Creative Nonfiction

‘Creative Nonfiction’ obviously describes its meaning within itself; it is a form of prose writing which involves non-fictional events and people being described in a creative manner. Writers of creative nonfiction aim to draw their readers in through narration, personal involvement, characterization, and setting. They interpret information that they research thoroughly when writing; the information within their stories is generally factual with certain exaggeration of creative details. Many creative nonfiction pieces contain quotations, metaphors, similes, and humor. Creative nonfiction prose always contains vivid details, imagery, and interesting language.

Creative nonfiction is similar to journalistic reports. The difference between creative nonfiction and the latter is that journalism sometimes lacks personality. Personality takes away from the facts, and newspapers aim for their readers to be content with receiving a story, its facts, details, and nothing more. Their business is to inform their readers rather than entertain. Creative nonfiction offers flexibility, personality, and entertainment. Basically, a creative nonfiction writer retells an event that had actually occurred with their own spin of emotions in a creative and thrilling manner. What would otherwise be reported by a journalist as a basic dull story, a creative nonfiction writer would transform the story into something of interest for the reader; something fascinating.

After comparing creative nonfiction to journalism, it would be fair to compare creative nonfiction to fiction. What differentiates creative nonfiction from fiction is that fictional stories are made up and completely creative writing. Creative nonfiction is based on true facts, true events, and real people. Choosing a topic for a fictional story is relatively simple; all details of the story are created by the writer and therefore the writer is free to take the story in whichever direction he or she may choose. In writing creative nonfiction stories, the writer must be greatly interested in the topic they choose because extensive, meticulous research is required. Thereafter, the writer must turn the basic facts they have researched into an exciting story, causing the reader to be hooked from the first sentence; holding their interest throughout their entire work.

At first glance creative nonfiction may seem like it contains an obvious definition, but the complexity within this genre of writing is grand. A lot of thought, research, and creative skills go into creating a writing piece of creative nonfiction. But, if a creative nonfiction piece is well written, it may be the most entertaining form of writing in existence.