Writing True: The Art and Craft of Creative Nonfiction

This innovative book teaches students how to write informative and engaging nonfiction that emphasizes voice and creativity and incorporates observation, research, memory, and point of view. Writing True serves as a valuable core textbook or a supplement for any creative writing or composition course with an emphasis on creative nonfiction. A solid pedagogical approach shows students how to be true to capturing the real world with integrity and creativity. The first part of the book, "Writing Creative Nonfiction," offers ten chapters of practical guidance, skill-building exercises, and ideas to help writers develop their creativity. The second part of the book, "Reading Creative Nonfiction," contains an anthology divided into Memoir, Personal Essay, Portrait, Essay of Place, and Literary Journalism. Selections include works by Nora Ephron, Tracy Kidder, Eric Liu, David Sedaris, and other well-known masters of the creative nonfiction genre. The anthology also includes a section entitled "Stories of Craft," with four prominent writers, including John Irving and Sue Miller, describing the challenges and rewards of writing creative nonfiction.

This innovative book teaches students how to write informative and engaging nonfiction that emphasizes voice and creativity and incorporates observation, research, memory, and point of view. Writing True serves as a valuable core textbook or a supplement for any creative writing or composition course with an emphasis on creative nonfiction. A solid pedagogical approach shows students how to be true to capturing the real world with integrity and creativity. The first part of the book, "Writing Creative Nonfiction," offers ten chapters of practical guidance, skill-building exercises, and ideas to help writers develop their creativity. The second part of the book, "Reading Creative Nonfiction," contains an anthology divided into Memoir, Personal Essay, Portrait, Essay of Place, and Literary Journalism. Selections include works by Nora Ephron, Tracy Kidder, Eric Liu, David Sedaris, and other well-known masters of the creative nonfiction genre. The anthology also includes a section entitled "Stories of Craft," with four prominent writers, including John Irving and Sue Miller, describing the challenges and rewards of writing creative nonfiction.

I. Writing Creative Nonfiction 1. Why Creative Nonfiction? 2. The Power of the Notebook 3. Ten Ways to a Draft 4. Taking Shape 5. Finding Voice Twenty Ways to Talk about Creative Nonfiction 6. Workshopping a Draft 7. The Craft of Revision 8. A Lighter Touch--or Other Ways to Tell a Story 9. The Role of Research 10. The Ethics of Creative Nonfiction II. Reading Creative Nonfiction A Preface to Our Anthology 11. Memoir Lisa Chavez, "Independence Day, Manley Hot Springs, Alaska" Tony Earley, "Somehow Form a Family" Nora Ephron, "A Word About Breasts" David Sedaris, "Let It Snow" Alice Walker, "Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self" 12. Personal Essay Gerald N. Callahan, "Chimera" Brian Doyle, "Being Brians" Eric Liu, "Notes of a Native Speaker" Scott Russell Sanders, "Under the Influence" Kandi Tayebi, "Warring Memories" Connie Wieneke, "Snakebit" 13. Portrait Li-Young Lee, from The Winged Seed Charles Simic, "Dinner at Uncle Boris'" Alice Steinbach, "The Miss Dennis School of Writing" Susan Allen Toth, "Going to the Movies" 14. Essay of Place Gretel Ehrlich, "Island" Dagoberto Gilb, "Living al Chuco" Gretchen Legler, "Moments of Being: An Antarctic Quintet" Colson Whitehead, "The Port Authority" 15. Literary Journalism Anne Fadiman, "Do Doctors Eat Brains?" Tracy Kidder, from Among Schoolchildren Susan Orlean, "Meet the Shaggs" 16. Stories of Craft Patricia Hampl, "On Memory and Imagination" Steven Harvey, "The Art of Interruption" Sue Miller, "From a Lecture on Revision" Kim Stafford, "The Writer as Professional Eavesdropper" 17. Short Shorts Max Apple, "Roommates" Norma Elia Cantu, "Tino and Papi" Elizabeth Danson, "Lost" Alexander Fuller, "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight" Kathleen Norris, "Rain" Maureen Stanton, "Water" Bailey White, "Buzzard" Notes on Contributors for Writing True Appendix: Resources to Know About