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IWW
Practice-W Exercise Archives
Exercise: Creative Non-Fiction (Version 3)
These exercises were written
by IWW members
and administrators to provide structured practice opportunities for its
members.
You are welcome to use them for practice as well. Please mention that
you found
them at the Internet Writers Workshop
(http://www.internetwritingworkshop.org/).
Prepared by: Patricia L. Johnson and Gary Presley
Posted on: March 21, 2004
Reposted on: April 4, 2005
Reposted, revised, on July 1, 2007
Reposted,revised, on April 6, 2009
Reposted on March 27, 2011
Reposted on April 29, 2012
Reposted on November 10, 2013
Reposted on November 22, 2014
Reposted on January 29, 2017
Reposted on February 28, 2021
Reposted on April 7, 2024
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In 400 words or less, write a scene from a real
experience in your life that resulted in your learning
something important about yourself or others. Write a
true story as though you were writing a historical
piece, with truth and accuracy, but try to incorporate the
creative technique of other genres (novel, poetry, memoir)
to heighten interest.
_____________________
Creative non-fiction is as old as storytelling itself. A
true-life event or character sparks a story. The storyteller
builds the tale using a palette of writing techniques to add
color and life that might not have been present in reality.
He or she can use all the techniques of fiction and poetry,
as well as those found in memoir, narrative journalism, and
reportage to teach life lessons and expose the human condition
by transforming something seemingly insignificant into
something universal.
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When critiquing creative non-fiction, give specific comments
on examples of how the author used fictional, journalistic, or
even poetic techniques to bring us into a 'real' situation.
Are characters and situations well-developed? Does the author
manage to keep enough distance to allow the reader to
experience emotions? Is the piece coherent and interesting.
Above all, do you believe it? Or do you think it would have
been better written as fiction?
Web site created by
Rhéal Nadeau and
the administrators of the Internet Writing Workshop.
Modified by Gayle Surrette.
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