relationship with her first and last boyfriend and her personal evolution.

Let’s read:

“He was City Blue down to the socks. Cords of muscle coiled like concertina wire under his brick-brown skin. Irises like dollops of burnt sugar would melt the size-2 Baby Phat right off my peekaboo hips. Whenever his mother worked a double at the hospital, I’d be in her kitchen baking brownies in nothing but a wife beater, just to show her son I could be that girl, his girl, the girl latched onto a boy’s hip as if she’d sprung from it. I wasn’t his first, but I was determined to be his last. I kept my straightened hair shiny as a new penny and swooped it over my left eye like Aaliyah. I got a touch-up every six weeks to mirror the girls who’d come before me and keep pace with the ever eager next-ups.”

That short passage crackles with imagery and is full of detail: City Blue, Baby Phat, Aaliyah, straightened hair and a touch-up. All chosen to best set the scene of urban African-American teens.

For me, Marie’s words sing most true when she describes the transformation of her hair into an artificial sleekness:

“The point of her rattail comb would needle my scalp as she cleaved through sheaves of my blown out hair. I inhaled a flurry of scents: the hair care aisle’s ethnic section uncorked; baby powder, Muslim smell-goods; the bitterness of he-ain’t-shit blues, the sweetness of he-put-it-down arias; smoking metal heated just shy of incandescence; and the lingering pungency of relaxer.”

“Once pleased with the geometry of her parts, Ms. Jackie would relieve the stove of its iron. I’d hear the clink-clink-clank of catch and release, and feel her cooling breath chasing the blackened barrel down the length of my hair. After an hour or three, my strands—lovingly cooked into submission—would cascade over my shoulders like chiffon.”

Marie highlights a unique slice of Black hair culture and, at the same time, evokes a universal moment of female beauty culture.  

Freedom Without, Freedom Within

Flash’s allure is in its brevity and utter openness to other genres. Poets and fiction writers can easily transfer their skills to this different but related form. This makes Marie’s deft use of language—her word choice and its musicality—understandable. About her work overall, she says: “I fancied myself a fiction writer until I encountered a genre-queer called creative nonfiction.”

In The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction , Dinty W. Moore instructs writers on creating their own pieces:

“The brief essay, in other words, needs to be hot from the first sentence, and the heat must remain the entire time. My fire metaphor […] does not refer to incendiary subject matter. The heat might come from language, from image, from voice or point-of-view, from revelation or suspense, but there must always be a burning urgency of some sort, translated through each sentence, starting with the first.”

If flash nonfiction is new to you, I suggest reading the following books and magazines to get started:

• Brevity Magazine —  Dinty W. Moore, editor
• Creative Nonfiction Magazine —  Lee Gutkind, editor  
• Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction —  Lee Gutkind, editor
• 100 Word Story Magazine — Grant Faulkner, editor
• The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction — Dinty W. Moore, editor

Brenda Joyce Patterson is a poet, writer, librarian, and lover of short writing forms. Her poetry and flash fiction have been published in Vayavya , Gravel Magazine , and Melancholy Hyperbole . Along with works by Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Alice Walker, her travel essay “The Kindness of Strangers” appeared in Go Girl: The Black Woman’s Guide to Travel and Adventure.

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• Sep 13, 2023

What Is Flash Nonfiction and Why Should You Try Writing It?

For aspiring writers, knowing what to write about is one of the hardest parts of the creative process. It’s easy to feel like you don’t have any good ideas, wonder if you have any credibility to be an author, or even ask yourself why anyone would care about what you have to say.

If you’re looking for a way to get started, flash nonfiction might give you a genre to experiment with and discover your voice.

After all . . . for a lot of creative people, the first step to becoming a real writer is writing your own story.

Flash nonfiction is a genre of writing that captures a moment of life in a short, vivid essay.

This type of writing requires writers to use detail and description to make the most out of a limited word count. This means you’ll get practice not just coming up with material from your own life but editing as you work to trim it down.

So, what is flash nonfiction, and why should you try writing it? Flash nonfiction offers a creative challenge for writers looking to tell a story concisely, with the bonus of allowing the writer to explore a wide variety of topics without getting bogged down in too much detail.

Plus, since the stories are so short, they can be easily shared and read by a broad audience. This is especially crucial in our time of soundbites, social media posts, and short attention spans.

So, why should you try writing flash nonfiction? Let’s dig into why it might be the right fit for your writing process.

What is Flash Nonfiction? A Deeper Definition

Flash nonfiction is a unique genre of writing that captures the essence of a moment or experience in a concise, impactful way. Unlike traditional essays or memoirs, flash nonfiction focuses on the power of brevity, using vivid details and descriptions to convey a story or idea in a short piece.

While there’s no real set word count, I’ve found in studying this genre that the essays can run anywhere from one sentence to around 1,500 words. Regardless of length, flash nonfiction challenges writers to distill their thoughts and emotions, requiring them to choose every word carefully for maximum impact.

Flash nonfiction is not bound by a specific topic or theme, allowing writers to explore a wide range of subjects and ideas. Flash nonfiction allows writers to experiment with different narratives and storytelling techniques, whether it's a personal anecdote, a reflection on a significant event, or a thought-provoking observation.

Additionally, the short length of these pieces makes them easily shareable and accessible to a wide audience, allowing writers to connect with readers on a more intimate level.

Creative Benefits of Writing Flash Nonfiction

Flash nonfiction offers writers multiple ways to refine their voice, find their material, and capture readers’ attention. By focusing on brevity, writers must choose every word carefully, resulting in stronger writing overall.

Additionally, flash nonfiction allows writers to experiment with different narrative styles and techniques, allowing them to expand their creative repertoire. As you experiment, you write pieces that pique your interest and make you want to keep on creating. However, you may write others that you decide to set aside for later.

The fact that you are working with shorter pieces makes it easy for you to experience the rush of quickly refining a selection of your work. This will likely make you even more excited about your writing and inspire you to create even more.

As a result, writing flash nonfiction can boost confidence. Since these pieces are shorter, they are less intimidating to tackle compared to longer forms of writing. This can be particularly beneficial for writers who are just starting out or struggling to develop ideas.

How to Get Started with Flash Nonfiction

If you're interested in trying flash nonfiction, what are you waiting for? Here are a few tips to help you dive in.

The first step, of course, is to mine your life for ideas. Look for moments or experiences in your own life that have left a lasting impact. Consider small details that can be explored and expanded upon in a concise essay. Jot down notes and observations, allowing yourself to immerse in the memories.

It’s important to remember that these ideas don’t necessarily have to be about huge life events—in fact, it’s better if they aren’t. One of my favorite flash nonfiction authors, Beth Anne Fennelly, describes her writing ideas as a treasure box where she gathers up small things she notices and images that have impacted her.

Centering your piece on a particular image instead of an event with multiple turning points will make writing something short and punchy easier.

Next, start writing. Don't worry about perfection or word count just yet. Let your thoughts flow onto the page and focus on capturing the moment’s essence.

Remember, flash nonfiction is all about brevity, so be selective with your words and use vivid descriptions to paint a picture for the reader.

Once you have a draft, revise and edit. Trim any unnecessary details or words that may detract from the overall impact of your piece. Make sure every word serves a purpose and contributes to the larger story you're trying to tell.

Quick Tips for Writing Engaging Flash Nonfiction

Crafting engaging flash nonfiction pieces requires attention to detail and a focus on capturing the essence of a moment or experience. Here are some tips to help you create compelling flash nonfiction:

· Begin your piece with a “hook”— a captivating opening sentence or paragraph that immediately grabs the reader's attention. This could be a vivid description, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statement.

· Instead of simply telling the reader about an experience, use descriptive language and sensory details to immerse them in the moment. Show them what it felt like, looked like, smelled like, and sounded like, allowing them to experience the story alongside you.

· Be concise. Flash nonfiction is all about brevity, so choose your words carefully. Eliminate unnecessary details and focus on what's essential to convey the heart of the story. Every word should serve a purpose and contribute to the overall impact of your piece.

· Create an emotional arc. Even in a short piece, strive to create an emotional journey for your readers. Take them from one emotional state to another, whether it's from laughter to contemplation or from sadness to hope. The emotional impact of your story will make it more memorable and resonant.

· Experiment with structure: Flash nonfiction offers the opportunity to play with structure and form. Try using fragmented sentences, nonlinear narratives, or even experimental layouts to add depth and creativity to your writing. I’ve seen flash nonfiction written as emails, grocery lists, and essays with very short sections.

· Edit ruthlessly. I know. This part isn’t fun, but when working with short pieces, it becomes especially necessary. Once you've written your piece, revise and edit with a critical eye. Trim any excess words, clarify your sentences, and make sure the pacing is tight. Remember, every word counts in flash nonfiction.

By incorporating these tips into your writing process, you'll be able to craft engaging and impactful flash nonfiction pieces that leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Want More Flash Nonfiction Tips?

At the end of this month, I’ll be holding a FREE webinar called Snapshots of Memories. This webinar will be a workshop that explores the genre of flash nonfiction.

You’ll find out how to incorporate powerful details, come up with ideas, and even leave with the beginning of a flash nonfiction piece of your own.

It’s the fastest, easiest way to learn how flash nonfiction can help you reach your full creative potential so you can impact and inspire readers.

Click here to register now!

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Flash Nonfiction: How To Write Creative Nonfiction In A Flash

Flash Nonfiction is like a lightning bolt of creativity, striking your mind with a burst of inspiration and leaving behind a lasting impact. With this genre, you have the power to capture real-life experiences in a way that is both concise and expressive, allowing you to connect with readers on a deeper level.

Whether you are a seasoned writer or a beginner, Flash Nonfiction offers a unique opportunity to explore the art of storytelling in a new, exciting way.

As you dive into the world of Flash Nonfiction, you’ll discover the freedom to choose your own topics, craft your own narratives, and share your work with others. This genre is all about experimentation and innovation, giving you the chance to push the boundaries of traditional writing and break new ground.

With the right mindset and a few helpful tips, you can unlock your full potential as a writer and create something truly amazing. So, let’s explore the world of Flash Nonfiction and discover how you can write creative nonfiction in a flash!

Key Takeaways

• Flash Nonfiction requires concise and engaging writing that balances storytelling and factual accuracy.
• Choosing a topic that writers are passionate about and researching sources is important in creating successful flash nonfiction.
• Cutting unnecessary details, using specific language, and avoiding repetition are key components of tightening prose in flash nonfiction.
• Sharing work with others and receiving constructive criticism is essential in developing skills and improving as a writer in flash nonfiction.

Understanding Flash Nonfiction

Don’t let brevity fool you, flash nonfiction is a powerful tool for conveying impactful stories. It is a form of creative nonfiction that emphasizes concise writing, typically under 1,000 words. But just because it’s short doesn’t mean it lacks substance.

In fact, flash nonfiction can be just as impactful as longer forms of creative nonfiction. To write flash nonfiction, finding inspiration is key. Explore different styles and techniques to find what works best for you and your story.

Some writers prefer a more lyrical approach, while others go for a straightforward journalistic style. Regardless of the style you choose, the goal is to pack a punch in a small space. So choose your words carefully and make every sentence count.

Choosing Your Topic

Find inspiration for your piece by exploring your passions and interests. Remember that the best writing comes from the heart. Think about what makes you tick, what excites you, and what you already know a lot about. This will help you choose a topic that you’re passionate about and that you’ll be able to write about with authority.

Once you have a general idea of what you want to write about, start researching sources to gather information and anecdotes that will help you flesh out your piece. Narrow your focus as you go, honing in on the most interesting and relevant information. This will help you keep your piece concise and engaging, while still providing enough detail to make it interesting.

With a little bit of work, you’ll be able to write a compelling piece of flash nonfiction that will capture your reader’s attention and leave them wanting more.

Crafting Your Narrative

Crafting your narrative requires a careful balance between engaging storytelling and factual accuracy, creating a piece that is both informative and captivating. One key element of crafting a successful flash nonfiction piece is developing your characters. While you may not have the same amount of space as in a longer piece, it’s still important to create characters that are dynamic and interesting.

Consider what motivates your characters, what their flaws and strengths are, and how they interact with the world around them. By doing so, you can create a story that’s not only informative, but also emotionally resonant.

Another important aspect of crafting your narrative is creating tension. In a flash nonfiction piece, you don’t necessarily have the luxury of building tension over several pages. Instead, you must use language and pacing to create a sense of urgency and anticipation.

One way to do this is to focus on a specific moment in time, rather than trying to tell an entire story. By zooming in on a single moment, you can create a sense of immediacy and tension that’ll keep your readers engaged.

Remember, while flash nonfiction may be short, it can still be just as powerful and impactful as a longer piece of writing.

Editing and Revising

Editing and revising are crucial steps in the process of crafting a compelling flash nonfiction piece. Once you have written your initial draft, it’s time to dig in and refine your work to ensure it packs a punch.

Take a meticulous approach, channeling your inner editor to scrutinize every word, sentence, and paragraph. Ask yourself if each element contributes to the overall impact of your story.

Cut out any unnecessary details or digressions that detract from the main narrative. Look for opportunities to strengthen your prose, making it more concise and impactful.

By embracing the power of editing and revising, you can transform your flash nonfiction into a polished gem that captivates readers and leaves a lasting impression.

Cutting Unnecessary Details

You don’t need to include every single leaf on the tree to paint a vivid picture in your reader’s mind, so trim the unnecessary details and let your story blossom like a beautiful flower.

Eliminating clutter and focusing on essentials is the key to crafting compelling flash nonfiction. Here are four ways you can cut unnecessary details and make your writing shine:

• Use specific and sensory language to create a sensory experience for your readers.
• Focus on the most important details that drive your story forward and leave out anything that doesn’t contribute to the narrative.
• Don’t over-explain or over-describe – trust your reader to fill in the gaps.
• Use active verbs and avoid passive voice to create a sense of immediacy and energy in your writing.

By following these tips, you can create flash nonfiction that captures your reader’s attention and leaves a lasting impact.

Remember, less is often more, so don’t be afraid to cut out the unnecessary details and let your story shine.

Tightening Your Prose

Streamlining your writing not only enhances the flow of your story, but it also showcases your ability to convey complex ideas with brevity. Improving clarity and eliminating fluff are key components of tightening your prose.

One way to achieve this is by cutting unnecessary words and phrases that don’t add value to your story. To tighten your prose, start by identifying the purpose of each sentence. Ask yourself: does this sentence move the story forward? Does it provide new information? If the answer is no, consider cutting it.

Additionally, be mindful of repetition and wordiness. Avoid using multiple words to say the same thing and opt for simpler, more direct language. By doing so, you’ll not only improve the clarity of your writing, but you’ll also captivate your audience with your innovative approach to storytelling.

Sharing Your Work

Now, it’s time to share your work with others and get feedback to improve your flash nonfiction writing. Receiving feedback is essential to developing your skills and crafting stories that resonate with your audience. Building a community of fellow writers and readers can also provide support and inspiration as you continue to grow as a writer.

When sharing your work, consider joining a writing group or workshop where you can receive constructive criticism and learn from others. Online communities, such as writing forums and social media groups, can also provide opportunities to connect with other writers and share your work.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and ask for feedback – it’s the only way to improve and grow as a writer. Remember, writing is a journey, and building a supportive community can make the journey all the more rewarding.

In conclusion, writing flash nonfiction is a unique and exhilarating form of storytelling that allows you to capture profound moments in a concise and impactful way.

By understanding the essence of flash nonfiction, choosing the right topic, crafting a compelling narrative, and honing your editing and revising skills, you can create captivating pieces that leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Remember to cut out unnecessary details, tighten your prose, and share your work with the world. Embrace the power of brevity and precision, and let your words shine with intensity.

So go forth, fellow writers, and dive into the world of flash nonfiction, where every word counts and every story has the potential to spark a connection. Happy writing!

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What's a Flash Essay?

Tw column by martha nichols, the mind at work—in a thousand words.

The mind is a magpie, which is what makes essays so delightful. The classic essay is woven with shiny scraps of memory, fact, argument, and self-observation. It takes existential leaps amid personal ruminations. There are countless wonderful and weird examples, penned (or typed) by everyone from Michel de Montaigne to Ralph Waldo Emerson to Joan Didion to Zadie Smith.

The best essays often read as if they emerged full-blown from a writer’s head. Yet, Montaigne, originator of the form, was famously revising his work right up to his death. The process of accumulating a big nest of thoughts, then cutting it down, then adding something back, then whittling away more, creates a final product that mimics the mind at work.

I love essays for many reasons, not the least of which is their rambling quality. But now, I also find myself drawn to flash essays. At a thousand words (give or take a hundred), flash essays are very short compared with the classics. By “flash essay,” however, I still mean an essay —prose that’s driven by ideas rather than the narrative techniques of creative nonfiction.

Flash essays may include an anecdote or two, but they’re not memoir. They’re not “lyrical.” They don’t narrate a personal story in the second-person ( you went into 7-11, wondering if the blood running down your legs would pool around your socks) or third-person voice. Flash essays resemble a first-person opinion piece rather than a fictional short story.

Take “Wild Messengers” by Jennifer Holland, a post that appeared in the New York Times “Opinionator” blog last November. “About a decade ago,” Holland begins, “a brain tumor came to steal my mother away.”

She recounts leaving the sickroom briefly for a drive on a wintry Minnesota morning, when she saw “nine bald eagles along that stretch of road” on “the ninth of February.” Then, almost as soon as Holland returned to the house, her mother died. “I’m not a religious person, not even a particularly spiritual one,” she writes, adding:

That night, though, I couldn’t help but think that those birds were nature’s messenger…. I can certainly imagine my mom, a true animal lover, choosing majestic birds, their number matching the date (a little nudge to see if I was paying attention), to prepare me and say her goodbye. When I suspended my disbelief, it made perfect sense.

It’s a first-person story, including a vivid anecdote about the eagles. But she goes on to weave in references to religious traditions that have venerated animals as spirit messengers, touching on St. Francis, Native American totems, even Wild by Cheryl Strayed. From her opening line, Holland signals she’s looking back, pondering what it all means. She questions, then whittles away.

It’s a flash essay—just over 1,160 words. However, from where I sit as a magazine journalist, there’s a whole lot of confusion about the difference between an essay like this one and a personal narrative.

At worst, the boom in teaching nonfiction in creative writing programs has influenced novice writers to jettison the intellectual playfulness of essays in favor of narrative scenes and “true stories.” Literary discussions of flash often assume "micro-essays" are real-life twists on flash fiction. But they aren’t, at least not for me.

Part of the confusion involves the mishmash of mainstream magazines, newspapers, blogs, and literary journals that all publish short nonfiction. It’s great to have more venues now, but journalistic editors and literary editors assess nonfiction features differently. I’m always thinking of provocative titles and leads, about cluing in readers quickly to the focus of a feature. While I appreciate the emotional wallop of good flash fiction and memoir, the literary compression that’s so much a part of flash can undercut clarity of purpose and meaning in nonfiction.

In TW’s 2014 flash nonfiction contest (judged by Dinty W. Moore of Brevity ), we received many strong memoir and narrative nonfiction entries, but very few attempts at essays. This is anecdotal evidence at best. Still, I now believe the 500-word limit we set is too short for an essay.

Even flash essays need space for thoughts to ramble—and thoughts are the things that power a strong “I” voice. Montaigne remains the model. Centuries after he began writing his essays in 1571, a sickly French aristocrat who’d retired from public life in his late thirties, it’s tough to think of a quirkier, more skeptical persona. Here’s how he begins “On Liars”:

There is nobody less suited than I am to start talking about memory. I can hardly find a trace of it in myself; I doubt if there is any other memory in the world as grotesquely faulty as mine is!

This is not a narrative opening. But it’s a great hook for an essay, one that nudges readers to draw personal comparisons as well as to follow his thoughts. “On Liars” moves from Montaigne’s wry observations about himself to classical references to the crucial distinction between not remembering and deliberately lying. Some of his later essays are sixty-pages-plus, but this one comes in at under 2,500 words.

In the twenty-first-century, of course, there are practical reasons for essayists to stick to a thousand words. My own reading habits have changed after a decade awash in digital media. I get bored fast. I tend to skip around, looking for relevant facts and takeaways. My “grotesquely faulty” memory could compete with Montaigne.

But today’s antsy readers don’t just have short attention spans. They also want to engage with what they read—commenting, arguing, challenging what “experts say.” While this may annoy traditional journalists or elite literary writers— what gives a mere reader the right to question my information or assumptions? —it’s where flash essayists can excel.

So, consider this an invitation to the dance of ideas. After much collecting and cutting, adding and subtracting, this flash essay is just a smidge over a thousand words. Longer than an op-ed, but with room for a few unnecessary shiny bits, such as this credo for all nonfiction writers from the essay master himself:

Lying is an accursed vice. It is only our words that bind us together and make us human.

Publishing Information

• TW Contests : Talking Writing 2014 contest winners and judges.
• Montaigne quotes (“There is nobody less suited” and “Lying is an accursed vice”) from “On Liars” in Michel de Montaigne: The Complete Essays , translated by M.A. Screech (Penguin Books, 1991/2003).
• Calculation of word length based on “Of Liars” in The Essays of Michel de Montaigne , translated by Charles Cotton, edited by William Carew Hazlitt, 1877 (first published in 1580; Project Gutenberg, 2006).
• “Where to Publish Flash Nonfiction and Micro-Essays” by Erika Dreifus on her website, January 27, 2012 (updated January 3, 2015). A helpful list with links, including everything from 100 Word Story and Brevity to American Journal of Nursing .

Art Information

•  "Day 38: Think Think" © Ansy Wong; used by permission.

Some of the best entries in TW's flash nonfiction contest will appear in Winter 2015 and other issues this year. Martha also notes that the usual theme essays in Talking Writing (800 to 1,200 words) are flash essays—at least by her definition.

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Creative Nonfiction

A Bird in the Cage

This testimonio is from my mother’s story of her life

I was born in the province of Bohol. I was the fifth child of twelve. My parents are both farmers. We were living in a simple house at a top of the mountain. And as the eldest among my sisters, I was responsible for all the household chores and serve as the mother of my younger siblings by taking care of them while my parents are on the farm. It was so hard for me to study because our school is about 4 kilometers away from our house and it was located at the bottom of the mountain. So, I have to walk every day before and after class. Every time I got home, I was so exhausted wanting to sleep but my mother always force me to do the household chores or else I will be punished.  So, I have no choice but to do what she asked me. My everyday life is so tiring and difficult. My mother always treated me so badly. I never feel the love of a mother. And my father, he always came home drunk but even though he’s drunk he never laid his hands to us not like any other drunks who always messing around violently. There are times that we don’t have food to eat because he spends the money in drinking and in the cock fighting. Every time he went home my mother scolded him. Almost every day there is a war in the house. But despite all of those happenings in my life, I was so proud of myself.

Since elementary to high school I was a consistent honor student. My medals and achievements are my precious possessions. Every day and every time I received awards I always thank God for always staying with me in times of trial and happiness. My faith in God will never ever disappear. And I also have faith that I will enter to college despite of our poverty. It is the only way that I can see to escape from this way of living.

But my mother told me no, “you can’t go to college. We don’t have money for your expenses and you should help me feeding your siblings. You should go to work!” .My heart broke and shattered. I cried and cried when I got home. I can’t accept that I can’t go college. I really want to go to college. Any course is fine for me I just want to go to college. But no matter how many times I beg she never listened but instead she shouted at me forcing me to do the work.

I was hired as a helper at a Chinese convenient store for two months and I eventually went to Mindanao because my Uncle promised me to help me finished my education. But when I get there he made me as his child’s babysitter. I thought I could continue my study. I was so disappointed and upset.

How long should I endure this terrible cage of mine? How long do I have to wait before I get my freedom? It’s been FOUR YEARS of working in different stores and houses! Does my right in education have already been forgotten?  I can’t accept this. I don’t want to stay in this kind of life forever! I have to do something.

Then, my older cousin heard my complains.  She offers me her help; she is willing to pay for my enrollment and expenses for just a year. But the problem is, will my mother allows me to return to school? Knowing that it can affect my work?

I was so desperate. I have to tell my mother that I really want to enter college. I was so nervous and scared. What if she rejects the offer? What will happen to my future? I was completely shocked. My mother has given the permission to accept the offer. My heart is overflowed with joy. I was so happy after FOUR YEARS finally I can truly go to college.

I take the vocational course, nursing aid. And as promised I finished it in a year. After that my cousin brought me to the brother of her master who is a doctor to assist him on his clinic because his wife is on abroad.  But I never expect that he is the person who can help me finished the college.

And now I am a licensed registered midwife who is currently working at the Hospital of Carmona, Cavite.

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Home > Honors Theses, 1990-2015 > 460

HIM 1990-2015

Genre criticism: is testimonio a/part of creative nonfiction.

Melissa Lopez , University of Central Florida

Within ethnic literature, there appears to have been a rise in unique narrative styles. What was once considered a minimized form of expression, creative nonfiction as a genre is now evolving and includes a diverse group of authors. Yet, the usage of ethno-literacy styles in the creative nonfiction genre is still largely unnoticed amongst the academic community.

For students within academe, there is a limited comprehension of the expansive ethnic genres for writing and reading, simply that traditional genres of prose and poetry exist. Through analysis of the writing style know as testimonio within Latino/a literature, this thesis will attempt to dismantle the notion that one must write solely with traditional creative writing limitations. In particular, this research will focus on whether the testimonio writing style can be considered its own genre, or a sub-genre of creative nonfiction. It will also draw upon various feminist theories in order to show the perspectives and contributions of women within the genre. Furthermore, I aim to reconstruct such creative writing restrictions by providing a historical analysis and survey of literatures of both testimonio and creative nonfiction. For the survey of literatures, four creative nonfiction personal essays and four testimonios were chosen according to chronological and cultural influence. Nonfiction authors, Seneca, Michel de Montaigne, Virginia Woolf, and F. Scott Fitzgerald created the personal essays being analyzed. The testimonies that will be examined were written by Helena Viramontes, Sandra Maria Esteves, Dolores Prida, and Rigoberta Menchu. Finally, a synthesis of the research will be brought to close by including a creative piece that will aim to utilize a cross-blending of the two writing styles.

This item is only available in print in the UCF Libraries. If this is your thesis or dissertation, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world by downloading and filling out the Internet Distribution Consent Agreement . You may also contact the project coordinator Kerri Bottorff for more information.

Thesis Completion

Milanes, Cecilia Rodriguez

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree Program

Creative Writing

Arts and Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic; Dissertations, Academic -- Arts and Sciences

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

Document type.

Honors in the Major Thesis

Recommended Citation

Lopez, Melissa, "Genre Criticism: Is Testimonio A/Part of Creative Nonfiction?" (2005). HIM 1990-2015 . 460. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/honorstheses1990-2015/460

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Examples of Creative Nonfiction: What It Is & How to Write It

POSTED ON Jul 21, 2023

Written by P.J McNulty

When most people think of creative writing, they picture fiction books – but there are plenty of examples of creative nonfiction. In fact, creative nonfiction is one of the most interesting genres to read and write. So what is creative nonfiction exactly? 

More and more people are discovering the joy of getting immersed in content based on true life that has all the quality and craft of a well-written novel. If you are interested in writing creative nonfiction, it’s important to understand different examples of creative nonfiction as a genre. 

If you’ve ever gotten lost in memoirs so descriptive that you felt you’d walked in the shoes of those people, those are perfect examples of creative nonfiction – and you understand exactly why this genre is so popular.

But is creative nonfiction a viable form of writing to pursue? What is creative nonfiction best used to convey? And what are some popular creative nonfiction examples?

Today we will discuss all about this genre, including plenty of examples of creative nonfiction books – so you’ll know exactly how to write it. 

This Guide to Creative Nonfiction Covers:

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Creative nonfiction is defined as true events written about with the techniques and style traditionally found in creative writing . We can understand what creative nonfiction is by contrasting it with plain-old nonfiction. 

Think about news or a history textbook, for example. These nonfiction pieces tend to be written in very matter-of-fact, declarative language. While informative, this type of nonfiction often lacks the flair and pleasure that keep people hooked on fictional novels.

Imagine there are two retellings of a true crime story – one in a newspaper and the other in the script for a podcast. Which is more likely to grip you? The dry, factual language, or the evocative, emotionally impactful creative writing?

Podcasts are often great examples of creative nonfiction – but of course, creative nonfiction can be used in books too. In fact, there are many types of creative nonfiction writing. Let's take a look!

Types of creative nonfiction

Creative nonfiction comes in many different forms and flavors. Just as there are myriad types of creative writing, there are almost as many types of creative nonfiction.

Some of the most popular types include:

Literary nonfiction

Literary nonfiction refers to any form of factual writing that employs the literary elements that are more commonly found in fiction. If you’re writing about a true event (but using elements such as metaphor and theme) you might well be writing literary nonfiction.

Writing a life story doesn’t have to be a dry, chronological depiction of your years on Earth. You can use memoirs to creatively tell about events or ongoing themes in your life.

If you’re unsure of what kind of creative nonfiction to write, why not consider a creative memoir? After all, no one else can tell your life story like you. 

Nature writing

The beauty of the natural world is an ongoing source of creative inspiration for many people, from photographers to documentary makers. But it’s also a great focus for a creative nonfiction writer. Evoking the majesty and wonder of our environment is an endless source of material for creative nonfiction. 

Travel writing

If you’ve ever read a great travel article or book, you’ll almost feel as if you've been on the journey yourself. There’s something special about travel writing that conveys not only the literal journey, but the personal journey that takes place.

Writers with a passion for exploring the world should consider travel writing as their form of creative nonfiction. 

For types of writing that leave a lasting impact on the world, look no further than speeches. From a preacher's sermon, to ‘I have a dream’, speeches move hearts and minds like almost nothing else. The difference between an effective speech and one that falls on deaf ears is little more than the creative skill with which it is written. 

Biographies

Noteworthy figures from history and contemporary times alike are great sources for creative nonfiction. Think about the difference between reading about someone’s life on Wikipedia and reading about it in a critically-acclaimed biography.

Which is the better way of honoring that person’s legacy and achievements? Which is more fun to read? If there’s someone whose life story is one you’d love to tell, creative nonfiction might be the best way to do it. 

So now that you have an idea of what creative nonfiction is, and some different ways you can write it, let's take a look at some popular examples of creative nonfiction books and speeches.

Examples of Creative Nonfiction

Here are our favorite examples of creative nonfiction:

1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

No list of examples of creative nonfiction would be complete without In Cold Blood . This landmark work of literary nonfiction by Truman Capote helped to establish the literary nonfiction genre in its modern form, and paved the way for the contemporary true crime boom.  

2. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway's A Moveable Feast is undeniably one of the best creative memoirs ever written. It beautifully reflects on Hemingway’s time in Paris – and whisks you away into the cobblestone streets.  

3. World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

If you're looking for examples of creative nonfiction nature writing, no one does it quite like Aimee Nezhukumatathil. World of Wonders  is a beautiful series of essays that poetically depicts the varied natural landscapes she enjoyed over the years. 

4. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is one of the most beloved travel writers of our time. And A Walk in the Woods is perhaps Bryson in his peak form. This much-loved travel book uses creativity to explore the Appalachian Trail and convey Bryson’s opinions on America in his humorous trademark style.

5. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

 While most of our examples of creative nonfiction are books, we would be remiss not to include at least one speech. The Gettysburg Address is one of the most impactful speeches in American history, and an inspiring example for creative nonfiction writers.

6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Few have a way with words like Maya Angelou. Her triumphant book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , shows the power of literature to transcend one’s circumstances at any time. It is one of the best examples of creative nonfiction that truly sucks you in.

7. Hiroshima by John Hershey

Hiroshima is a powerful retelling of the events during (and following) the infamous atomic bomb. This journalistic masterpiece is told through the memories of survivors – and will stay with you long after you've finished the final page.

8. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

If you haven't read the book, you've probably seen the film. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is one of the most popular travel memoirs in history. This romp of creative nonfiction teaches us how to truly unmake and rebuild ourselves through the lens of travel.

9. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Never has language learning brought tears of laughter like Me Talk Pretty One Day . David Sedaris comically divulges his (often failed) attempts to learn French with a decidedly sadistic teacher, and all the other mishaps he encounters in his fated move from New York to Paris.

10. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Many of us had complicated childhoods, but few of us experienced the hardships of Jeannette Walls. In The Glass Castle , she gives us a transparent look at the betrayals and torments of her youth and how she overcame them with grace – weaving her trauma until it reads like a whimsical fairytale.

Now that you've seen plenty of creative nonfiction examples, it's time to learn how to write your own creative nonfiction masterpiece.

Tips for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Writing creative nonfiction has a lot in common with other types of writing. (You won’t be reinventing the wheel here.) The better you are at writing in general, the easier you’ll find your creative nonfiction project. But there are some nuances to be aware of.

Writing a successful creative nonfiction piece requires you to:

Choose a form

Before you commit to a creative nonfiction project, get clear on exactly what it is you want to write. That way, you can get familiar with the conventions of the style of writing and draw inspiration from some of its classics.

Try and find a balance between a type of creative nonfiction you find personally appealing and one you have the skill set to be effective at. 

Gather the facts

Like all forms of nonfiction, your creative project will require a great deal of research and preparation. If you’re writing about an event, try and gather as many sources of information as possible – so you can imbue your writing with a rich level of detail.

If it’s a piece about your life, jot down personal recollections and gather photos from your past. 

Plan your writing

Unlike a fictional novel, which tends to follow a fairly well-established structure, works of creative nonfiction have a less clear shape. To avoid the risk of meandering or getting weighed down by less significant sections, structure your project ahead of writing it.

You can either apply the classic fiction structures to a nonfictional event or take inspiration from the pacing of other examples of creative nonfiction you admire. 

You may also want to come up with a working title to inspire your writing. Using a free book title generator is a quick and easy way to do this and move on to the actual writing of your book.

Draft in your intended style

Unless you have a track record of writing creative nonfiction, the first time doing so can feel a little uncomfortable. You might second-guess your writing more than you usually would due to the novelty of applying creative techniques to real events. Because of this, it’s essential to get your first draft down as quickly as possible.

Rewrite and refine

After you finish your first draft, only then should you read back through it and critique your work. Perhaps you haven’t used enough source material. Or maybe you’ve overdone a certain creative technique. Whatever you happen to notice, take as long as you need to refine and rework it until your writing feels just right.

Ready to Wow the World With Your Story?

You know have the knowledge and inspiring examples of creative nonfiction you need to write a successful work in this genre. Whether you choose to write a riveting travel book, a tear-jerking memoir, or a biography that makes readers laugh out loud, creative nonfiction will give you the power to convey true events like never before.  

Who knows? Maybe your book will be on the next list of top creative nonfiction examples!

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Quick Non-Fic: Flash Nonfiction Markets

You’ve probably heard of flash fiction. Maybe you’ve written one (or several) bite-sized stories and submitted your tiny tale to a paying flash fiction market. But what if you’ve written short nonfiction? Although not as easy to find as their flash fiction counterparts, paying markets do exist for concise creative nonfiction, short essays, mini memoirs, and brief book reviews. Even better, a number of these markets accept work through Submittable.

Let’s look at a few examples.

“A tight word count means less space to impress editors…” Illustration by Josh Quick

Electric Literature

Nonprofit organization Electric Literature has a mission to highlight current events and social issues through quality writing. During brief submission windows on Submittable , check out their section entitled “The Commuter.” Flash prose, including experimental work, up to 1,500 words is considered. 

The Forge Literary Magazine

Having trouble finding an editor who likes your style? Try submitting your work to The Forge Literary Magazine , which rotates its editors. Anonymous fiction and nonfiction submissions up to 5,000 words are permitted through Submittable , with preference given to pieces under 3,000 words. Flash and micro works are especially appreciated.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts

If you can squeeze your narrative into 600 words or fewer, consider submitting it to The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts . Fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and experimental mixed media works are welcome. Send work anonymously through Submittable . Be sure to choose the correct category for your submission!

Have you read a book or poetry book that everyone should know about? If so, consider writing a 1,200 – 2,500 review and sending it to The Rumpus , a pop culture online magazine. Women and non-binary authors who would like to try their hand at comedy are welcome to submit 650 – 1,000 word pieces to their “Funny Women” category on Submittable . Accepted authors have the option to opt-in to a $300 pool shared among their fellow contributors.

True to its name, The Rush seeks flash fiction and nonfiction pieces that readers can breeze through. This literary magazine from Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles accepts both fiction and nonfiction prose up to 1,500 words as well as poetry through Submittable . Be attentive to their brief submission windows.

Split Lip Magazine

Think you can fit your memoir within a 2,000 word limit? Pop culture oriented Split Lip Magazine may become a good home for your compressed life story. Flash fiction and poetry are also welcome through Submittable . Please note, free submissions are only accepted in January, March, May, September, and November. Otherwise, there’s a reading fee. Split Lip Magazine is closed to submissions in July and August.

The Threepenny Review

Looking for an established publication that pays its contributors a princely sum? Check out The Threepenny Review . Like any well-known literary journal, competition is stiff. But why not take a chance submitting your maximum 1,000 word musings to their “Table Talk” section? Read samples of past work and guidelines on their website before sending work through their online submission system or snail mail. Please note: simultaneous submissions are not allowed.

Zetetic: A Record of Unusual Inquiry

Empire & Great Jones Creative Arts Foundation manages three anthology markets through their company E & GJ Little Press . One of these markets is Zetetic: A Record of Unusual Inquiry , which is interested in publishing creative nonfiction and stories that just don’t seem to fit in other literary venues. Submit prose from 400 – 2,500 words on their Submittable page. Be sure to check out their sister anthology collections: Ember: A Journal of Luminous Things for young readers ages 10 and up, and Spark: A Creative Anthology for literary adult fiction.

Since 2017, CRAFT has accepted literary short stories and flash fiction for their free online magazine. Now, as of 2020, creative flash nonfiction up to 1,000 words is also on their wishlist. CRAFT is additionally seeking 1,500 – 2,000 word essays about the craft of writing. In accordance with this magazine’s mission to highlight the art and craft of prose, accepted pieces are prefaced by editorial notes regarding the author’s style. Check out their Submittable page year round for opportunities. 

Submittable Content for Creatives

Naturally, I saved the best for last. What flash nonfiction market list would be complete without Submittable Content for Creatives ? This blog is responsible for my first paid nonfiction writing credit. It has since become my go-to publication for submitting helpful essays for writers. Maybe you have some writing tips to share with fellow authors as well. If so, check out the “Eclectic Essays” tab under the Submittable portal. There are also tabs for “Book Reviews” and “Interviews.” Although currently closed to submissions, check this market in the future for great opportunities. 

Time to find your best flash nonfiction market

As with any publication, be sure to read and follow all guidelines carefully before submitting work. Remember, short does not equal sloppy. A tight word count means less space to impress editors and readers for flash nonfiction markets. So, polish your piece and send it to one or more of the listed publishers. Because in today’s fast paced world, quick non-fic can capture editors’ and readers’ attention while hopefully avoiding the dreaded TL;DR designation.

E.J. LeRoy is a freelance writer, poet, and aspiring novelist who is a big fan of Submittable. Recently, LeRoy’s speculative short story, “Babel of Silence,” was published in  ON TIME,  an anthology from Transmundane Press. For more information, visit the author’s website at  https://ejleroy.weebly.com .

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Exploring the art of prose

FLASH CREATIVE NONFICTION

Forty-Eight Hours in Miami by Christina Simon

  My first time in Miami is tiny cups of sweet Cuban cortadito; and going to the Miami Open with my husband to join the crowds cheering for Carlos “Carlitos” Alcaraz, the Spanish teenage sensation and World #1; and rainy…

Snap, Stacked, & Night Sky with Generations by Rebe Huntman

  Snap Not when your mother makes you go to the dance. You tell her you’re sick. Really sick this time. See? You’ve broken out in hives. Not when she slathers you in calamine lotion & stuffs you into tights…

The Little List of Boys and Men Who Vanished by Claudia Monpere

  Number one had cerulean blue eyes and haloed heat as we danced at Sadie Hawkins in our matching flannel shirts and he wandered night stairs and stars almost as stoned as his mother and strummed “Dust in the Wind”…

Still Awake by Julie Marie Wade

  For Margaret Wise Brown In the great green room once known as The Earth, we stretched out in dry grass and stared up at the sky, arms akimbo behind our heads. Elbows for miles. There was a telephone, once…

Index of Body Parts by Kim Magowan

  Elbow The so-called “funny bone,” the most sensitive bone in the body. A tap here feels excruciating. The hardest point of the body, according to the scary mass email my mother-in-law sends (subject heading: FOR WOMEN!). “If assaulted, attack…

“When Doves Cry” by Anne Panning

  Prince tipped extravagantly. He’d leave $100 bills tucked under the ketchup. He did not condescend, but would wiggle his little fanny all the way out the door. The limos gobbled him up and deposited him at Paisley Park. Lavender…

For Rent by Rosa Kwon Easton

  You fluff the white rice for lunch. Aroma of fermented soybean paste stew wafts in the air. Gazing out the open window, you tense. You slap the rice paddle on the counter and rush outside, charging headfirst across the…

Gordon Bishop by Naomi Melati Bishop

  Gordon Bishop, fifty-six, is a one-eyed, one-legged, one-breasted single father. He is a native New Yorker who shares an antique-filled one-bedroom apartment in Hell’s Kitchen with his teenage daughter. Every night, Gordon sits at his desk wearing tighty-whities and…

Tatuajes by Rubén Degollado

  Indiana, in our cold one-car garage, motes of dust falling sideways, the sunlight diffused by the snow covering the ground outside, and we watched Apá working the punching bag, his untaped fists flashing with each swing. Behind my brother…

We Had Something Beautiful by Kathryn Silver-Hajo

  We were agents of change. We wrote about how hugging, laughter, and kissing can lengthen your life. Warned that toxins in commercial cosmetics seep surreptitiously through nails and pores. We advocated ditching pesticides and gardening with beneficial nematodes instead.…

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Where to Publish Flash Nonfiction

This list, though extensive, is in no way exhaustive. Many literary journals will consider short prose whether they advertise that fact or not. But these links lead to journals that have expressed a specific interest:

*82 Review 100 Word Story  

Arts & Letters Atlas + Alice Atticus Review

Baltimore Review Barren Magazine Bending Genres Booth Review Brevity Blog (Craft Discussions, Essays on the Writing Life) Burningwood Literary

Catholic Digest “Last Word” essays   Cincinnati Review (micro contest) Citron Review Cleaver Craft Literary Cutbank

decomP Deep Wild Journal Diagram

Ellipsis Zine Empty House Press

Fairy Tale Review Feed Fugue

Gigantic Sequins Gordon Square Review Guernica   (fewer than 2,500) Gulf Coast

Hippocampus Humana Obscura  (nature focused)

Ilanot Review Indiana Review

Long Leaf Review Lost Balloon Lunch Ticket

Monkeybicycle MoonPark Review Mslexia  (UK based; “for women who write”)

New Delta Review New South Journal New Orleans Review NY Times Modern Love  (a bit longer, 1500-1700 words)

Passages North Pidgeonholes Pithead Chapel Porter House Review Proximity

Quarter After Eight

River Teeth (Beautiful Things)

Sidereal Magazine Sleet Magazine Smokelong Quarterly Sonora Review Split Lip Spry Lit Stonecrop Review Sundog Lit Sweet: A Literary Confection

Tahoma Literary Review The Adroit Journal The Christian Science Monitor’s “Home Forum” section (‘upbeat’ essays) The Florida Review The Forge The Offing The Palisades Review The Pinch Journal T he Sun’s “Readers Write” section TriQuarterly Online

Unbroken Journal Under the Gum Tree

Waxwing Wildness WOW! Women on Writing

___ Further Resources

The Best of Brevity: Twenty Groundbreaking Years of Flash Nonfiction

The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Nonfiction

Crafting the Personal Essay

“Flash Nonfiction: An Interview with Dinty W. Moore”  ( River Teeth  blog)

Literary Magazines and Journals Database   (from Poets & Writers ; filter by “creative nonfiction”

The Brevity Blog

• Writing a Book Proposal: The Panic is Real
• The Wisdom of ‘We‘re Going on a Bear Hunt’
• Snot-Bubble-Cry Dance Parties That Boost Your Creativity
• Navigating the Timelines of Brutalities
• Strength in Numbers: How Three Out of Six Writing Group Pals Published in 2023

© 2024 Brevity: A Journal of Concise Literary Nonfiction. All Rights Reserved!

Designed by WPSHOWER

Course Syllabus

The Building Blocks of Personal Essay

Each of us has stories that are worth telling, but how can we fit the messiness of our lives through the narrow corridor of an essay? How can we resuscitate those moments on the page so that they live in the readers’ imaginations with the same force and freight as when we experienced them? How can we dramatize these events so that they attain the qualities of literature?

Over the course of ten weeks, students will learn the building blocks of a writing a personal essay—establishing a compelling narrative persona, creating strong characters, conjuring vivid descriptions, and building satisfying plots. Most importantly, students will learn how to connect their experiences to larger truths about our world. To do so, we’ll dissect the work of published authors and tweeze out for examination various elements of the personal essay. We will also look at contemporary trends in creative nonfiction, discussing recent developments in voice, essay structure, and hybrid genres. Students will write three 2,500 essays, as well as participate in optional writing assignments and class discussions.

How it works:  

Each week provides:

• discussions of assigned readings and other general writing topics with peers and the instructor
• written lectures and a selection of readings

Some weeks also include:

• writing exercises and/or prompts
• opportunities to submit a full-length essay for instructor and/or peer review (up to 2,500 words and typically in weeks 3, 6, and 9)
• optional video conferences that are open to all students in Week 2 (and which will be available afterwards as a recording for those who cannot participate)

Aside from the live conference, there is no need to be online at any particular time of day. To create a better classroom experience for all, you are expected to participate weekly in class discussions to receive instructor feedback on your work.

Week 1: Detail and Description

This week we will put a handful of classic personal essays under our critical lens to discuss the DNA of creative nonfiction—concrete details. We will also discuss some strategies for developing evocative descriptions. Students will be asked to complete a 500-word optional writing assignment that puts these strategies into practice.

Week 2: The Blueprint of a Scene

What makes an effective scene? How do they heighten the stakes of our stories? How is a scene different from exposition? For which moments in our stories do we use scenes? Many times we as essayists try to avoid scenes because we can’t remember exactly what was said or what happened. This week we will talk about how to account for those gaps in our memory and how to construct scenes that both propel the plot and add emotional depth to our stories.

Week 3: Establishing Character and Conflict

Our best stories usually hinge upon a clear conflict–a thwarted desire, an unexpected complication, a frayed relationship. This week we’ll talk about the importance of having a clear conflict and the differences between internal and external conflicts. We’ll also discuss strategies for ensuring that our characters aren’t stock caricatures but exist on the page as real people. Students will participate in a short exercise about sketching characters.

Week 4: Personae—The Many Voices of an Essayist

One of the most difficult things to achieve as an essayist is a compelling narrative persona. This week, we’ll talk about developing an authorial sensibility that effectively mirrors who we are as people. We’ll also discuss how different subjects will require different narrative voices and how we can recalibrate our narrative approach to suit these particular topics. Finally, we’ll devote a portion of this week to looking at nonstandard narrative perspectives, such as using the second- or third-person point of view to dramatize other people’s stories. Students will be asked to complete a 500 word optional writing assignment on narrative voice. Students will also turn in the first of three 2,500 essays.

Week 5: Structure—How to Scaffold Our Experiences

This week’s discussions will be centered on the various ways we can organize our essays. As one might expect, different structures can yield different effects, so we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using fragmented chronologies, braided storylines, topic-based structures, and other forms. Students will read a variety of essays that use some of these structures.

Week 6: The Nature of Truth

One of the most persistent questions that comes up in creative nonfiction classes is “what do we mean by nonfiction?” How do we as essayists claim to approximate the truth? What authority do we have in doing so? How can we present a subjective interpretation or reality without intruding upon the sanctity of facts? How can we present our memories even though they might be skewed by emotion or warped by time? This week, we’ll talk about how to navigate such questions as we write about potentially sensitive topics. Furthermore, we’ll address the ways in which the haziness of our memory can take our essays in interesting structural and thematic directions. Students will turn in the second of three 2,500 essays.

Week 7: Research—How to Find and Incorporate Outside Help

It would be silly to think that we’re limited solely to the limited the narrow parameters of our memories when we sit down to write about our lives. Not only can we call upon the usual suspects—books, magazine articles, academic journals—but we can also find essay fodder in the most unexpected of places—our parents’ diaries; our baby books; our father’s tax documents; the sermons of our childhood pastor; the lecture notes from our first college philosophy class; the brochure for the army our brother consulted when he decided to enlist. We’ll also discuss strategies for incorporating this research into our essays in ways that preserve the seamlessness of the narrative.

Week 8: Moving from the Personal to the Universal

Since grade school, many well-meaning teachers have told us that writing is an act of expression, but this definition often encourages flowery, me-centric writing and might allow us to think that our essays can be cathartic burst of emotions without any concern for who’s reading them. To my mind, writing is an act of communication, a transmission between two consciousnesses (writer-to-reader) facilitated by a well-dramatized, well-crafted story. In order for this communication to be successful, we essayists must figure out ways of connecting our experiences to larger ideas.

Week 9: Revision

This week we’ll discuss the most crucial phase in the writing process—revision. We’ll review common mechanical and conceptual issues, and discuss strategies for pruning our prose of fluff, re-structuring the paragraphs, and locating and cultivating larger themes in our work. Students will be given a checklist to guide them during revision. Students will also submit their final 2,500 essay of the term.

Week 10: Publishing

Entering the literary marketplace can be daunting, so this week’s lecture will be devoted to demystifying the experience. Aside from reviewing the basics of how to write a cover letter, how to interpret rejection letters, and how to pitch your work to agents and publishers, we’ll also talk about finding and submitting to literary magazines that match our aesthetics and sensibilities.