"Do you believe the creative nonfiction exists?"
Over the past several years there has been quite a
controversy as to what exactly is creative nonfiction.
In fact, there are some who even go so far as denying its
existence and claim there is no such animal!
If we are from the school that accepts that it is alive and
kicking, we must then be able to describe what exactly is
creative nonfiction. Carolyn Fauché and Philip Gerard, editors of Writing
Creative Nonficton, perhaps best sum what it is all about
when they state: "creative nonfiction has emerged in the
last few years as the province of factual prose that is
also literary-infused with the stylistic devices, tropes,
and rhetorical flourishes of the best fiction and the most
lyrical narrative poetry. It is fact based writing that
remains compelling, undiminished by the passage of time,
that has at heart an interest in enduring human values:
foremost a fidelity to accuracy, to truthfulness." In order to support their belief in creative nonfiction,
Fauché and Gerard have presented more than thirty essays
that examine all of the above key ingredients inherent in
writing creative nonfiction.
Divided into three sections, the reader will receive tips
pertaining to such topics as researching ideas and
structuring the story, reportage, personal reflection,
developing powerful observation techniques, awareness of
the filters that you put between yourself and the world,
shaping the lyric essay, creating biography, war writing,
using humor, and taking yourself out of the story. What is quite noteworthy about the book is that the reader
receives valuable advice from over thirty well- known
writers such as: Terry Tempest Williams, Allan Cheuse,
Phillip Lopate, Carolyn Forché, and Philip Gerard, all of
whom contribute immensely in convincing us that, yes,
creative nonfiction does exist. It may be true that it has undergone many name changes over
the years- nonfiction novel, narrative non-fiction,
literary journalism, literary non-fiction, and new
journalism, however, they all lead us to the conclusion
that no matter how confusing it sounds, creative nonfiction
is still distinguishable from daily journalism, academic
criticism, and critical biography. The book also offers a primer on the practical business of
drafting a business proposal as presented by Stanley
Colbert, and a section about what happens after publication.
Finally, as the editors most aptly state: "as a final gift
to the reader, we've included the 'Creative Non-Fiction'
reader offering the companion pieces and other exemplary
essays to inspire, delight, reach, and simply to enjoy."
Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bookpleasures
Posted August 1, 2003
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