WELCOME TO CREATIVE
NONFICTION CLASS

Creative Nonfiction Defined
Uses literary styles and techniques to tell a true
and accurate story about events and people.
Also called literary nonfiction or narrative
nonfiction.
Creative nonfiction is different from other
nonfiction just like technical writing or journalism.

Technical writing or Journalism
a form of communication that professionals
use to convey information about specialized
topics. A technical writer might create content
to provide instructions or explain technical
concepts regarding environmental regulations,
computer applications, or medical procedures.

Creative Nonfiction Defined
When writing in this genre, the patterns of
development involve examples and explanations,
and the author must be actively involved in the
experiences that are being described.

Goal of creative nonfiction
The goal of the creative nonfiction writer is to
communicate information, just like a reporter, but
to shape it in a way that reads like fiction.”

Creative nonfiction has three
categories
Biographical narratives
Autobiographical narratives
Personal and informal essay

Creative nonfiction has three
categories
A biography is the life history of an individual, written
by someone else.
An autobiography is the story of a person's life,
written by that person.
The informal essay a type of essay is written as a
reflection or a response to something, or is written as
a type of informational piece about a personal
experience.

Creative writing
Creative writing is a written art form that uses the
imagination to tell stories and compose essays,
poetry, screenplays, novels, lyrics, and more..

Goal of Creative writing
Aims to entertain and share human
experiences

Creative writing Creative nonfiction
1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4. 4.
5. 5.
Differentiate creative writing from creative nonfiction. Write your answer
on your notebook.
Activity 1 : Between the Lines ENGAGE

WELCOME TO CREATIVE
NONFICTION CLASS

Understanding Conventions
of Traditional Genres
Creative nonfiction

Table of Contents
1. Conventions and writing
2. Traditional conventions

Conventions and writing
 Literary genres include poetry,
prose and drama

Traditional conventions
Fiction, meter, and drama

Literary Conventions
Literary genres include poetry, prose and
drama. We categorize them under these
genre because of the literary conventions that
they are known for.

Literary Conventions
Literary conventions mean aggregate of
norms and standards (i.e., plot, character,
setting, icon, theme, or effect in a genre
story) created in the realm of literary
heritage.

Literary Conventions
Conventions can also refer to the way of ideas are
expressed: Literal or figurative. In this sense, it can mean
the use of language that includes grammar (i.e., tense,
syntax), vocabulary, story structures, etc.
Literary genres are collections of conventions that aim to
create novelty and creativity.

Traditional Conventions
Fiction is a literary genre that tells
something based on imagination
rather than on facts.

Literary Norms
In poetry refer to how structure and rhythm
are linked to content and theme. We know it
is a poem because it is composed of verses or
pairs off lines and is metered.

Literary Norms
Patterns and techniques contribute to
the overall meaning of the literary piece.
For example, a narrative poem tells a
story. A lyrical poem evokes emotions,
reflections, and thoughts.

METER
Western literary tradition has three primary
poetic conventions, meter, rhythm, and
rhyme. Meter highlights the stressed and
unstressed syllables in a poem, Spoken
languages employ a variety of combinations of
stressed and unstressed syllables.

Literary Norms
The relationship of these varied syllables
creates a certain pattern in a line of verse or
stanza, called rhythm. Finally the most obvious
convention of poetry is rhyme or the repetition
of similar or the same sounds in the lines of
verses, usually in the final syllables of a poem
or song.

Literary Norms
Many poets have experimented on creating conventions
without losing the norms of poetry. This many include
deviation from the rules of poetic grammar, the use of
nontraditional structures and line breaks to fashion new
ways to express themes and emotions.
For instance, the use of unrhymed words paved the way
to the creation of free verse.

DRAMA
The ending may be happy, tragic, or a combination of
both, Moreover, not all dramas follow these conventions
as playwrights continue to inject creativity to their
masterpieces.

Literary Techniques
are definite and intentional use of words
that the authors use to convey the
message of the text.
EXPLAIN

Creative License
It is a technique in creative nonfiction wherein the author exaggerates or
alters the objectives and realities for the purpose of enhancing and
clarifying the meaning in the context of fiction.
Example: The phrase “You and I “ is used instead of “you and me”
The author has the freedom to disregard writing conventions or rules.
EXPLAIN

Figures of speech
These techniques are also related to figurative language
wherein the intended meaning is different from the actual
meaning of the words.
Examples:
simile, hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, oxymoron,
and a lot more.
EXPLAIN

Symbolism
The use of objects or images to represent ideas
not only in fiction but also in nonfiction is called
symbolism.
For example in the statement “ I was born when
the locusts came,” the word locust signifies a
problem as it is associated with infection.
EXPLAIN

Exposition
In this part, the author interrupts the story
to explain something or to give important
background information.
EXPLAIN

Dialogue
It is a technique where characters speak to one
another and is used to substitute for exposition. It is
through dialogue that many of the characters’
thoughts and actions are revealed.
EXPLAIN

Imagery
This refers to the language that describes in
detail appealing to the senses like visual
imagery and sound imagery.
Examples:
“She had the extreme difficulty of breathing”
and cursing in a loud voice”
“He shortened his grip on the arm…”
EXPLAIN

Types of Imagery
Visual imagery- the poet appeals to the reader’s sense of
sight by describing something the speaker or narrator of
the poem sees.
Auditory imagery. This form of poetic imagery appeals
to the reader’s sense of hearing or sound.
Gustatory imagery. In this form of poetic imagery, the
poet appeals to the reader’s sense of taste by describing
something the speaker or narrator of the poem tastes.
EXPLAIN

Types of Imagery
Tactile imagery. In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the
reader’s sense of touch by describing something the speaker of the poem feels
on their body.
Olfactory imagery. In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the
reader’s sense of smell by describing something the speaker of the poem
inhales.
Kinesthetic imagery. In this form of poetic imagery, the poet appeals to the
reader’s sense of motion.
Organic imagery. In this form of poetic imagery, the
poet communicates internal sensations such as fatigue, hunger, and thirst
as well as internal emotions such as fear, love, and despair.
EXPLAIN

Irony- anything that is unexpected.

There are three types of irony
Verbal irony
Situational irony
Dramatic irony
EXPLAIN

Verbal irony
A character says one thing but means the
opposite.
Example
The locker room smells really good.
EXPLAIN

Situational irony
Something about the situation is completely
unexpected.
Example:
Bill Gates uses an Apple computer.
EXPLAIN

Dramatic Irony
When the reader understands more about the
events of a story than a character. You, as the
reader or audience, know something that a
character doesn’t.
Example: Tim’s parents are proud of the “A” he got
on the test, but we know he cheated.
EXPLAIN

Dramatic Irony
EXPLAIN

Theme
This is another element needed in
analyzing the text.
It means the central idea or the
overall message that the text is
communicating to the readers.
EXPLAIN

What’s More?
As a grade 12 student, what challenges have you
faced and overcome as a student in grade 12?
What encouraged you to continue studying?
EXPLAIN

GROUP ACTIVITY: The Taste of Words

Creative Nonfiction Analysis Framework
1. Theme Guided questions Answers
1. What are the underlying themes in the text?
2. Can you quote the lines from the text to support your answer?
2. Techniques 3. Does the author show creative license in the text? support
your answer it is evident.
Creative license
Figure of speech 4. What figures of speech are being used by the writer? Cite
them
Symbolism 5. Does the text use symbols to represent something? if there is,
briefly explain your answer.
Exposition 6. Is there an exposition part in the text? If yes support your
answer.
Dialogue 7. Does the character/s have throwing of dialogues? provide an
example.
Imagery 8. Are there images in the text? What kind of imagery are they?
Irony 9. Is there a statement of irony in the text? If yes support your
answer.

In your own words, how do you describe the
functions of the techniques and themes in
analyzing creative non-fiction?
EXTEND

THANK YOU