Week 1:

Finding the Story +

Researching
ENG: 3217 Creative Nonfiction
What is nonfiction anyway
• Creative nonfiction: the art of
brining all the strategies of
storytelling to the narration of
factual events.
• Telling true stories from a
particular perspective using
literary techniques
• Writing creative nonfiction is
about finding your voice and
perspective.
Types + Elements
• Types: memoirs, memos, e-mails,
reports, biographies, lit
journalism, news…
• The Contract: we are not allowed
to make things up!
• But…that doesn’t mean we can’t
tell the story using literary
elements like point of view,
description, or dialogue.
• Set a vivid scene + tell the story
(that happens to be true) in great
detail
Finding the Story
• Every story must have
momentum
• Choose your characters
carefully
• Make the reader think about
your narrative arc
How might you write
this story?
12:05 p.m., Café Dufrain. Present:
girl, wearing heels, red lipstick,
cute; guy, out of breath, foreign
accent. Introductions. Girl orders
double vodka. Guy orders
espresso. Guy: “Sorry to be late,
I was just….”
Finding the Story
• If fiction, rewriting this story
would be simple
• But in nonfiction, we cannot
invent anything.
• So why nonfiction: the power of
true human experience.
• To find the story, you have to
gather as many details bc
characters are in the details.
Finding the Story
• If fiction, rewriting this story
would be simple
• But in nonfiction, we cannot
invent anything.
• So why nonfiction: the power of
true human experience.
• To find the story, you have to
gather as many details bc
character is in the details.
Focus the Lens
• When characters meet,
something has to happen to
create dramatic tension
• You can’t create dramatic
moments, but you can decide
which order to present them
• Where you shift the “camera” is
the POV and that’s what makes a
story your story.
• E.g. focusing on lipstick says
what about the character?
Three Elements of a
Good Story
• Narrative Arc: series of events
filled with dramatic tension
• Drama/Conflict: opposition and
struggle is interesting
• Character: one who is capable
of transformation; characters who
struggle against each other with
different goals/aims.
– Characters must be complex to be
interesting.
Researching
• The most challenging/most
important aspect of writing
CNF
• Think: where might you find
materials? What kind of
information can you get access
to? How is what you have
groundbreaking?
• CNF = new material, new
perspective, new research.
Primary v Secondary
Sources
• Primary: the person
him/herself
• Interviews, memoirs, letters,
oral histories, direct exp or
testimony
• Secondary: books/resources
written by someone about
someone/thing.
Where to find info
• Bibliographies in books
• Bibliographies of
bibliographies
• Digital databases
• Historical archives
(some digital others not)
• Genealogy sites
(ancestry.com)
• Library of Congress
Steps to Researching
• Make a list of primary sources
+ track them down + seek
permission from the archivist
• Know before you go: what
you’re going to see, who can
give you access, how much
time you’ll have, and how
you’ll track, copy, and annotate
archival information.
Evaluating Sources
• Does it have a bibliography?
• Is is an academic source? A
government source? A
business?
• What biases are apparent?
• Anonymous or
identifying/contact
information?
Homework
Wiki
Discussion Boards
Reading
In-Class Exercise