Introduction to Creative Non-Fiction || Creative Non-Fiction || Quarter 1 Week 1

Summary

In this engaging creative nonfiction session, the host and Jerry introduce the concept of creative nonfiction, emphasizing its literary techniques to convey true stories. They explore its history, forms, and reasons for writing it, such as preserving personal history or sharing life experiences. Participants are challenged to write a summary of their learnings and share it on social media. The session concludes with a reflective vignette about finding peace, highlighting the genre's power to reveal insights through everyday experiences.

Takeaways

• 📚 The session is an introduction to creative non-fiction, a genre that uses literary techniques to present factual information.
• 🌟 Creative non-fiction is sometimes called the 'fourth genre' alongside fiction, poetry, and drama due to its distinct storytelling approach within factual writing.
• 📝 The genre includes various forms such as personal essays, lyric essays, travel essays, food articles, profiles, literary journalism, and more.
• 📖 The roots of creative non-fiction can be traced back to the 16th century with Michel de Montaigne, who popularized the essay as a literary form.
• 👤 The characters in creative non-fiction are real people, unlike in fiction where they are often imaginary or composites.
• 🗣️ Dialogue in creative non-fiction strives for accuracy, in contrast to fiction where it can be entirely made up.
• 🔍 The writing process in creative non-fiction often involves research to ensure the accuracy of the events and facts being presented.
• 💭 Creative non-fiction can serve as a means to share personal experiences, family history, profound insights, and to inspire others through one's own story.
• 📈 The session highlighted the importance of distinguishing between fiction and non-fiction, especially in terms of character portrayal, dialogue, and the use of research.
• 📝 The session concluded with a creative non-fiction vignette about a frog finding peace in an unlikely place, prompting reflection on the human condition and the search for contentment.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video session?

The main topic of the video session is an introduction to creative non-fiction.

What are the days and time for the creative non-fiction sessions?

The creative non-fiction sessions are held on Tuesdays from 4 P.M to 4:40 P.M.

What is the purpose of the word association activity mentioned in the script?

The word association activity is designed to elicit thoughts and ideas related to creative non-fiction and help participants understand the concept better.

What is the definition of creative non-fiction according to the script?

Creative non-fiction is a true story told in a literary way where plot, character development, and dialogue are as important as facts and research.

Who is considered the Godfather of creative non-fiction and what did he establish?

Lee Gutkind is considered the Godfather of creative non-fiction, and he established the first creative non-fiction magazine.

What are some reasons for writing creative non-fiction mentioned in the script?

Some reasons include writing a family history or journal for future generations, sharing exciting or extraordinary experiences, preserving feelings and emotions about an experience, and giving hope or inspiration to others using personal experiences.

What is the difference between dialogue in fiction and non-fiction as described in the script?

In fiction, the dialogue can be made up, while in non-fiction, the dialogue is verbatim or recreated as accurately as possible.

What are some of the shorter forms of creative non-fiction mentioned in the script?

Some shorter forms of creative non-fiction include the personal essay, the lyrical essay, the travel essay or article, and the food article.

What is the term for the longer forms of creative non-fiction and what are some examples?

The longer forms of creative non-fiction are typically book-length and examples include memoirs, autobiographies, biographies, and non-fiction novels.

What is the challenge of the week for the participants after the session?

The challenge of the week is to write a short creative summary of what they learned about creative non-fiction from the session and post it on Facebook with their picture using the hashtag 'non-fiction'.

What quote did the session end with and who is the author of the quote?

The session ended with a quote from Maya Angelou: 'There is no greater agony than bearing an untouched story inside you.'