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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.

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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!

write the outline of your presentation of creative nonfiction

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Creative Nonfiction: An Overview

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The Creative Nonfiction (CNF) genre can be rather elusive. It is focused on story, meaning it has a narrative plot with an inciting moment, rising action, climax and denoument, just like fiction. However, nonfiction only works if the story is based in truth, an accurate retelling of the author’s life experiences. The pieces can vary greatly in length, just as fiction can; anything from a book-length autobiography to a 500-word food blog post can fall within the genre.

Additionally, the genre borrows some aspects, in terms of voice, from poetry; poets generally look for truth and write about the realities they see. While there are many exceptions to this, such as the persona poem, the nonfiction genre depends on the writer’s ability to render their voice in a realistic fashion, just as poetry so often does. Writer Richard Terrill, in comparing the two forms, writes that the voice in creative nonfiction aims “to engage the empathy” of the reader; that, much like a poet, the writer uses “personal candor” to draw the reader in.

Creative Nonfiction encompasses many different forms of prose. As an emerging form, CNF is closely entwined with fiction. Many fiction writers make the cross-over to nonfiction occasionally, if only to write essays on the craft of fiction. This can be done fairly easily, since the ability to write good prose—beautiful description, realistic characters, musical sentences—is required in both genres.

So what, then, makes the literary nonfiction genre unique?

The first key element of nonfiction—perhaps the most crucial thing— is that the genre relies on the author’s ability to retell events that actually happened. The talented CNF writer will certainly use imagination and craft to relay what has happened and tell a story, but the story must be true. You may have heard the idiom that “truth is stranger than fiction;” this is an essential part of the genre. Events—coincidences, love stories, stories of loss—that may be expected or feel clichéd in fiction can be respected when they occur in real life .

A writer of Creative Nonfiction should always be on the lookout for material that can yield an essay; the world at-large is their subject matter. Additionally, because Creative Nonfiction is focused on reality, it relies on research to render events as accurately as possible. While it’s certainly true that fiction writers also research their subjects (especially in the case of historical fiction), CNF writers must be scrupulous in their attention to detail. Their work is somewhat akin to that of a journalist, and in fact, some journalism can fall under the umbrella of CNF as well. Writer Christopher Cokinos claims, “done correctly, lived well, delivered elegantly, such research uncovers not only facts of the world, but reveals and shapes the world of the writer” (93). In addition to traditional research methods, such as interviewing subjects or conducting database searches, he relays Kate Bernheimer’s claim that “A lifetime of reading is research:” any lived experience, even one that is read, can become material for the writer.

The other key element, the thing present in all successful nonfiction, is reflection. A person could have lived the most interesting life and had experiences completely unique to them, but without context—without reflection on how this life of experiences affected the writer—the reader is left with the feeling that the writer hasn’t learned anything, that the writer hasn’t grown. We need to see how the writer has grown because a large part of nonfiction’s appeal is the lessons it offers us, the models for ways of living: that the writer can survive a difficult or strange experience and learn from it. Sean Ironman writes that while “[r]eflection, or the second ‘I,’ is taught in every nonfiction course” (43), writers often find it incredibly hard to actually include reflection in their work. He expresses his frustration that “Students are stuck on the idea—an idea that’s not entirely wrong—that readers need to think” (43), that reflecting in their work would over-explain the ideas to the reader. Not so. Instead, reflection offers “the crucial scene of the writer writing the memoir” (44), of the present-day writer who is looking back on and retelling the past. In a moment of reflection, the author steps out of the story to show a different kind of scene, in which they are sitting at their computer or with their notebook in some quiet place, looking at where they are now, versus where they were then; thinking critically about what they’ve learned. This should ideally happen in small moments, maybe single sentences, interspersed throughout the piece. Without reflection, you have a collection of scenes open for interpretation—though they might add up to nothing.

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7 Essential Tips on How to Write Creative Nonfiction (A Step-by-Step Guide!)

“The essay becomes an exercise in the meaning and value of watching a writer conquer their own sense of threat to deliver themself of their wisdom.” ― Vivian Gornick, The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative

We offer a lot of classes that will help you write Creative Nonfiction . But what makes creative nonfiction different from other types of essays? In creative nonfiction, personal details and anecdotes are used to make the story more relatable and interesting for the reader. Creators often use this style to share their personal thoughts, experiences, or beliefs in a way that can’t be achieved through fiction alone. With a little practice and the right tools, virtually anyone can write creative nonfiction. These tips will help you get started!

Introduction to Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is a detailed, thoughtful style of writing that allows the author to share their experiences with the reader. It’s similar to a memoir, but it doesn’t have to be a literal account of events. In creative nonfiction, personal details and anecdotes are used to make the story more relatable and interesting for the reader. There are many ways to break down the different types of nonfiction, but broadly speaking, all nonfiction uses the truth, either remembered or researched, to braid together a compelling narrative.

Excellent examples of Creative Nonfiction Include:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi
Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
Night Trilogy by Elie Wiesel
Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Dust Tracks on a Road: an autobiography by Nora Zeale Hurston

Select a Topic That You’re Passionate About

Most importantly, choose a topic that you’re passionate about. The topic doesn’t even have to be something that interests you “professionally”—it just has to be something you’re interested in. Begin your research by asking yourself what you’re curious about and what you’ve always wanted to know more about. This can be about yourself, someone else, or the wider world. It could be a current event happening in the world, an everyday activity that many overlook, or a piece of history that has always fascinated you. If you’re struggling to come up with a topic, consider what’s important to you. Your passions, beliefs, and interests can all be great topics to explore in creative nonfiction.

Come Up With Several Ideas for Your Piece

Once you’ve settled on a topic, put together a list of ideas for your creative nonfiction piece. If you’re writing about a current event, you’ll want to make sure that it’s relevant and timely. This way, your readers will be able to connect with your work. You may want to focus on a specific part of the event that interests you. Try to come at your topic from a different angle, or with a new perspective.

Research Your Subject Thoroughly

Once you’ve decided on your topic and idea, it’s time to start researching. In addition to personal experience and anecdote, researching is one of the fundamental parts of writing nonfiction, even if you're writing creatively. If you want to make your research more interesting and engaging for the reader, include anecdotes and personal details.

Now that you’ve put together an outline and researched your topic, it’s time to start writing! It might seem simple, but the hardest part of writing is just getting started. Once you’ve got your thoughts down on paper, the rest is smooth sailing.

Try writing a messy first draft in first person as if you’re speaking directly to your reader. To tap into your voice, don't shy away from using slang, jargon, or other kinds of expression that might be only be understood by a niche audience; you can always layer in more context in a subsequent draft. But whatever you do, don't edit out your style from the beginning. Be you on the page first and polish later.

It is okay to be messy in this draft. Write as naturally as possible so that you aren't sanding away the kind of observations and perspective that amplify your voice and lived experience.

Tips to Help You Write Creatively

Here are a few tips that can help you write creatively:

Read. This may seem obvious, but when you read, you're exposed to a wide range of styles and techniques that can help you understand and use different writing styles. If you're not reading, you're missing out on opportunities to learn from people who've done what you want to do, and that can be invaluable.

Experiment. Experimenting with different writing styles, topics, and approaches will help you to find your voice and discover the types of creative nonfiction that come most naturally to you.

Learn from your peers. Look to your peers and colleagues to learn from them—both their successes and their mistakes.

Find inspiration. Inspiration can come from anywhere, so make sure that you're open to observing new experiences, even in mundane day-to-day activities. Inspiration is everywhere if you're looking for it.

Don't be afraid to fail. This is most import! We learn from our mistakes and experiences, and that's true of writing, too.

Be yourself. The most authentic and interesting writing comes from the heart.

Have fun! Writing should be enjoyable, and trying to write creatively while feeling pressured and stressed out will only make it more difficult.

Discover a Creative Nonfiction Class that is just right for you!

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A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

by Melissa Donovan | Mar 4, 2021 | Creative Writing | 12 comments

Try your hand at writing creative nonfiction.

Here at Writing Forward, we’re primarily interested in three types of creative writing: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

With poetry and fiction, there are techniques and best practices that we can use to inform and shape our writing, but there aren’t many rules beyond the standards of style, grammar, and good writing . We can let our imaginations run wild; everything from nonsense to outrageous fantasy is fair game for bringing our ideas to life when we’re writing fiction and poetry.

However, when writing creative nonfiction, there are some guidelines that we need to follow. These guidelines aren’t set in stone; however, if you violate them, you might find yourself in trouble with your readers as well as the critics.

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Telling True Stories (aff link).

What sets creative nonfiction apart from fiction or poetry?

For starters, creative nonfiction is factual. A memoir is not just any story; it’s a true story. A biography is the real account of someone’s life. There is no room in creative nonfiction for fabrication or manipulation of the facts.

So what makes creative nonfiction writing different from something like textbook writing or technical writing? What makes it creative?

Nonfiction writing that isn’t considered creative usually has business or academic applications. Such writing isn’t designed for entertainment or enjoyment. Its sole purpose is to convey information, usually in a dry, straightforward manner.

Creative nonfiction, on the other hand, pays credence to the craft of writing, often through literary devices and storytelling techniques, which make the prose aesthetically pleasing and bring layers of meaning to the context. It’s pleasurable to read.

According to Wikipedia:

Creative nonfiction (also known as literary or narrative nonfiction) is a genre of writing truth which uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not primarily written in service to its craft.

Like other forms of nonfiction, creative nonfiction relies on research, facts, and credibility. While opinions may be interjected, and often the work depends on the author’s own memories (as is the case with memoirs and autobiographies), the material must be verifiable and accurately reported.

Creative Nonfiction Genres and Forms

There are many forms and genres within creative nonfiction:

Autobiography and biography
Personal essays
Literary journalism
Any topical material, such as food or travel writing, self-development, art, or history, can be creatively written with a literary angle

Let’s look more closely at a few of these nonfiction forms and genres:

Memoirs: A memoir is a long-form (book-length) written work. It is a firsthand, personal account that focuses on a specific experience or situation. One might write a memoir about serving in the military or struggling with loss. Memoirs are not life stories, but they do examine life through a particular lens. For example, a memoir about being a writer might begin in childhood, when the author first learned to write. However, the focus of the book would be on writing, so other aspects of the author’s life would be left out, for the most part.

Biographies and autobiographies: A biography is the true story of someone’s life. If an author composes their own biography, then it’s called an autobiography. These works tend to cover the entirety of a person’s life, albeit selectively.

Literary journalism: Journalism sticks with the facts while exploring the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a particular person, topic, or event. Biographies, for example, are a genre of literary journalism, which is a form of nonfiction writing. Traditional journalism is a method of information collection and organization. Literary journalism also conveys facts and information, but it honors the craft of writing by incorporating storytelling techniques and literary devices. Opinions are supposed to be absent in traditional journalism, but they are often found in literary journalism, which can be written in long or short formats.

Personal essays are a short form of creative nonfiction that can cover a wide range of styles, from writing about one’s experiences to expressing one’s personal opinions. They can address any topic imaginable. Personal essays can be found in many places, from magazines and literary journals to blogs and newspapers. They are often a short form of memoir writing.

Speeches can cover a range of genres, from political to motivational to educational. A tributary speech honors someone whereas a roast ridicules them (in good humor). Unlike most other forms of writing, speeches are written to be performed rather than read.

Journaling: A common, accessible, and often personal form of creative nonfiction writing is journaling. A journal can also contain fiction and poetry, but most journals would be considered nonfiction. Some common types of written journals are diaries, gratitude journals, and career journals (or logs), but this is just a small sampling of journaling options.

Writing Creative Nonfiction (aff link).

Any topic or subject matter is fair game in the realm of creative nonfiction. Some nonfiction genres and topics that offer opportunities for creative nonfiction writing include food and travel writing, self-development, art and history, and health and fitness. It’s not so much the topic or subject matter that renders a written work as creative; it’s how it’s written — with due diligence to the craft of writing through application of language and literary devices.

Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Here are six simple guidelines to follow when writing creative nonfiction:

Get your facts straight. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing your own story or someone else’s. If readers, publishers, and the media find out you’ve taken liberties with the truth of what happened, you and your work will be scrutinized. Negative publicity might boost sales, but it will tarnish your reputation; you’ll lose credibility. If you can’t refrain from fabrication, then think about writing fiction instead of creative nonfiction.
Issue a disclaimer. A lot of nonfiction is written from memory, and we all know that human memory is deeply flawed. It’s almost impossible to recall a conversation word for word. You might forget minor details, like the color of a dress or the make and model of a car. If you aren’t sure about the details but are determined to include them, be upfront and include a disclaimer that clarifies the creative liberties you’ve taken.
Consider the repercussions. If you’re writing about other people (even if they are secondary figures), you might want to check with them before you publish your nonfiction. Some people are extremely private and don’t want any details of their lives published. Others might request that you leave certain things out, which they want to keep private. Otherwise, make sure you’ve weighed the repercussions of revealing other people’s lives to the world. Relationships have been both strengthened and destroyed as a result of authors publishing the details of other people’s lives.
Be objective. You don’t need to be overly objective if you’re telling your own, personal story. However, nobody wants to read a highly biased biography. Book reviews for biographies are packed with harsh criticism for authors who didn’t fact-check or provide references and for those who leave out important information or pick and choose which details to include to make the subject look good or bad.
Pay attention to language. You’re not writing a textbook, so make full use of language, literary devices, and storytelling techniques.
Know your audience. Creative nonfiction sells, but you must have an interested audience. A memoir about an ordinary person’s first year of college isn’t especially interesting. Who’s going to read it? However, a memoir about someone with a learning disability navigating the first year of college is quite compelling, and there’s an identifiable audience for it. When writing creative nonfiction, a clearly defined audience is essential.

Are you looking for inspiration? Check out these creative nonfiction writing ideas.

Ten creative nonfiction writing prompts and projects.

The prompts below are excerpted from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts , which contains fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction writing prompts. Use these prompts to spark a creative nonfiction writing session.

1200 Creative Writing Prompts (aff link).

What is your favorite season? What do you like about it? Write a descriptive essay about it.
What do you think the world of technology will look like in ten years? Twenty? What kind of computers, phones, and other devices will we use? Will technology improve travel? Health care? What do you expect will happen and what would you like to happen?
Have you ever fixed something that was broken? Ever solved a computer problem on your own? Write an article about how to fix something or solve some problem.
Have you ever had a run-in with the police? What happened?
Have you ever traveled alone? Tell your story. Where did you go? Why? What happened?
Let’s say you write a weekly advice column. Choose the topic you’d offer advice on, and then write one week’s column.
Think of a major worldwide problem: for example, hunger, climate change, or political corruption. Write an article outlining a solution (or steps toward a solution).
Choose a cause that you feel is worthy and write an article persuading others to join that cause.
Someone you barely know asks you to recommend a book. What do you recommend and why?
Hard skills are abilities you have acquired, such as using software, analyzing numbers, and cooking. Choose a hard skill you’ve mastered and write an article about how this skill is beneficial using your own life experiences as examples.

Do You Write Creative Nonfiction?

Have you ever written creative nonfiction? How often do you read it? Can you think of any nonfiction forms and genres that aren’t included here? Do you have any guidelines to add to this list? Are there any situations in which it would be acceptable to ignore these guidelines? Got any tips to add? Do you feel that nonfiction should focus on content and not on craft? Leave a comment to share your thoughts, and keep writing.

Ready Set Write a Guide to Creative Writing

12 Comments

Shouldn’t ALL non-fiction be creative to some extent? I am a former business journalist, and won awards for the imaginative approach I took to writing about even the driest of business topics: pensions, venture capital, tax, employment law and other potentially dusty subjects. The drier and more complicated the topic, the more creative the approach must be, otherwise no-one with anything else to do will bother to wade through it. [to be honest, taking the fictional approach to these ghastly tortuous topics was the only way I could face writing about them.] I used all the techniques that fiction writers have to play with, and used some poetic techniques, too, to make the prose more readable. What won the first award was a little serial about two businesses run and owned by a large family at war with itself. Every episode centred on one or two common and crucial business issues, wrapped up in a comedy-drama, and it won a lot of fans (happily for me) because it was so much easier to read and understand than the dry technical writing they were used to. Life’s too short for dusty writing!

I believe most journalism is creative and would therefore fall under creative nonfiction. However, there is a lot of legal, technical, medical, science, and textbook writing in which there is no room for creativity (or creativity has not made its way into these genres yet). With some forms, it makes sense. I don’t think it would be appropriate for legal briefings to use story or literary devices just to add a little flair. On the other hand, it would be a good thing if textbooks were a little more readable.

I think Abbs is right – even in academic papers, an example or story helps the reader visualize the problem or explanation more easily. I scan business books to see if there are stories or examples, if not, then I don’t pick up the book. That’s where the creativity comes in – how to create examples, what to conflate, what to emphasis as we create our fictional people to illustrate important, real points.

Thanks for the post. Very helpful. I’d never thought about writing creative nonfiction before.

You’re welcome 🙂

Hi Melissa!

Love your website. You always give a fun and frank assessment of all things pertaining to writing. It is a pleasure to read. I have even bought several of the reference and writing books you recommended. Keep up the great work.

Top 10 Reasons Why Creative Nonfiction Is A Questionable Category

10. When you look up “Creative Nonfiction” in the dictionary it reads: See Fiction

9. The first creative nonfiction example was a Schwinn Bicycle Assembly Guide that had printed in its instructions: Can easily be assembled by one person with a Phillips head screw driver, Allen keys, adjustable wrench and cable cutters in less than an hour.

8. Creative Nonfiction; Based on actual events; Suggested by a true event; Based on a true story. It’s a slippery slope.

7. The Creative Nonfiction Quarterly is only read by eleven people. Five have the same last name.

6. Creative Nonfiction settings may only include: hospitals, concentration camps, prisons and cemeteries. Exceptions may be made for asylums, rehab centers and Capitol Hill.

5. The writers who create Sterile Nonfiction or Unimaginative Nonfiction now want their category recognized.

4. Creative; Poetic License; Embellishment; Puffery. See where this is leading?

3. Creative Nonfiction is to Nonfiction as Reality TV is to Documentaries.

2. My attorney has advised that I exercise my 5th Amendment Rights or that I be allowed to give written testimony in a creative nonfiction way.

1. People believe it is a film with Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson and Queen Latifa.

Hi Steve. I’m not sure if your comment is meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek, but I found it humorous.

My publisher is releasing my Creative Nonfiction book based on my grandmother’s life this May 2019 in Waikiki. I’ll give you an update soon about sales. I was fortunate enough to get some of the original and current Hawaii 5-0 members to show up for the book signing.

Hi, when writing creative nonfiction- is it appropriate to write from someone else’s point of view when you don’t know them? I was thinking of writing about Greta Thungbrurg for creative nonfiction competition – but I can directly ask her questions so I’m unsure as to whether it’s accurate enough to be classified as creative non-fiction. Thank you!

Hi Madeleine. I’m not aware of creative nonfiction being written in first person from someone else’s point of view. The fact of the matter is that it wouldn’t be creative nonfiction because a person cannot truly show events from another person’s perspective. So I wouldn’t consider something like that nonfiction. It would usually be a biography written in third person, and that is common. You can certainly use quotes and other indicators to represent someone else’s views and experiences. I could probably be more specific if I knew what kind of work it is (memoir, biography, self-development, etc.).

Dear Melissa: I am trying to market a book in the metaphysical genre about an experience I had, receiving the voice of a Civil War spirit who tells his story (not channeling). Part is my reaction and discussion with a close friend so it is not just memoir. I referred to it as ‘literary non-fiction’ but an agent put this down by saying it is NOT literary non-fiction. Looking at your post, could I say that my book is ‘creative non-fiction’? (agents can sometimes be so nit-picky)

Hi Liz. You opened your comment by classifying the book as metaphysical but later referred to it as literary nonfiction. The premise definitely sounds like a better fit in the metaphysical category. Creative nonfiction is not a genre; it’s a broader category or description. Basically, all literature is either fiction or nonfiction (poetry would be separate from these). Describing nonfiction as creative only indicates that it’s not something like a user guide. I think you were heading in the right direction with the metaphysical classification.

The goal of marketing and labeling books with genres is to find a readership that will be interested in the work. This is an agent’s area of expertise, so assuming you’re speaking with a competent agent, I’d suggest taking their advice in this matter. It indicates that the audience perusing the literary nonfiction aisles is simply not a match for this book.

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Writing Tips

A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

4-minute read

21st August 2022

Creative nonfiction is a genre that uses literary elements usually associated with fiction writing (e.g., narrative arc, character development) to tell true stories. Sometimes referred to as narrative nonfiction, creative nonfiction can range from tweet-sized stories to book-length memoirs.

Creative Nonfiction , a magazine dedicated to the genre, defines it succinctly as “true stories, well told.” In today’s post, we offer our advice to anyone setting out to write a piece of creative nonfiction:

Tell the truth.
Use literary devices.
Record your sources.
Include your own thoughts and opinions.
Check your work for errors.

If you’re inspired to write a literary journalistic article , personal essay, biography , or any other piece of creative nonfiction, read on to learn more about these points:

1. Don’t Make Anything Up

Everything you say in creative nonfiction must be true (the clue’s in the name). You must, therefore, be diligent in recording only verifiable events that you have thoroughly researched or that you personally remember.

It can be especially hard to do this if you’re writing your own story. It’s tempting to leave out or alter details that cast you in a bad light. However, the creative nonfiction genre demands honesty and accuracy.

Sometimes, of course, information will be unavailable, or you’ll have conflicting accounts of an event or conversation. The golden rule is to never contradict what you know to be true. If there are different versions of an incident, present both (or all) of them and let the reader decide which is the most convincing.

2. Use the Tools of a Fiction Writer

Creative nonfiction is different than a textbook or news article. Rather than simply reporting a series of facts, writers of creative nonfiction present those facts in narrative form. To do this, you have all the tools of fiction writing at your disposal.

Rather than telling your story chronologically, you could employ in medias res . In other words, start things off by plunging the reader straight into the action. You can reveal the events that led up to this dramatic moment by jumping back to an earlier time, or referring to it in flashbacks and conversations.

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Draw readers into your story by using vibrant, descriptive language that brings to life the setting and characters. You can also enrich your writing by using foreshadowing, metaphors, symbolism, dramatic irony, and all manner of other literary devices.

3. Keep Track of Your Information Sources

To tell your story accurately, you’ll have to do a lot of research. Even if you’re writing about your own experience, you’ll want to draw on other people’s memories of events rather than simply rely on your own.

Additionally, you could gain relevant information from books, old newspapers, and the internet, or by visiting places that are significant to your story.

It’s vital to keep a record of where all your information comes from. Even if you don’t refer to your sources in your book or article, you might be called on to verify something you’ve written. Moreover, if you want to go back over something to check the finer details, it can be hard to remember where to look if you haven’t written it down.

4. Let Your Own Voice Be Heard

One of the things that sets creative nonfiction apart from traditional journalism is that the writer’s voice is a key element of creative nonfiction. While you must relate events truthfully, you are free to share your own opinions and feelings and allow them to influence the way you write.

5. Remember to Proofread

While it’s up to you to faithfully depict the events, characters, and setting of your creative nonfiction piece, we can help you eliminate writing errors like typos and grammatical mistakes.

Our proofreading service includes tweaking sentences that don’t flow smoothly and suggesting corrections for anything unclear. Our team is available around the clock and will return your document error-free within 24 hours. Find out more today with a free trial .

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How to Write a Nonfiction Book (8 Key Stages)

This article explores how to write a nonfiction book, a genre encompassing various subjects from history and biography to self-help and science.

Nonfiction writing, distinct from its fictional counterpart, demands a rigorous approach to factual accuracy, comprehensive research, and clarity in presentation. We aim to provide a pragmatic guide for aspiring authors, delineating the steps involved in a nonfiction work’s conceptualization, research, writing, editing, and publishing.

This guide serves both novice and experienced writers, offering insights into each phase of the book-writing process. By adhering to a methodical approach, writers can transform their knowledge and ideas into compelling, well-structured nonfiction books.

How to Write a Nonfiction Book

Here are the main 8 stages of writing a nonfiction book. Let’s start.

Choosing a Topic

Selecting the right topic is the cornerstone of writing a successful nonfiction book. This step is crucial because it influences your writing journey and impacts the appeal to your target audience.

Whether you are writing a nonfiction book for the first time or the tenth time, it never hurts to use a good template. Squibler provides writing-ready templates, including for nonfiction topics.

Identifying Your Passion

Begin by introspecting about subjects you are interested in or even a personal story that you have. The ideal topic should intrigue you and sustain your interest over the long process of writing a book. It could be a field you have expertise in, a hobby you are passionate about, or a subject you have always wanted to explore in depth.

Use Portent’s Content Idea Generator to generate ideas based on any subject you have in mind.

Assessing Market Demand

Once you have a list of potential topics, the next step is to analyze the market demand. This involves researching current trends, finding a popular nonfiction book title in your chosen genre, and identifying gaps in the available literature. Tools like Google Trends and Amazon’s Best Sellers lists can provide insights into what readers are currently interested in.

Conducting Initial Research

Before finalizing your topic, conduct preliminary research to ensure there’s enough information available to cover your subject comprehensively. This research will also help you understand the different perspectives and debates surrounding your topic. It’s important to ensure that the topic is not too broad, making it difficult to cover thoroughly or too narrow, limiting the book’s appeal to a wider audience.

Finalizing Your Topic

After considering your passion, market demand, and the availability of research material, narrow down your choices to one topic. This topic should be interesting and marketable and offer a unique angle or perspective that distinguishes your book from existing works in the field.

Use the Hedgehog Concept to find a great topic for your nonfiction book. Read all about this concept here .

In summary, choosing a topic for your nonfiction book requires balancing personal interest, market viability, and availability of sufficient content. This careful consideration will set the foundation for a compelling and successful nonfiction book.

Research and Gathering Information

Conducting research is a fundamental aspect of writing nonfiction. It involves gathering, organizing, and verifying information to ensure reliability.

Detailed Methods for Conducting Effective Research

Here are helpful methods for conducting research:

Identify Reliable Sources: Identify authoritative sources such as academic journals, books by respected authors, government publications, and reputable news organizations. Online databases and libraries can be invaluable for this.
Diverse Research Techniques: Use primary sources (like interviews, surveys, and firsthand observations) and secondary sources (such as books, articles, and documentaries). This mix provides depth and perspective to your research.
Note-Taking and Documentation: As you gather information, take detailed notes. Record bibliographic information (author, title, publication date, etc.) for each source to make referencing easier later. Tools like Zotero or EndNote can help manage citations.

Tips for Organizing and Compiling Research Materials

Here are some further tips for organizing your nonfiction book writing process.

Categorize Information: Organize your research into categories related to different aspects of your topic. This will make it easier to find information when you start writing.
Use Digital Tools: Utilize digital tools such as spreadsheets, document folders, or specialized research software to keep your information organized.
Maintain a Research Log: Keep a log of your research activities, including where you found information and keywords or topics searched. This log will be invaluable if you need to revisit a source.

By using Squibler for your writing, you can use many tools to organize your writing to stick to a steady schedule.

Ethical Considerations and Fact-Checking in Nonfiction Writing

Here are ethical considerations to be aware of when learning how to write a nonfiction book:

Fact-Checking: Rigorously check the facts you plan to include in your book. Verify dates, names, quotes, and statistics from multiple sources.
Avoid Plagiarism: Always give proper credit to the sources of your information. Paraphrase where necessary and use quotations for direct citations.
Ethical Reporting: Be aware of the ethical implications of your writing, especially when dealing with sensitive topics. Strive for fairness and accuracy in your representation of different viewpoints.

Effective research for a nonfiction book requires a systematic and ethical approach to gathering, organizing, and verifying information. You can ensure that your nonfiction work is credible and compelling by using various research methods, maintaining organized notes, and adhering to ethical standards.

Planning and Outlining the Book

Planning and outlining are critical steps in writing a nonfiction book. This phase involves structuring your ideas and research findings into a coherent and logical framework to guide your writing process.

Importance of Creating a Detailed Outline

Read about the importance of having a detailed outline.

Blueprint for Your Book: An outline serves as a roadmap for your book, helping you organize your thoughts and research systematically. It ensures that your narrative flows and that you cover all key points.
Efficiency and Focus: A well-structured outline helps you write. It keeps you focused on your main points and prevents you from veering off-topic.
Identifying Gaps: During the outlining process, you may identify areas where further research or elaboration is needed, allowing you to address these gaps before you begin writing.

Here is an example of how to outline your book based on the structure:

Methods for Outlining Nonfiction Books

Here, you’ll learn about key methods for creating an outline:

Chronological Structure: A chronological approach might be most effective for topics that unfold over time, such as historical events or biographies.
Thematic Structure: If your book covers different aspects of a topic, organizing your outline by themes or subjects can help present information in a more integrated way.
Problem-Solution Framework: For topics like business or self-help, structuring your outline to present problems and their solutions can engage readers.

Tips for Structuring Your Book

Read some further tips for creating a book structure:

Start with a Broad Overview: Begin your outline with a broad overview of your topic, then break it into more specific chapters or sections.
Balance Your Chapters: Try to balance the length and depth of each chapter to keep readers engaged and ensure a smooth flow.
Include Introduction and Conclusion: Plan for an introductory section to set the context of your book and a conclusion to wrap up and reinforce your key messages.
Consider Readers’ Needs: Keep your intended audience in mind while outlining. Structure your content to address the readers’ interests, background knowledge, and expectations.

Writing the First Draft

Writing the first draft of a nonfiction book is where you transform your research and outline into a manuscript. This stage is about getting your ideas down on paper and shaping the raw material of your research into a readable and engaging narrative.

Starting the Writing Process

Here, you will read the main steps in writing nonfiction and healthy writing habits for creative nonfiction.

Overcoming the Blank Page: The first step is to overcome the intimidation of the blank page. Begin by writing about the parts you are most comfortable with or most excited about. This builds momentum.
Refer to Your Outline: Consult your outline to stay on track. However, be flexible enough to deviate if a section needs more elaboration or a different direction.
Set Realistic Goals: Establish daily or weekly word count goals. Consistency is key to making steady progress.
Write Consistent Conversations: A nonfiction writer creates a conversation with their readers. Create a consistent information flow by using one of the four types.

Here are four types of conversations that will give you an idea of what will work best for your audience.

Maintaining a Consistent Writing Routine

Learn how to maintain a writing routine in each writing phase:

Create a Writing Schedule: Set aside dedicated time for writing each day or week. Consistency is crucial, whether an hour every morning or a full day over the weekend.
Create a Writing Environment: Find or create a space where you can write without distractions. The right environment can significantly boost your productivity and focus.

Dealing with Writer’s Block

Read about the basics of overcoming writer’s block.

Take Breaks: Step away from your work if you hit a block. Sometimes, taking a short walk or engaging in a different activity can refresh your mind.
Write Freely: Don’t be too concerned with perfection in the first draft. Allow yourself to write freely without worrying too much about grammar or style at this stage.
Talk It Out: Discussing your ideas with someone can provide new perspectives and help overcome blocks.

Staying Motivated

Learn how to stay motivated:

Track Your Progress: Tracking your progress can be a great motivational tool. Seeing how far you’ve come can encourage you to keep going.
Seek Feedback: Sharing sections of your draft with trusted friends or other nonfiction authors provides encouragement and constructive feedback.
Remember Your Purpose: Remind yourself why you started this project. Revisiting your initial inspiration can reignite your enthusiasm.

Writing the first draft of your nonfiction book involves starting with confidence, maintaining a disciplined routine, tackling challenges like writer’s block, and staying motivated throughout the process. This stage is less about perfection and more about bringing your ideas to life in a coherent structure. Remember, the first draft is just the beginning, and refinement comes later in the editing stages.

Editing and Revising

Editing and revising are about refining your first draft and enhancing its clarity, coherence, and overall quality. It involves scrutinizing and improving your manuscript at different levels, from overall structure to individual sentences.

The Importance of a Self-Editing Process

Read about self-editing.

First Layer of Refinement: Self-editing is your first opportunity to review and improve your work. This process includes reorganizing sections, ensuring each chapter flows logically into the next, and checking for consistency in tone and style.
Focus on Clarity and Conciseness: Look for areas where arguments can be made clearer, descriptions more vivid, and redundancies eliminated. It’s crucial to be concise and to the point in nonfiction writing.

Seeking Feedback

Here, you will read about basic tips for seeking feedback.

Beta Readers and Writing Groups: Share your manuscript with trusted individuals representing your target audience. Beta readers or members of writing groups can provide invaluable feedback from a reader’s perspective.
Constructive Criticism: Be open to constructive criticism. It can provide insights into areas you might have overlooked or not considered fully.

Hiring a Professional Editor

Here’s what to consider if you think you need a professional editor.

When and Why It’s Necessary: A professional editor can bring a level of polish and expertise that’s hard to achieve on your own. They can help with structural issues, language clarity, and fact-checking. Consider hiring an editor, especially if you plan to self-publish.
Types of Editing Services: Understand the different editing services available, including developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading. Each serves a different purpose and is relevant at different stages of the revision process.

Revising Your Manuscript

Here, you’ll read about revising the manuscript.

Iterative Process: Revision is an iterative process. It may require several rounds to get your manuscript to the desired quality.
Attention to Detail: Check grammar, punctuation, and factual accuracy. Nonfiction books, in particular, need to be factually correct and well-cited.
Incorporating Feedback: Integrate the feedback from your beta readers and editor judiciously. Balance maintaining your voice and message with addressing valid concerns and suggestions.

Editing and revising are where your manuscript transforms into its final form. This stage requires patience, attention to detail, and, often, external input. By embracing the editing and revising process, you can significantly enhance the quality of your nonfiction book, making it more engaging, credible, and polished.

Publishing Options

After writing, editing, and revising your nonfiction book, the next critical step in the how-to-write-a-nonfiction-book process is to decide how to publish it. Today, a nonfiction author has various options, each with its own set of advantages and challenges. Understanding these can help you choose the best path for your nonfiction book.

Traditional Publishing

Here, you can read about traditional publishing routes.

Working with Literary Agents: Traditional publishing typically involves securing a literary agent to represent your book to publishers. An agent’s knowledge of the market and industry contacts can be invaluable.
The Submission Process: This involves preparing a proposal and sample chapters to send to publishers, often through your agent. The process can be lengthy and competitive.
Advantages: Traditional publishers offer editorial, design, and marketing support. They can also provide broader distribution channels.
Considerations: It can be challenging to get accepted by a traditional publisher. They usually control the final product and a significant share of the profits.

Self-Publishing

Here, you can read about the possibility of self-published books.

Complete Creative Control: Self-publishing gives you total control over every aspect of your book, from the content to the cover design and pricing.
The Self-Publishing Process: This includes tasks like formatting the book, obtaining an ISBN, and choosing distribution channels (e.g., Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing).
Marketing and Promotion: Self-publishing means you are responsible for marketing and promoting your book. This can be a significant task but also offers the opportunity for higher royalties per book sold.
Accessibility: Platforms like Amazon, Smashwords, and Draft2Digital have made self-publishing more accessible, offering tools and services to assist authors.

Hybrid Publishing

The third option is hybrid publishing. Read more about it:

Combination of Traditional and Self-Publishing: Hybrid publishing models combine elements of both traditional and self-publishing, offering more support than self-publishing alone but with more flexibility and control for the author.
Costs and Services: These publishers often charge for their services, but they also offer professional editing, design, and marketing services.

Choosing the Right Option

Finally, here are tips for deciding exactly what the route to take:

Consider Your Goals: Consider what you want to achieve with your book. Are you looking to reach a wide audience, maintain creative control, or see your book in bookstores?
Understand Your Audience: Knowing where your target audience buys books can guide your choice. Some genres do exceptionally well in self-publishing, while others fare better with traditional publishers.
Assess Your Resources: Consider your budget, available time for marketing, and your comfort level with the various aspects of the publishing process.

The choice between traditional, self-publishing, and hybrid options depends on your goals, resources, and the level of control and support you desire. Each path has its unique set of benefits and challenges, and understanding these can help you make an informed decision about the best way to bring your nonfiction book to your readers.

Marketing and Promotion

The success of a nonfiction book depends on effective marketing and promotion strategies. Here are tactics that you can use:

Building an Author Platform: A strong author platform is essential for success in marketing. This involves establishing your online and offline presence, which can be achieved through a professional website, active social media profiles, blogging, and networking in relevant communities. An effective platform helps in building credibility and a loyal reader base.
Effective Marketing Strategies: Developing and implementing a comprehensive marketing plan is key. This could include arranging book launch events, participating in speaking engagements, creating promotional content, and engaging in online marketing efforts. Tailoring these strategies to your target audience and leveraging the right channels are critical for maximum impact.
Utilizing Social Media: Social media is a powerful tool for promoting your book. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer direct engagement with your audience. Regular posts, interactive content, and targeted ads on these platforms increase your book’s visibility and attract potential readers.
Book Tours and Speaking Engagements: Conducting book tours and speaking at relevant events can enhance your book’s exposure. These engagements provide opportunities for personal interaction with your audience through physical events or virtual webinars and talks. They are effective in generating interest and boosting sales.
Engaging with Media and PR: Media engagement is another vital aspect of book promotion. Reaching out to newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV programs related to your book’s topic can help gain wider exposure. Press releases, interviews, and book reviews are traditional yet effective ways to attract media attention.
Email Marketing: Email marketing involves contacting your audience directly through newsletters and email campaigns. It’s an effective way to keep your readers informed about your book, upcoming events, and any new content you produce.
Collaborations and Partnerships: Partnering with other authors, bloggers, and organizations can amplify your marketing efforts. These collaborations can include joint promotional events, guest blogging, or featuring on podcasts. Such partnerships can help you reach a broader audience and gain credibility in your field.

Here are the most frequently asked questions about how to write a nonfiction book.

1. How do I choose the right topic for my nonfiction book?

Choosing the right topic involves balancing your interests, expertise, and what readers are interested in. Consider topics you are passionate about and know well, then research the market to see if there’s a demand for information on these subjects. It’s also important to ensure there’s enough material available to write a comprehensive book on the topic.

2. How much research should I do for my nonfiction book?

The amount of research needed varies depending on the subject. However, gathering comprehensive and accurate information is vital to establish credibility and trust with your readers. Use a mix of primary and secondary sources and verify facts from multiple sources. Remember, in nonfiction, the quality and reliability of your information are as important as how you present it.

3. Should I write an outline before starting my nonfiction book?

Yes, creating an outline is highly recommended. An outline is a roadmap for your whole book idea, whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. It ensures you cover all necessary points and maintain a logical flow throughout the book. Outlines can be modified as you write, but having a basic structure in place can significantly ease the writing process.

4. What are the key steps in editing and revising my nonfiction book?

Editing and revising involves several steps: First, conduct a self-edit to improve structure, clarity, and coherence. Next, get feedback from beta readers or a writing group. Finally, consider hiring a professional editor for developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading. Pay attention to factual accuracy and consistency, and eliminate redundancies or unclear sections. Remember, editing and revising are crucial for enhancing the quality and readability of your book.

How to Write a Book (10 Mistakes to Avoid)

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The 5-Minute Nonfiction Chapter Outline

By Brannan Sirratt

Download the Math of Storytelling Infographic

“We need another chapter, don’t we?”

We were on the last leg of revisions, with a deadline at play, and the gap had just become clear. Painfully so. A serious pivot in the author’s life required a serious pivot in his Big Idea book (or Big Idea-lite, if you’re exploring that concept with me), and we didn’t have much time to do it. After a couple hours exploring possibilities, we’d found a way to pull the threads together, but it required another chapter. One we needed to get right—and we needed the chapter outline fast.

Theories about refining our work are fun to play with when time isn’t a factor, but when you’re on deadline, all that matters is one key skill: how to draft a nonfiction chapter, both quickly and effectively.

There are many reasons a deadline can pop up in your writing timeline, and it’s not easy to be your best creative self under the constraints of time and external pressure.

Then again, sometimes the pressure we’re up against is needed. Having too much time and too much room to explore can lead us to spin out in theoretical possibilities, trying to over-sharpen our ideas down to a nub before they ever have a chance.

We’ve talked about the commandments of nonfiction storytelling , and how the different levels of quadrants can give us fresh angles on the way our work flows. And as all storytelling commandments go, these concepts apply at global, sequence, scene, and beat levels.

But it’s less than productive to try to spin through a rotation of the quadrants at every level during the early stages of writing. At their highest potential, Story Grid editing tools are meant to refine writing that doesn’t work, so if you’re using them to over-plan (and never write), they can quickly become a tool of resistance.

That said, there are ways to use the core principles at a drafting stage, and that’s exactly what my client and I did to get him a full chapter outline in just ten minutes of conversation. Let’s convert that to a five-minute exercise to get you a draft-worthy chapter outline for your nonfiction project.

Quick Caveats before We Begin

One thing to know about Story Grid methods is that they aren’t shortcuts. They can feel like shortcuts for fiction, since they get to the heart of problems that can often take years to surface. But there is a temptation in self-published nonfiction—especially business how-tos—to productize our work.

Maybe you want to leverage your book for a pivot in your career, or publish your memoir because “it’s just time.” And if it’s your expertise, your story, your life—that means you can just knock it out, right? Draft over the summer, write your book during quarantine, tell your story before the year is up…time is money, after all. Carpe diem, etc.

Before I move any further on a post promising quick results, I want to be clear on what those results are: we are just making a draft here, and the real thing is still going to take work.

Not every nonfiction book requires five years of new research to complete (though some certainly do), but every book deserves the care and attention of time, revisions, and the outside perspective of an editor before it’s released into the wild. That’s what our Story Grid tools and services are for.

That is not what this blog is about.

If you’re cutting corners, you’re cutting the power to your message.

By 5-minute chapter outline, I mean exactly that. You’re going to use the constraints of time to break through resistance and get to a chapter outline that works well enough to draft from. Quick and dirty drafts give you something to play with—something to tinker on, using those editing tools for their intended purpose.

We’re not worrying about beats. We’re not worrying about baking in dramatic irony or punching up the emotional arc. We’re just getting a map down before our analytical brains can muddy it up.

The 5-Minute Nonfiction Chapter Outline

The basis of this exercise is to make quick, gut decisions on the five nonfiction storytelling commandments that work well enough to get started. Like a brain mapping or meditative journaling exercise, the constraints of a literal timer help you get down to what you know to be true, before you have a chance to rationalize it away.

I’ll be honest: I don’t have a miraculous breakthrough every time I put lead to paper while a timer is running—especially if I’m journaling or dabbling in fiction. Sometimes those kinds of exercises create a bunch of gibberish on the page.

But here’s the thing about nonfiction: this stuff lives in you. Even if it’s an author-protagonist Big Idea journey that you’re going on, the question that sent you on that journey is a brain worm that won’t leave you alone.

The only thing that really trips us up here is our tendency to overthink.

That, or we are chasing someone else’s brain worm.

The more authentic the book’s concept is, the more effective this exercise will be.

Then, all you’re going to do is set 5 one-minute timers, that will ultimately get you to an outline that hits all five storytelling commandments:

The inciting question/concept
The turning point revelatory insight
The crisis about how to apply that insight
The climax connection to the larger question/concept
The resolution that integrates the chapter’s concept/answer into your or the reader’s world

Or, if you’re working from the four quadrants:

The proposition of a new concept/question
The procedural path to Do Something with that concept
A perspectival demonstration of What’s Possible With that concept
A participatory invitation to integrate that concept (and become ready for the next)

We’re going to use the principle of both here, so get out your notebook and a pencil and write:

(Crisis) 3.

(Climax) 4.

(Resolution) 5.

Then stop writing.

#1 is the Inciting Incident, and will include some propositional content. #2 is the turning point progressive complication, which will be achieved through a heavy dose of propositional content. #3 is the crisis, and with #4 (the climax) will tend to be procedural and perspectival—what do I do with that information, and how do I know it’s going to be okay? And finally #5 resolves the chapter.

I’m writing this post to the perspective of a Big Idea book, though your Idea can be weighted more toward narration, how-to, or academia. And I believe you can do this with a narrative story like a memoir or an academic white paper. You’ll just need to do some minor translation, mostly around the quadrants (a memoir might not show a how-to, but it will show what-you-did, which is in that same realm).

And here’s the big kicker: we’re not going to tackle them in that order.

We’re going to use the same format that got my rushed client through a solid chapter outline, and since we can’t use his material as examples, I’ll line it up against Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People introduction.

We’re hijacking your brain here, so keep your paper close by and stick with me until you’re ready for a timer. Ready? Here goes.

Minute 1: What’s the Key Takeaway?

I started my client’s chapter outline with this question, because it tends to be most present in our minds. Every chapter is a gift to the reader, and we often know the what far better than the how . Other ways of phrasing this question might be:

What lesson did I learn about this topic?
What was the pivotal moment where this became real to me?
How did I grow in this phase of my life?
What can the reader hang onto after they turn the page to end the chapter?
What do I want them to be able to do differently because of this chapter?
If I’m successful in this chapter, what will that look like for me or the reader or both?

Write the whole time the timer is running, or talk it through with a friend or editor . When you’re done, you’ll find that this is procedural quadrant material—the tangible, how-to flavored, real world stuff that can be seen and felt and practiced. It’s likely also the answer to a want or need that you or your reader have—the recipe, the policy recommendation, the relatable life lesson.

Scanning what you wrote, quickly look for connections and what stands out as the true key. Write it down against #3 on your list, phrased as a question aligned to the most basic of all crisis questions: What do I do now?

In the introduction of a book, the key takeaway is to keep reading the book . You’re making the case for the reader to keep flipping pages, and that’s done brilliantly in to How to Win Friends. “The rules we have set down here are not mere theories or guesswork. They work like magic.”

You want something as satisfying as a magic bullet, but you need something as reliable as rules. I’ve got both, so keep reading.

Minute 2: Why Do We Care?

Depending on the author-protagonist or reader-protagonist journey, you might phrase this question more specifically:

Why does the reader want or need the key takeaway?
Why did I set out to learn this?
How did I bump into this life lesson?

The answers to this question reverse engineer the key takeaway to set up the inciting incident. What set us on this journey in the first place? What is the brain worm that will ultimately point us to that key takeaway?

This will go next to #1 in your notebook, as the inciting incident. This will also be phrased as a question, though you may be find some extra status quo statements built into it. I like this kind of structure: Because I/the reader struggles with X, we wonder…?

In the How to Win Friends intro, it’s depicted here: “They came to me because…the person who has technical knowledge plus the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people—that person is headed for higher earning power.”

Because smart people aren’t always as successful as they want to be, they wonder what other factors they might be missing. What are the true factors behind interpersonal influence?

Minute 3: What Makes Us Resist?

Resistance is everywhere—and in a nonfiction chapter or book, resistance is our antagonist. There’s something getting in the way of the journey from ignorance to wisdom. What is it?

Alternate phrasing:

What is my reader going to struggle against here?
What kept me from learning this lesson sooner?
What did I have to overcome to understand this concept better?

Remember, you’re taking your reader on a journey, no matter who the protagonist is. They’re living it, and that means they’ll live the resistance as well.

On the quadrant framework, this is the rest of the propositional content. In the commandments, it’s #2—the build up to the turning point “progressive complication.” You’ve already surfaced that they should care about the topic—now you’re making the case for it. You’re building toward the crisis moment where their walls of resistance have broken down so much that they can’t help but ask, “Okay, so if that’s true, what do I even DO about it?”

For my author, it was a clear delineation of the problem the book had intended to solve, so that the right reader would relate to that problem and want the solution. In How to Win Friends, it was the journey that led to the book: “This book…grew as a child grows. It grew and developed After fifteen years of experiment and research, came this book…” until culminating in the promise: “I have seen the application of these principles literally revolutionize the lives of many people.”

I’m not selling you an empty magic pill, and I’m not making stuff up. This isn’t something that will embarrass you. It’ll work.

Minute 4: What Makes Us Believe?

This is my favorite part of any chapter. It’s where we plug into mirror neurons, making sure the reader lives out our proposed shift as thoroughly as possible. It’s what makes integration possible. But I’m getting ahead of us here. Ask:

What makes us believe this change is possible?
What does my reader need to see to fully believe they can enact the key takeaway?
How did I live out this change/concept?
Who or what embodied the lesson for me?

This is where we get perspectival, on the quadrant map. We need this one. As readers, as writers, as we tap into our own journeys and map out new ones. Humans need to see other humans showing us change is safe.

That can look like stories. It can look like a deeper, more personal look at previous research. It can look like anecdotal integration of the how-to. It can look like a vulnerable recounting of the ways you struggled to embrace this knowledge and how you overcame it.

If you’re noticing a running thread of empathy here, you’re not wrong. Every bit of a nonfiction chapter should be infused with empathy for the reader’s experience. They have an inclination toward your inciting question? Good. Show them you understand not only that they are asking it, but why. Show them it’s just as real and valid as they thought and more —so much that they need to Do Something about it. And here, you’ll show them you understand it’s not easy to embrace, but that it’s possible to do so. That they can do hard things.

This is #4, and it’s the climax of the whole chapter. It’s make or break here—was the chapter even worth reading if the key concept is too far removed to ever integrate? Will you be able to move into a satisfactory resolution, or is more on the way?

In How to Win Friends, Carnegie spends a fair amount of time here. Some chapters will do that. He starts with “To illustrate…” and continues across several pages (in my copy) of various kinds of examples. Countless students…one man who couldn’t sleep…someone who wrote to him as he was writing…He covers an example for multiple forms resistance and various types of reader. Again, he’s making the case for the whole book here, and he does it brilliantly.

Whoever you are, however difficult this may be, you are not alone. You can do this. We’ve all got your back.

Minute 5: What’s the Big Invitation?

It’s time to shape the new world now—this is your moment to invite them into a new space now that the key takeaway has been theoretically realized.

One question really sums it all up:

What can life look like on the other side of this chapter?

This of course is the resolution, at #5, and it’s participatory in nature. There is a sense of integration, of complex order that understands the world at large is difficult but a new world is possible. Because of that complexity, it’s likely also the inciting incident to the next chapter—or, if it’s the end of the book, the next chapter of their lives.

For my client, this was where he could reshape the reader’s perspective of his niche entirely, inciting a more aligned working relationship with the clients who will read this book. He’ll be able to begin with them on a different level than a non-reader, because the will have undergone the journey of the book and accepted the participatory invitation to his concept.

For the introduction of How to Win Friends, he almost dials back on the promises of magic and miracles to give a realistic, palatable, reasonable invitation: “If by the time you have finished reading the first three chapters of this book—if you aren’t then a little better equipped to meet life’s situations, then I shall consider this book to be a total failure so far as you are concerned.”

I’m not asking you to commit to much here. Just give me a few more chapters of your time. I’ve done my best to make them worth it.

For this post, my invitation is similar: if you don’t have at least a rough outline after a five minute exercise, the time I spent here will be a failure. But you’ll only be out a little bit of time.

And thus, hopefully, incites your own 5-minute nonfiction chapter outline sprint.

Prep Checklist for Your 5-minute Nonfiction Chapter Outline

What is my nonfiction genre? Am I writing a How-To, Narrative, or Academic book—or a Big Idea that weaves in elements of all three? The same story can be told against each of these genres in equally powerful ways—but the emphasis and structure will vary. Have an idea of where the weight of your content will land within these genres before you begin outlining.
Do I have a fiction genre I am mapping against? Is this about society? Love? Sustenance and survival? War (say, of art)? If you’re not sure what kind of emotional strings to pull in your chapter, the values that drive those genres can point you in the right direction.
Where is this chapter in the book? This is a 5-minute chapter outline that we’re doing here, so if you don’t have a complete book outline, back up to another post about writing a nonfiction book. If you do know, consider where this chapter is going to show up. Broadly, are you in analysis mode, are you formalizing the concept, or are you ready to mechanize? For my client, it was the climax of the book and required a number of key elements in order to drive his concept home. The process of outlining is the same, but the content will (naturally) be different.
Who/what are my protagonists and antagonists, and where are they on their journey? Big Idea comes with an author-protagonist convention. Reader-as-protagonist is another journey to consider, as they face their own battles of resistance and vicariously experience your journey to new wisdom. Antagonists may be those forces of resistance, literal, abstract, metaphysical, or otherwise.
I am sitting down with you over coffee to tell you something important (first person close)
I am disseminating vital instructions for you to follow (first person authoritative/prescriptive)
This is something important for us to learn (third person omniscient)
This is something important for you to do (second person authoritative/prescriptive)

If you’ve already got a book outline or some material on the page, you should be able to answer those questions quickly. If not, again, go back to some previous posts on nonfiction structure and get those bigger, global decisions made first.

Remember: this stuff lives in you. If you’re telling the authentic story that won’t leave you alone, some simple time constraints and a basic map will help you get that chapter outline and subsequent draft on the page. Even on a deadline. Even to Story Grid standards.

You’ve got this. In 5…4…3…2…

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51 Writing About Creative Non-Fiction: The Literary Comparison Essay

You began the process of writing your literary comparison paper in the Introduction to Creative Nonfiction chapter by choosing an essay, reading it carefully, and writing a personal response. In this chapter, we will move through the remaining steps of writing your paper.

Step 3: Choose a Second Piece for Comparison

The key to a good comparison essay is to choose two subjects that connect in a meaningful way. The purpose of conducting the comparison is not to state the obvious, but rather to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities.

When writing a literary comparison paper, the point is to make an argument that will make your audience think about your topic in a new and interesting way. The best comparison papers come from an analysis of two works similar enough to illuminate each other. For example, perhaps reading one helps you to better understand the other.

To this end, your next goal is to choose a second piece of literature from our text that you think can illuminate the point being made in the essay you’ve chosen. For example, if you’ve chosen “Mother Tongue,” by Amy Tan, you might choose her short story, “Two Kinds” to highlight the two sides of the mother-daughter relationship. If you’ve chosen “Complexion,” by Richard Rodriguez, you might choose Marge Piercy’s poem “To Be of Use” to highlight the authors’ focus on the importance of hard work. Or, you might want to look at two essays to see how different authors highlight a different aspect of the same topic, like Orwell’s and Didion’s essays both entitled, “Why I Write.”

Step 4: Research

Once you’ve chosen a second piece, it’s time to enter into the academic conversation to see what others are saying about the authors and the pieces you’ve chosen.

Regardless of the focus of your essay, discovering more about the authors of the texts you’ve chosen can add to your understanding of the texts and add depth to your argument. Author pages are located in the Literature Online ProQuest database. Here, you can find information about an author and his/her work, along with a list of recent articles written about the author. This is a wonderful starting point for your research.

The next step is to attempt to locate articles about the texts themselves. For poems and short stories, it’s important to narrow down your database choices to the Literature category. For essays, you might have better luck searching the whole ProQuest library with the ProQuest Research Library Article Databases or databases like Flipster that include publications like newspapers and magazines.

Finally, you might look for articles pertinent to an issue discussed in the essay. For example, “Learning to Fall” is about dealing with a terminal illness. An article about how to help people deal with this issue could be a valuable addition to your argument.

Remember, it is helpful to keep a Research Journal to track your research. Your journal should include, at a minimum, the correct MLA citation of the source, a brief summary of the article, and any quotes that stick out to you. A note about how you think the article adds to your understanding of the topic or might contribute to your project is a good addition, as well.

Step 5: Thesis & Outline

Similar to other academic essays, the literary comparison essay starts with a thesis that clearly introduces the two subjects that are to be compared and the reason for doing so.

Begin by deciding on your basis for comparison. The basis of comparison could include items like a similar theme, the way the authors use literary elements, or the way both pieces represent an important issue.

Once you’ve decided on the basis of comparison, you should focus on the points of comparison between the two pieces. For example, if you are focusing on how the literary elements used impact the message, you might make a table of each of the literary elements. Then, you’d find examples of each element from each piece. Remember, a comparison includes both similarities and differences.

By putting together your basis of comparison and your points of comparison, you’ll have a thesis that both makes an argument and gives readers a map of your essay.

A good thesis should be:

Statement of Fact: “Both ‘Salvation’ and ‘Falling’ talk about faith.”
Arguable: “Simmons provides a perspective on faith that would have helped Hughes work through his own dilemma.”
Personal Opinion: “‘Mother Tongue’ is an amazing essay.”
Provable by the Text: “Tan uses similar strategies in both ‘Mother Tongue’ and ‘Two Kinds’ to create her message.”
Obvious: “The daughter in ‘Two Kinds’ has a different view of her mother than Tan’s adult perspective in ‘Mother Tongue.'”
Surprising: “Like the second half of the musical piece at the end of ‘Two Kinds,’ ‘Mother Tongue’ provides readers with the rest of the story, showing how the author has deepened her understanding of her mother and created a relationship that both honors her own values and the traditions of her mother.”
General: “Both ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ and ‘If Shakespeare had a Sister’ highlight the plight of women.”
Specific: “Though written by women of two very different experiences, both Truth and Woolf use similar strategies to convince their audiences that women deserve to be treated equally.”

The organizational structure you choose depends on the nature of the topic, your purpose, and your audience. You may organize compare-and-contrast essays in one of the following two ways:

Block: Organize topics according to the subjects themselves, discussing one piece and then the other.
Woven: Organize according to individual points, discussing both pieces point by point.

Exercises: Create a Thesis and Outline

You’ll want to start by identifying the theme of both pieces and deciding how you want to tie them together. Then, you’ll want to think through the points of similarity and difference in the two pieces.

In two columns, write down the points that are similar and those that are different. Make sure to jot down quotes from the two pieces that illustrate these ideas.

Following the tips in this section, create a thesis and outline for your literary comparison paper.

Here’s a sample thesis and outline:

Step 6: Drafting Tips

Once you have a solid thesis and outline, it’s time to start drafting your essay. As in any academic essay, you’ll begin with an introduction. The introduction should include a hook that connects your readers to your topic. Then, you should introduce the topic. In this case, you will want to include the authors and titles of both pieces. Finally, your introduction should include your thesis. Remember, your thesis should be the last sentence of your introduction.

In a literary comparison essay, you may want to follow your introduction with background on both pieces. Assume that your readers have at least heard of the author or the piece, but that they might not have read the essay in awhile. For example, if you were writing about “Learning to Fall,” you might include a brief introduction to Simmons and a short summary of the essay. The background section should be no more than two short paragraphs.

In the body of the paper, you’ll want to focus on supporting your argument. Regardless of the organizational scheme you choose, you’ll want to begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. This should be followed by the use of quotes from your two texts in support of your point. Remember to use the quote formula–always introduce and explain each quote and the relationship to your point! It’s very important that you address both literary pieces equally, balancing your argument. Finally, each paragraph should end with a wrap up sentence that tells readers the significance of the paragraph.

Here are some transition words that are helpful in tying points together:

Finally, your paper will end with a conclusion that brings home your argument and helps readers to understand the importance/significance of your essay.

In this video, an instructor explains step by step how to write an essay comparing two films. Though you will be writing about literature, the same information applies.

Here’s another instructor explaining how to write a comparison essay about two poems. Note the similarities between the two videos.

Here’s a sample paper:

Attributions:

Content created by Dr. Karen Palmer. Licensed under CC BY NC SA .
Content adapted from “Comparison and Contrast” from the book Successful Writing licensed CC BY NC SA .

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Course Syllabus

Foundations of Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction has become one of the fastest-growing genres in the literary and publishing community. It encompasses forms from memoir and personal essay to literary journalism, travel writing, and hybrid forms like the lyric essay, as well as many others. In this course, participants will get to experience working in a few of these subgenres by writing three essays of approximately 2,500 words. Each of the weekly lectures and readings will focus on a particular issue relevant to writing creative nonfiction, like how to go about conducting research, how to find and select subjects to write about, and how to use the scene building elements of craft to create memorable essays. There will also be optional writing assignments leading up to these larger assignments.

How it works:

Each week provides:

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

Some weeks also include:

writing exercises and 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 afterward 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: An Overview of Creative Nonfiction

During this introductory week, the lecture and readings will take a broad look at the various genres and subgenres in creative nonfiction. We’ll discuss the tactics writers use to pull us in as readers and we’ll look at what distinctively marks them as creative nonfiction. Because sometimes we know what to write about but other times we may need a jumpstart, the optional writing exercise will focus on techniques for launching a topic and for further developing our ideas in depth.

Week 2: Voice and Authenticity

Having the right voice (or voices) for your subject can harness commitment and understanding from your reader. This week we’ll explore the role voice plays in creative nonfiction. Can we ever really write in an authentic voice? Through a writing exercise, we’ll learn how to draw on our own experiences to individualize our voice. We’ll also discuss how to find the “right” narrative voice for our subjects.

Week 3: Particulars of Scene

How do we weave together storytelling strategies like description, dialogue, anecdote, character development, and a strong authorial presence to engage the reader in a new world? This week will focus on the building blocks of creative nonfiction. Participants will learn how to create effective scenes that make characters come alive on the page, when to use dialogue and description to dramatize crucial moments, and how to gracefully include backstory without overwhelming the narrative. Participants will submit their first full-length essay (up to 2,500 words) by the end of the week.

Week 4: The Role of Research

This week we’ll talk about the importance of incorporating outside voices in our work, mainly those from research, and how these voices can affirm, support, challenge, and judge our own. The lecture will focus in depth on the ways to gather research—from mining our own memories and utilizing discussions from our friends and family to gathering information online or from public resources. We’ll learn how to use this research seamlessly in our work without sounding pedantic and while still maintaining the authorial voice. With the optional writing exercise, participants will learn how they can broaden the scope of their stories, shifting their work from the personal to the universal.

Week 5: Participatory Journalism

Immersing oneself, firsthand, in a life experience is one of the best research tools for creative nonfiction writers to use. This genre of writing, known as “immersion writing” or participatory journalism, was pioneered by writers like George Plimpton and Hunter S. Thompson. Recent practitioners of the form include Barbara Ehrenreich and A.J. Jacobs. This week we’ll follow in their footsteps and discover ways in which we can immerse ourselves in new experiences and opportunities for our writing—from taking up a new class or hobby to going “undercover” to following a particular subculture.

Week 6: Writing About Other People

This week’s focus will be on the ways we can accurately and honestly portray the subjects we write about. We’ll go over strategies for interviewing people that will let us into familiar worlds through new avenues, and we’ll discuss the legalities of writing about real people. Through this week’s lecture and the readings, we’ll see how writers use description and dialogue, as well as making sure to work in a pertinent backstory, to create individualized portraits.

Week 7: Writing About Place

Sometimes the “main character” in an essay can be a landscape—whether it is a new place we’ve visited, a place like our own hometown that we know very well, or a place we’ve merely passed through once. This week the lecture will focus on the role place can have in our writing, and, through the readings, we’ll examine the ways in which a writer’s presence can still be felt, whether up close or from afar, through the use of sensory details to make the reader feel the writer’s experience. We’ll combine our own memories with here-and-now observation to fully capture a particular place. Participants will submit their second full-length essay (up to 2,500 words).

Week 8: Polemics

Through writers like James Baldwin, David Foster Wallace, and Joan Didion, we’ll look at the polemic or opinion essay, a form that allows writers to construct and share an argument based on evidence, facts, and reason. We’ll discuss the role narrative tone can play in these essays and how to use rhetorical appeals to persuade our audience.

Week 9: Credibility and Fact-Checking

What is our obligation to the people we are writing about? Creative nonfiction writers often walk a thin line between being creative and truthful. This week’s lecture will focus on issues relating to truth, accuracy, and fact-checking in writing creative nonfiction. We’ll discuss the boundary between ethical and artistic clarity to consider whether emotional truth supersedes factual truth. At the end of the week, participants will turn in their third full-length essay (up to 2,500 words).

Week 10: Structure and Form

A writer must have a repertoire of forms to draw from in shaping their work and so this week will have an emphasis on structure—what are the different ways writers can organize their ideas, images, and facts on the page, and how do these various structures affect how we understand the genre? For our final week, we’ll look at the interplay between form and content, and the readings will focus on writers who’ve pushed the conventions of narrative form.

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Berkeley Global

Creative Nonfiction Workshop

ENGLISH X482

Portrait, story and reflection: these are three forms of creative nonfiction. Learn to apply the techniques of storytelling to nonfiction prose pieces, including personal essays, features, commentaries, reviews, reports, journal entries and memoirs. In this course, you read outstanding writers in several of these genres, looking for the qualities that make their work vivid and meaningful, and with steady encouragement work on writing your own creative nonfiction. Together, the instructor and other participants form your audience, offering support and critical feedback about your pieces. Weekly class discussions and writing assignments focus on story principles—such as plot, tension, scene and dialogue—that increase the readability of your work and form your material into publishable pieces.

Course Outline

Course Objectives

Sample some of the best contemporary nonfiction writing
Analyze selected writings and recognize the techniques used
Sharpen your writing with directed exercises
Begin or continue with your own nonfiction projects
Revise and rewrite in the light of constructive criticism

What You Learn

What creative nonfiction is
Personal voice
Literary essay
Style and revision
Where to publish creative nonfiction

How You Learn

Reading assignments
Instructor’s notes
Discussion participation and assignments
Writing assignments
Final project

Section 032

Type: Online, Fixed Date

Instructor:

David Rompf

Cost: $800.00

See section 032 Details

Type Online, Fixed Date

Instructional Hours

Delivery Options

Available for Credit

Section Notes

This Online, Fixed Date course runs from May 21 to August 13.

Fixed-Date Online courses have specific start and end dates. Your access to the course content begins on the course start date. You will complete assignments within the specific dates posted in your online classroom, and as set by your instructor in the course syllabus.

Section Materials

(Mandatory)

The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present by Phillip Lopate (editor)

Summer 2024 enrollment opens on March 18!

Session Time-Out

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Google Slides

Create Effective Presentation Outlines: A Step-by-Step Guide with Tips & Examples

What is a presentation outline .

A presentation outline is like a roadmap for organizing your thoughts and delivering your message smoothly during a presentation. It helps you structure your content logically, ensuring that your audience can follow along easily. By providing a clear framework, an outline enhances the clarity and effectiveness of your presentation.

Importance of Presentation Outline

1. Clarity and Focus

Using an outline keeps your presentation organized and focused, preventing you from going off track. It ensures that your presentation has a clear purpose and that all the information you share is relevant to your main points.

2. Logical Structure

A well-crafted outline ensures that your presentation flows logically, guiding your audience smoothly from one point to the next. This helps your audience follow your train of thought and understand your message more easily.

3. Enhanced Delivery

Having a clear outline can boost your confidence and make your delivery smoother. With a structured plan, you’re less likely to forget important points or ramble on, resulting in a more professional presentation.

4. Time Management

An outline helps you manage your time better by estimating how long each part of your presentation will take. This ensures that you stay within the allotted timeframe, keeping your presentation on track and engaging for your audience.

How to Build Strong Presentation Outline s?

1. Purpose of Presentation

Understanding why you’re giving your presentation is crucial for planning its structure. Identifying your goal means thinking about what you want your audience to get out of it. This clarity forms the basis of your whole presentation. There are six potential reasons you might be presenting:

Sharing information
Teaching something new
Making it enjoyable
Inspiring action
Convincing people of something
Motivating them

Thinking about your goal will help you make a presentation that really grabs attention. Answering these questions can help you figure out what your goal is:

What do I want people to learn or understand from my presentation?
How will my presentation make a difference to those listening?
What do I want people to do after my presentation?

Once you have the answers, you’ll have a good idea of what your presentation should cover and where to start.

2. Consider Color and Design

How you present your pitch matters just as much as what you say. Take a moment to think about the fonts and colors you’ll use on your slides. Research suggests that red can convey excitement and grab your audience’s attention, while white gives off a sense of simplicity and clarity.

3. Establishing Structure: Arrange Your Ideas in a Logical Order

When crafting your presentation, it’s important to structure your ideas in a clear and logical sequence. Start with an introduction to set the stage, followed by the main body where you delve into your key points, and wrap it up with a conclusion to summarize your main ideas.

4. Engaging Your Audience

When you’re getting ready for your presentation, think about how you can start off in a way that grabs everyone’s attention. You could ask a thought-provoking question, share an interesting story, or begin with a meaningful quote. The main thing is to get your audience interested right from the beginning and set the tone for the rest of your talk.

5. Adding Visuals

Give some thought to whether you want to include pictures, videos, or other visual stuff in your presentation. Even if your outline doesn’t mention exactly what visuals to use, you can suggest where they might fit in to help explain your ideas.

6. Encouraging Action

Come up with a clear and compelling message to encourage your audience to take action. Whether it’s encouraging customers to try out a new product or inviting people to join a demo, make sure they understand what’s in it for them. And if your presentation doesn’t really need a specific call to action, just wrap up by summarizing your main points and saying thanks for listening.

Alternatively, you can skip the hassle of crafting a presentation outline manually – try SlidesAI for seamless assistance .

women presenting in frint of business leaders

Strategies for Crafting an Engaging Presentation

1. Understanding Your Audience

Take some time to know your audience by researching beforehand. This helps you adjust your presentation to connect with them better.

2. Enhance with Quotes, Testimonials, or Data

Make your presentation more interesting by adding extra info like quotes, testimonials, or data. It can make your audience more engaged and reinforce your message.

3. Visualize Your Concepts

How you show your ideas matters a lot. Tools like SlidesAI can help you express your concepts clearly and effectively.

4. Highlight Key Takeaways

Figure out the most important points you want your audience to remember. This makes it easier for them to recall and understand your message.

5. Seek Feedback

Ask for feedback to improve your presentation. It’s a good way to make sure it connects better with your audience.

Presentation Outline Example

Topic: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

Target Audience: College students

Time Limit: 15 minutes

I. Introduction (2 minutes)

Attention Grabber : Briefly discuss a real-life example of how social media can negatively impact mental health (e.g., cyberbullying, unrealistic beauty standards).

Introduce the topic : Clearly state the topic and its significance (e.g., “Today, I’ll be talking about the increasing impact of social media on mental health, particularly among young adults like yourselves”).

Preview : Briefly outline the key points that will be covered (e.g., “We’ll explore the positive and negative aspects of social media use, discuss common mental health concerns associated with it, and offer some tips for healthy social media habits”).

II. Main Body (10 minutes)

Positive aspects of social media:

Connection and community : Highlight how social media can help people connect with friends and family, build communities based on shared interests, and combat feelings of loneliness.

Information and self-expression : Discuss how social media can be a source of information, news, and inspiration, and provide a platform for self-expression and creativity.

Negative aspects of social media:

Social comparison and envy : Explain how constant exposure to curated online profiles can lead to social comparison, feelings of inadequacy, and envy.

Cyberbullying and harassment : Discuss the prevalence of cyberbullying and online harassment, their potential to significantly impact mental health, and the importance of online safety.

Addiction and anxiety : Explain how excessive social media use can lead to addiction, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

III. Conclusion (3 minutes)

Summary : Briefly recap the key takeaways discussed in the presentation.

Call to action : Encourage the audience to be mindful of their social media usage and offer practical tips for developing healthy habits, such as setting time limits, curating their feed, and prioritizing real-life interactions.

Question and Answer : Allocate time for audience questions and address them thoughtfully.

This is just a sample outline, and you can adapt and modify it based on your specific topic, audience, and time constraints. Remember, a well-structured and engaging presentation will effectively communicate your message and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can ai help you create a presentation outline .

With the assistance of AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, crafting outlines becomes a breeze. Furthermore, you can utilize user-friendly online AI presentation tools such as SlidesAI to effortlessly generate your presentations.

Why is putting your outline on a slide a good idea?

Using a presentation outline can be helpful. It makes things clearer, boosts the speaker’s confidence, and helps manage information better. It also keeps the audience more engaged. But, if your presentation is fast-paced, casual, or focused on a specific area of expertise, you might want to keep the outline short and sweet. Just pick what works best for your situation and audience.

What is the format of the presentation outline?

There are various formats, but a common approach is using bullet points, numbered lists , or headings and subheadings. Choose the format that best suits your content and visualizes your information.

How can I adapt my presentation outline for different audiences?

Adapt your presentation outline by tailoring:

Content : Depth, complexity, and examples based on audience expertise.
Language : Formality, jargon, and storytelling to match audience and occasion.
Visuals : Complexity and style to suit audience understanding.
Delivery : Pace, volume, and even body language to audience energy.
Focus : Highlight information most relevant to specific interests.

How long should a presentation outline be?

There’s no set rule; it depends on the complexity of your topic and presentation length.

Can I use a mind map to create a presentation outline?

Yes, mind maps can be a good way to visually brainstorm and organize presentation ideas.

What tools can I use to create a presentation outline?

You can use pen and paper, a word processing software like Microsoft Word, or dedicated outlining tools. Presentation software like PowerPoint also offers built-in outlining features.

Save Time and Effortlessly Create Presentations with SlidesAI

When You Write

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!

write the outline of your presentation of creative nonfiction

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

This Guide to Creative Nonfiction Covers:

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Types of creative nonfiction

Literary nonfiction

Travel writing

Biographies

Examples of Creative Nonfiction

1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

2. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

3. World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

4. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

5. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

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

7. Hiroshima by John Hershey

8. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

9. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

10. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Tips for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Choose a form

Gather the facts

Plan your writing

Draft in your intended style

Rewrite and refine

Ready to Wow the World With Your Story?

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A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Creative Nonfiction Genres and Forms

Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Are you looking for inspiration? Check out these creative nonfiction writing ideas.

Do You Write Creative Nonfiction?

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A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

1. Don’t Make Anything Up

2. Use the Tools of a Fiction Writer

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3. Keep Track of Your Information Sources

4. Let Your Own Voice Be Heard

5. Remember to Proofread

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