Writing Creative Non-Fiction

Creative nonfiction (also known as literary or narrative nonfiction) is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives.

Literary critic Barbara Lounsberry in her book The Art of Fact suggests four constitutive characteristics of the genre,

the first of which is “Documentable subject matter chosen from the real world as opposed to ‘invented’ from the writer’s mind

The second characteristic is “Exhaustive research,” which allows writers “novel perspectives on their subjects”

and “also permits them to establish the credibility of their narratives through verifiable references in their texts.

The third characteristic is “The scene”.

She stresses the importance of describing and revivifying the context of events in contrast to the typical journalistic style of objective reportage.

The fourth and final feature she suggests is “Fine writing: a literary prose style”

Roy Peter Clark says that literary journalism should have two cornerstone principles,

Do not add. This means that writers of nonfiction should not add to a report things that did not happen.

Do not deceive. This means that journalists should never mislead the public in reproducing events.

4 strategies of literary journalism• Be unobtrusive, if possible.

• Stories should not only be true, they should ring true.

• Make sure things check out.

• Be creative.- Roy Peter Clark

When I refer to creative nonfiction, I include memoir (autobiography), and documentary drama, a term more often used in relation to film, as in "Hoop Dreams," which captures the lives of two inner-city high school basketball players over a six-year period. Much of what is generically referred to as "literary journalism" or in the past, "new journalism," can be classified as creative nonfiction.- Lee Gutkind

The 5 Rs

…the "immersion" or "real life" aspect of the writing experience.

…the second "R" for "reflection." A writer's feelings and responses about a subject are permitted and encouraged, as long as what they think is written to embrace the reader in a variety of ways.

…third "R" in the formula: "Research."

…the fourth "R" in our "5R" formula: "Reading."

The 5th "R" the “(W)riting" part is the most artistic and romantic aspect of the total experience.

The Fiction of Nonfiction

But my feeling is that there's no such thing as nonfiction. Everything is fiction, because in the moment someone tries to relate an experience of what happened to them, it's gone. The reality that was felt at the moment is almost impossible to describe. It's one reason why there are writers, to come close to how it felt when it happened.("Norman Mailer Interview," The Academy of Achievement, June 12, 2004)

It is the meaning and feeling you own that will give you the means to say what it is you mean and feel.-Bret Lott

Jimi Kayodeadebola adegunwa school of communication,Lagos State University,Lagos.