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- Include your full name at the end of your comments. Unnamed comments will be deleted.
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- Reading responses are due by 10pm on the day PRIOR to our discussion of the required reading.
While I was reading this requirement I had many thoughts crossing through my head. Not thoughts of doubt or confusion, but more like thoughts of agreements and comprehension. This reading I believed touched up on a lot of good points that are not thought in regular English classes. Like this author stated creative writing is nothing like an essay we wrote when we were taking high school English or basic thirteen one and thirteen two English. Creative writing is more of an effort, a passion for what you are writing if I do say so myself. When taking other courses we did not have the ability to choose what we were going to write about and that made it very difficult to write, but when doing creative writing as this author stated is something that should flow fluently because its something that you once lived, or that you found it very interesting to the point were you researched the topic to gain more knowledge about the matter. The points that were touched up on this reading such as tips and what is expected from essayist was of great benefit for those that are reading the passage and trying to get a better understanding on what exactly is expected and required as an incoming creative writing essayist. The readings that were given as examples I found to be very interesting and a great way of seeing an example of what this author was trying to explain while stating the thoughts that were flowing through their minds while trying to explain what creative writing should come to be at the outcome. These examples each gave a different point of view on how exactly you can approach creative writing from different perspectives. Creative writing can be a very difficult thing to write about, since it comes to the point where words can run on and on or you can stay speechless with nothing to say at all expect that you are at the point of brain blockage. We have to come to understand that creative writing is a process where time and desire has to be as one to what to get to that point were we leave our readers wanting more, while wanting more from ourselves to try to become a better essayist, because as we go on we only learn more ways to express ourselves using new words, or simply new methods.
ReplyDelete-Alicia Lucio
Throughout this reading, many ideas and examples are shown on how to develop a creative non-fiction writing. Unlike the “5 paragraph monster” many of us were taught to strictly obey in high school, creative non-fiction has no formatting rules – except that it be a personal piece of writing.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Robert Root and Michael Steinburg, a creative non-fiction essay should require a personal presence, demand self-discovery, allow flexibility of form and should take a literary approach, insist on veracity, and should blur the boundaries between genres (Starkey 171). Lee Gutkind, on the other hand, has his own list on what should make up a creative non-fiction essay. His list is made up of The 5 R’s, which include: real life, reflection, research, reading, and “riting” (Starkey 172-173.) Though it may seem odd to research your own essay this brings us to the occupations of journalists and reporters, who are also non-fiction writers as well. This brings us to ask ourselves a major question, are we writing to inform or to entertain? (Starkey 173)
After reading a few of the examples provided, it is obvious that creative non- fiction is so much more personal than other pieces of writing. Not only were these 3 pieces entertaining, but they had some background meaning to them as well. These writings did not follow the 5 paragraph outline we were all taught, but instead had multiple paragraphs and different themes and ideas. It is almost like they simply wrote down what they were thinking, and in a way they did. In order for a creative non-fiction essay to seem real, the truth must be told, “even if it makes you wince” (Starkey 190). Like any other genre of writing, it is said by most writers that entertainment should come first and the lessons second. Though it is a non-fiction essay, other things included in any other essay must still be present. The use of character, dialogue, and scene are still important in any essay or story the writer chooses to talk about.
Though there are differences between creative non-fiction and regular non-fiction, or all genres really, the writer still has to take responsibility over whatever they write. It is important not to make anything up when writing a non-fiction essay, but what is more important is to just keep it personal.
-Alyssa Ramos
As I started reading chapter 3, I honestly thought it was going to be just a bunch of pointers and key facts from different authors about creative non-fiction. As I got into the author whom was mentioned third in the chapter was named Lee Gutkind. He was a believer of another authors pointers named Philip Lopate; but there was a twist and Gutkind has his “5R’s of Creative Non-fiction.” To be honest, I could not have agreed more with this and strongly believe that this is exactly what you need. Real Life, Reflection, Research. Reading, and Riting. I firmly believe Real life is what makes the creative non-fiction, it’s what makes any essay go from boring to bam because it’s real, its yourself and all the experiences and trials an errors being put together to create a piece. Reflection, according to Gutkind is second because the words an author chooses makes the entire essay and brings out and it reflects an authors’ feelings and a state in mind. Third is Research, now at first when I read Research in bold letters, I began to think access the internet, really? Yet I was wrong because I believe what Gutkind calls research is knowing the background of whatever the topic may be about. Gutkind makes an important statement, “If I can’t display minimal understanding of subject, I will lose confidence.” It’s important to know simply because nobody wants to look dumb, I believe. Reading comes up next, and that’s a ball in the park, it is the most basic fact about writers – everyone reads. I believe someone won’t get any further without reading others work nor receiving feedback. Riting is now the fifth one, and the grammar hit me but then I realized this is Gutkind’s belief that this is what ties the bag because of one’s passion or feel for a certain topic. All these stories hit me and I felt this was more about one’s inner feelings and what goes beyond their mind while experiencing it. It can be traumatic and hurtful amongst others. In “Liferower”, by Rebecca McClanahan she experiences the working out process and she sees thinner girls and men’s reaction, from her fathers’ sickness and family at death at such a young age. The line that stuck out the most to me, “I want to train my heart, to make it stronger.” and “Bad hearts run in the family.” For some reasons, these words just hit me. McClanahan seems more of a depressed lady just because of what her past and that can really come affect to a person. Another author Brian Doyle, “Joyas Voladoras.” Deep down his work was meant about his son missing a chamber in his heart and yet his works are far different. These authors just opened a sight in seeing other views and perspective’s.
ReplyDelete*Arianna Tabares
After reading the portion from Starkey’s book, I felt a little more at ease about this whole writing creatively ordeal. I like how he mentions in the opening pages the common essays that most students have probably written about and then goes on to distinguish the difference between creative nonfiction and the classic nonfiction we as students have been writing for years.
ReplyDeleteLiferower, Joyas Voladoras, and Jesus Shaves were well placed. I liked how Starkey would explain and the provide sample pieces to highlight what had just been explained. I personally have had great success with structured writing as described in the “Organizing creative nonfiction” section. Starkey talks about the five-paragraph-high-school-essay and that is essentially what has worked for myself and the purpose of my essays thus far in my educational career. I like the limitless possibilities of creative writing but I am accustomed to strict, by the book writing and legal writing. So, all the checklists and subcategories Starkey walks through in this section really helps.
He talks it up (creative writing) to be this creature with infinite possibilities and then right away discusses tools and lists that will jumpstart the process for us students. Reading through this was a breeze but it provided such insight I feel like it would be beneficial to read it again or skim it over once Professor Moreira assigns whatever it is we must write.
The thing I did however find slightly contradictory was how creative writing is understood and (now) defined as writing with no restrictions and what not yet here we have these “rules” and suggestions we should abide by to write creatively and successfully in the category of creative nonfiction. Maybe I am being too analytical. Like I said earlier I prefer structure and guidelines that way I know exactly what to write and how to write it, but in my opinion with the checklists and suggestions it kind of seems like there is a more right way and more wrong way of attacking creative writing and producing a piece that is indeed categorized as creative writing. Great piece though, very informative.
-Alfredo Montemayor
I started reading the readings, and I was suddenly drawn into the words. I wasn’t aware the amount of detail that actually went into writing creative fiction. I was surprised to read that every single time you write non-fiction, you add just a little bit about yourself and/or an experience you went through. Because essentially it is our story. We write it because it comes from our hearts and minds, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction, it comes from us.
ReplyDeleteI never realized how structured an essay is, until I read this article. I always knew to write a “great” essay you had to have the intro, thesis, three body paragraph, and a conclusion. But know that I see it for what it actually is, I couldn’t help but feel a little misguided. The short essays written by Doyle, McClanahan, and Sedaris, are all beautifully written essays. They have a beginning, middle and an end. Sort of like a high school essay, but high school essays were too structured, they didn’t really give you freedom to be…well to be a writer. A write writes anything he wants, and from that you can create any path in your essay and eventually, lead to the end.
Now, I like the whole comparison and contrasting argument between Bacon and Montaigne. In a sense, I thought both were correct; however, only one stood out to me and that was Montaigne. I believe if something isn’t interesting, whether it be a movie, song, or poem (all forms of creative writing), then nobody will continue to view, read, or listen to the main idea. Keep someone’s interests is more important than being structured. But like I said both are correct ways to write.
I really wanted to point out that Sedaris, “Jesus Shaves” story was brilliantly written. He had my laughing from beginning to end. He made me want to write similar to him. I’ve only read this of his work, I’m not sure what else he’s written, but if his other work is a lot like this then count me in to read his other work. He really has his audience engaged. I laughed many times and, I couldn’t wait to read what else he wrote that would make me laugh.
-Christopher Capello
I found it extremely helpful that in Chapter 3 they gave us three different examples of Creative Nonfiction writings. Starting with Rebecca McClanahan’s Liferower (page 176), then to Brian Doyle’s Joyas Voladoras (page 179), and finally David Sedaris’ Jesus Shaves (page 182.) While the required reading explained and dissected the authors I could follow along and recognized some mistakes I had been making in previous work I had submitted. “The elements of creative nonfiction” (page 174 continuing on 175.) The six key elements they focus on are “Organizing Creative Nonfiction.” “Telling the Truth.” “Creative Nonfiction as Narrative.” “The Poetry of Creative Nonfiction.” “Writing yourself into Creative Nonfiction.” and lastly, “Ethics and Edicts.” The chapters even give you examples of dos and don’ts or writing. “Telling the Truth” (page 191) Carol Bly mentions, “Readers rightly feel bruised and condescended to when an author lies to them.” Then comes the example of A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. This quote really stuck with me throughout the entire reading. “Organizing notes and facts is a kind of art form in itself: “Writing nonfiction is more like sculpture, a matter of shaping the research into the finishing thing.” (Page 192.) All writing is like a piece of clay. You can mold it as many times as needed and it’ll still come together. Many points of the reading stuck out to me, but the one section I found most helpful was “Creative nonfiction as narrative.” (Page 194) This piece covers the most important parts of writing which are characters, dialogue, and scene setting. For character small and unique details can really go a long way. In dialogue Kim Stafford says, “Writers should be “professional eavesdroppers.” (Page 196) As a writer you’d want to use recent or fairly new material so it can be fresh when writing. Finally scene setting, you’d want to be as explanatory as possibly so the reader can picture what you’re trying to describe. Descriptive writing will help the reader follow along in the story. The chapter was a helpful read for me and it gave me a lot of insight on new ways I can go about as apposed to the traditional block writing that was also mentioned in the reading.
ReplyDelete- Monica Barbosa
Starkey starts off this reading by listing a few elements that you should use in nonfiction writing. Robert Root and Michael Steinberg thought out these elements, they state that you should have personal presence, self-discovery, self-exploration, and also allow flexibility of form and take literary approach. I agree with the points that Root and Steinberg are suggesting. It is key in nonfiction writing that the writer must include himself/herself in some way. That way the reader can feel the writers’ emotions through the writing. Also to learn as you write by exploration and discovery in your writing. In doing this you expand your knowledge in what you are writing about. By taking a literary approach you are inserting literary devices to enhance your writing. This helps your paper by allowing the literary devices to grab and hold the readers the attention, making them look forward to the next line.
ReplyDeletePhillip Lopate wrote “The Art of the Personal Essay” and he also states certain aspects that are common in creative writing. Lopate states certain components that are critical to writing nonfiction. Some key factors the writer must include is to be humorous and to be honest in the personal essay. Another expert on personal essays is Lee Gurkind and he also gives his take on nonfiction. All these points these experts make go hand in hand with each other. Gurkind briefly discusses the ideology of the “5 R’s”. The first “R” is real life. Gurkind recommends that using personal experience will better your personal essay. Which is what Root and Steinberg mentioned also. So inputting personal experiences is a key component in nonfiction writing. Another “R” is reflection; Gurkind states that you should use feelings and emotion in the writing. The next “R” is research; in which the writer is supposed to make him or herself knowledgeable through the text. This also ties back into what Root and Steinberg said earlier when discussing exploration and discovery. This was a very good read and I enjoyed the fact that Starkey took insights from other experts. Starkey gave us excellent tips and recommendations that will make things easier when I write nonfiction.
-Brandon Garcia
I have never, personally, even heard of the term Creative nonfiction. Starkey explains it so well and brings a lot of information about it as well. He includes some of his beliefs on creative writing which is that it requires a personal presence, demands self-discovery and self-exploration, allows flexibility of form and takes a literary approach, insists on veracity, and blurs boundaries between genres. I really like how he wants us essayists to be inspired and be passionate about what we are writing, which is something that I really like, and then he goes on to say that when you are given a topic to write about you are just writing to fill in the required pages, while when you are writing something you’re passionate about you get lost and you are scared that you won’t have enough pages to completely put you thoughts on paper. Then he brought up a very important topic about writing an essay, whether or not the essay is to inform or to entertain, which is a subject I struggle with a lot because I feel like these are two mutual things and can seldom be together and have a good essay. I really enjoyed Brian Doyle’s “Joyas Voladoras” since I’m really interested in biology it was nice to see him talking about the different sizes of hearts and the behavior that these animals do, from a small little hummingbird to a giant blue whale which really sparked my interest in this reading. Another point Starkey brings up is the Ethics and Edicts. He asks the question how much truths and how much lies should we include in our creative nonfiction essays. Since this is like a reflection essay you are in control of how you want your life to be portrayed in an essay and how can you plagiarize your own experiences without lying? Creative nonfiction is interesting because starkey states that someone speaks better about themselves than anyone else does, and you should know yourself way better than someone else does which means you should have a lot to say and reflect upon to add to the essay and you’re also your toughest critic on everything you do and say. –Lowen Sauceda
ReplyDeleteRight away, only after reading the first couple of pages from Starkey, I agree with him in many ways on creative writing. I specifically liked where he mentioned that this isn't the sort of writing we're used to or assigned in class frequently. He describes this genre of writing as more fun for most writers but also explains common elements between creative and traditional writing.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the reading, Starkey brings up many different creative writers and uses some of their examples. This was exceptionally great of Starkey to give us some of the many ways once could use this genre of writing to grasp their readers. One of my personal favorites was his example from Rebecca McClanahan's "Liferower" and describes how her writing would shift from fact to imaginary and present to past. Those are some critical shifts, in my opinion, and it's that effect of change in the story that makes it "creative".
Creative writers and I share a common disagreement, that being with the traditional five paragraph essays assigned to students, most commonly in high school. As described in the reading, many creative writers look at this certain essay structure in dismay and I would have to agree with them. There is only so much you can do with a type of essay that vastly limits you. There are common rules for these types of essays in the way you start, end, and carry out your writing, leaving very little room for creativity or out of the box writing.
Sound and rhythm, as brought up on page 201, compares creative writing to poetry, and could possibly enhance your writing. This is very true when reading your writing out-loud. The way you bring your words to life affects your audience. Emphasizing a word or a short pause after a certain sentence can set a dramatic or suspenseful tone. This would grasp your audience deeper into your work whilst also possibly bringing them into the experience. This is especially the case with onomatopoeia since most people are familiar with specific sounds, onomatopoeia could be used as to enhance your descriptive details. Bringing your writing not only your audience's ear but hearing sounds from your story will indulge your reader's visual and mind into your work.
-Jesus Pena
Reading this article was like getting a breath of fresh air; it was very helpful and taught me a few things without trying to shove them in my face. It was like getting advice on creative nonfiction writing from a friend who knows what they’re talking about. I never knew there were different ways to go about writing creative nonfiction like for example the different methods Starkey explains in this chapter.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to structure, I could relate to the section where Starkey talks about writing the “creature sometimes referred to as the five-paragraphed theme.” Starkey 185. I went through high school and the beginning of college writing this way. I took my first English class here at, what was then, UTPA and got to write a creative short story, it was so interesting and it was something I really took pleasure in creating and writing. This chapter opened my mind to the other side of creative writing, the nonfiction side. I realized there’s so much thought and heart that goes into writing a creative nonfiction piece. My favorite piece of advice was Gutkind who offers his advice as a list and calls it “The 5 r’s of creative nonfiction” they provided a sort of check list of things that I should have in order to write a really great creative nonfiction piece. Just to name a few they were like life experience, get a bit of research done, to embrace the muse of my writing, etc. These little tasks I have done gave me a bit of reassurance, something to fall back on when writing.
When it came to the narration of creative nonfiction I found what Alexander Smith said very agreeable “’A modest truthful man speaks better about himself than he does about anything else’” Starkey 203. Writing yourself into creative nonfiction gives the story a better insight because you know yourself and know how to explain what you’re feeling because they are your feelings. Reading Rebecca McClanahan’s story “Liferower” gave me an example of how powerful a story can be when you write about you and it’s your narrative story. Starkey and all other authors he quotes gave me an excellent idea of where I should start when writing a creative nonfiction piece, after reading this I feel a lot more confident having to take on a task of writing a piece like this.
-Bibi Ann Gonzalez
Writing creative nonfiction never actually crossed my mind until I read the Starkey’s pages on the subject. Thinking back, I can see how I was exposed to this type of writing in several classrooms but never to the extent and style of the three sample essays. From the dark themes of the Liferower to the serious but lighthearted approach of faith through a French class, I saw important aspects of life in short poignant essays. They each resonated with me so well that I paused to think back on the content after reading each of the three. That action, reflecting, was addressed in the reading later on as well, “…listen to that moment of resonance…” (189).
ReplyDeleteAs I continued reading I noticed how, although the material wasn’t exactly hard to understand, the constant references made an even smoother learning experience. The subject of the basic structure of an essay stood out as well because as long as I can remember the five paragraph approach is the go to guide when writing an essay. The example of Liferower’s structure, that of maypole in which the machine is a post and the other aspects rotate around it, really provided me with an understanding of how artistic a writer can be with a non fiction piece, something that I had always thought to be a pretty dry area.
The complexity of the non fiction essay seems to have so many aspects that it can easily deter a writer but the breakdown of each area, from research to a writer’s integrity make it seem like writing a well written non fiction essay isn’t all that hard. Referring back to the research, another area that surprised me, I had never really considered that investigating an area for what can be an opinion piece on a subject that doesn’t entirely require too much research can contribute so much to one’s work. I have learned that it helps in fiction writing to better immerse the reader into the story and looking back, making that connection with non fiction essays seems more than obvious. Although the reading really breaks down the structure on a nonfiction essay I still feel like it would be a challenge to write something truly artistic like the three essays but all of these tips really make it seem plausible.
- Alvaro Pulido
David Starkey does a phenomenal job explaining creative nonfiction in detail. He guides us through the elements of creative nonfiction with Robert Root and Michael Steinberg's help from their book The Fourth Genre: Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction. He then begins to compare their list of elements found in creative nonfiction to Philip Lopate's and finds something in common: They both stress the writer's independence and imagination. But before continuing onto the rest of the chapter, Starkey introduces us to Lee Gutkind's list and how it slightly differs from the others giving us more than one example to the same genre. I found this helpful since we were able to read through each authors list to get a better understanding of creative nonfiction.
ReplyDeleteWhen it came to organizing creative nonfiction, I enjoyed how Starkey used three models to demonstrate that even though these writers did not follow the traditional, overused, 5 paragraph format, there is still a design in each writer's short. When it came to Rebecca McClanahan's "jump cuts" in "Liferower" to David Sedaris's transitions in "Jesus Shaves," it becomes apparent that there can still be organization in an essay without the use of the constricting 5 paragraph "creature," as Starkey calls it.
Organization and design are important to the main authors Starkey discusses. Just as important though, is drawing the reader in. I must agree with the majority of the authors when it comes to entertaining your reader, and how it takes precedence over informing your reader. I feel if you cannot catch a readers main focus and attention, the information will not be processed. David Starkey then goes back to his three models and shows us how they managed, in different ways, to convince the reader to continue reading their work. Overall I enjoyed this reading. Not only have I been introduced to creative nonfiction, but I was carefully taken through what it exactly is, and how to achieve a successful creative nonfiction piece. With lists, examples and authors opinions, this was a very good informative read.
-Brittany Garcia
Creative Non-fiction is described as an essay with flexible genre, similar to poetry and fiction, and it emphasizes the writers independence to write able something he is extremely passionate about. It differs from any other essay someone has had to write in high school (for example) because that kind of essay, they were obligated to write. In creative non-fiction, Gutkind describes “the 5 Rs”, which include: real life, reflection, research, reading, and riting. The foundation of a creative nonfiction includes structure and organization, truth, a story, adding imagery and metaphors, making the essay about you, and lastly ethnics and edicts. In writing a creative nonfiction somethings to take under consideration are development of charactors, dialogue or how kim staffor describes it as “professional eavesdropper”, and scene setting to essentially create the mood. Carol bly advices that reading poetry can enhance your skills as an essayist because “poets drive explosition inward so much faster than most fiction and nonfiction writers do.” “Good poets are always delving beyond the obvious towards the mystery and good essayist share the restless curiosity.” To make a creative non-fiction more inviting to the reader the use of imagery and metaphors and similes are essential because the reader is able to picture him/herself in the story as if he/she is actually living in the story. Adding yourself in creative writing make it very authentic and unique, and since a major aspect in creative writing is to express, then it is only logical to talk about personal experiences with a little twist. “I” in an essay makes the reader more involves and it would be almost as if they are living within the storyline and creates a connection between the reader and the writer. In creative nonfiction essays there might be a possibility that there will be readers that resemble as a character in the story because the writer is writing about their surrounding and personal experiences and that is why ethnics and edicts are very important to avoid any lawsuits and that is why it is critical to make disclaimers in essays like these if they are meant to be published.
ReplyDelete-Priscilla Pena
Going into the article I wasn't really captivated by all the information Starkey had going and it would "put me to sleep" as he mentioned some essays or informational pieces can do to readers. Then I began to agree on a lot of what he had to say and was intrigued by the many views and ideas that have been going on for the past centuries over what techniques should be used or just what creative nonfiction is. As I began to read “Liferower,” by Rebecca McClanahan, I was drawn in and liked this “jump cut” technique. It had a very personal and poetic feel in which Starkey had also mentioned from another author who said creative non-fiction was a mixture of fiction and poetry. I saw the piece had its own flow without smooth transitions and the idea behind wandering with knowing where she was heading with the piece. I was able to see and feel how she must be speaking for many women on how drastic our thoughts can be from the fears to the insecurities in ourselves that keep us up at night. It’s a technique I look forward to trying.
ReplyDeleteA point I want to keep in mind is the strategy mentioned by Laurie Lynn Drummondon page 190 who said, “Tell the truth even if it makes you wince.” I have tried writing but delete or leave out some experiences I want to place on a character because I have gone through them and I am afraid of who would one day read that or question if it was me as I have questioned the stories behind the authors whom books I have read. It was mentioned that “the memories that make us the most uncomfortable are the ones that make best subject matter for our essays” and I plan to remind myself of this from now on.
It is a lot to take in all that comes with writing a non-fiction creative essay but with the proper steps, I look forward to trying it all and learning most of all while implementing the tips from these previous authors.
Going into the article I wasn't really captivated by all the information Starkey had going and it would "put me to sleep" as he mentioned some essays or informational pieces can do to readers. Then I began to agree on a lot of what he had to say and was intrigued by the many views and ideas that have been going on for the past centuries over what techniques should be used or just what creative nonfiction is. As I began to read “Liferower,” by Rebecca McClanahan, I was drawn in and liked this “jump cut” technique. It had a very personal and poetic feel in which Starkey had also mentioned from another author who said creative non-fiction was a mixture of fiction and poetry. I saw the piece had its own flow without smooth transitions and the idea behind wandering with knowing where she was heading with the piece. I was able to see and feel how she must be speaking for many women on how drastic our thoughts can be from the fears to the insecurities in ourselves that keep us up at night. It’s a technique I look forward to trying.
ReplyDeleteA point I want to keep in mind is the strategy mentioned by Laurie Lynn Drummondon page 190 who said, “Tell the truth even if it makes you wince.” I have tried writing but delete or leave out some experiences I want to place on a character because I have gone through them and I am afraid of who would one day read that or question if it was me as I have questioned the stories behind the authors whom books I have read. It was mentioned that “the memories that make us the most uncomfortable are the ones that make best subject matter for our essays” and I plan to remind myself of this from now on.
It is a lot to take in all that comes with writing a non-fiction creative essay but with the proper steps, I look forward to trying it all and learning most of all while implementing the tips from these previous authors.
Lisa Marie Serna
Reading Starkey's excerpt on creative writing was a very informative experience. Starkey describes literary nonfiction, otherwise known as creative nonfiction, and its differences from the nonfiction students write their entire grade school careers. I enjoyed the list of elements that pertain to the creative nonfiction genre of writing that he chose to use from Robert Root and Michael Steinberg’s book The Fourth Genre: Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction. The fact that this genre of writing allows for flexibility and borrows techniques from fiction and poetry is a relief. As a writer more so focused on these two genres, it makes this type of nonfiction seem somewhat less intimidating. I am excited to be able to write and learn about a nonfiction style of writing that “brings artistry to information and actuality to imagination.” Being able to write nonfiction in an expressive way is much more satisfying for me, as a writer, than, say, nonfictional essays I’ve been forced to write for years now.
ReplyDeleteStarkey also talks about The Art of the Personal Essay by Philip Lopate. Using another list of key points from the aforementioned book, he sheds light onto more interesting information about creative writing. I believe that writing in a fashion that allows for personal, honest, and sometimes humorous tones, as Philip Lopate says, is a great way to draw the reader in (which is something any type of writer, even noncreative nonfiction, should be able to do).
Further into the reading the “5 R’s” are discussed. It is essentially a list of important characteristics creative nonfiction writing should contain. I agree with the 5 R’s as they explain that good writing comes from personal experience and should reflect the author’s feelings.
I feel as though it is ironic how such a free-form style of writing that can have so many different definitions and no set one is so defined by the author of the reading using lists from other writers. Aside from this aspect, it was a very informative chapter and I don’t feel so in the dark about this genre anymore. In fact, I’d never even heard the term “creative nonfiction” before in any class.
-Ryan Bluhm
The only thing I do not agree with is the subtitle of this chapter, as it says, “A few things you should know about creative nonfiction.” I actually learned a lot! As it mentions near the beginning of this chapter, I like the way Philip Lopate acknowledges the qualities of the personal essay, made me think of my own writings and made me realize that these qualities are very important. In addition to this, I honestly loved both R. Root and M. Steinberg idea of elements for nonfiction, as well Lee Gutkind’s description of his perspective, “the 5 Rs”. The way all three of these writers illustrate the main concepts of what creative nonfiction should be about is actually pleasing to read. It made me feel that it does not have any boundaries, but it does have rules. And as these rules go, yes it has go to with a certain mixture like what O. Cofer and J. T. Price suggested, that it does have crossing genres and it brings the best of both poetry and fiction. Carrying on with the other thing I wanted to mention was that the section that covers the organization was very helpful because it mentioned quite a few differences towards essayist and a personal writer and on how one can write towards a specific thought. P. Lopate and R. McClanahan’s perfectly describe how to write without any strings attached (i.e. Lifefrower machine technique). Next on with telling the truth, this section was beyond interesting. As it caught my attention with how we decide to tell the truth with our perception of it, being real, correct and our memories with details…. It is not lying, but a way to save us and keep secrets hidden. And with the help of poetry, besides being to hide this, we can underline words with the way we decide to structure it and write about it as if we would to be getting inside the readers minds and be letting them our own selves. Now I agree with changing a few details of whatever we write, for a purpose of guarding any person or maybe a feeling we have towards those things we changed. And to what is ethical about it, to me since it is more personal and more realistic, any way we choose to write we will choose to dedicate it to our best interest and our readers’ interest as well.
ReplyDelete-Maria J. Salinas
Plenty of insight while reading, writing should be something that a person truly wants to explore rather than something they feel obligated to do. The authors mentioned helpful creative nonfictions tips but who I was most intrigued by was Philip Lopate. The title of his work says it all, The Art of A Personal Essay, each work of art when writing has many different forms because no author is the same. Lopate describes distinctive and idiosyncratic voice, which I understood to share similarities but yet unique characteristics. Speaking on behalf of myself and others, we never really know if we’re going to be good at something, but we’ll never really find out if we don’t take that chance and just “run” with it. Similar to how Lopate describes succeeding, this to me was relatable. Lee Gutkind’s mentioned that he focuses on the subject of manner and how real life and reflections are, therefore causing ideas on what a writer might write. Crazy thing is that I never really realized when I write that my ideas are what has happened, or what I would like to happen, until after I read his thoughts on creative nonfiction writing. Research, reading and writing also coming into place as main importance’s as well, which only makes logical sense to artist wanting to become authors. While trying to perceive all this useful info, I came across something that really caught my attention. When writing yourself into creative nonfiction; its all about you. Which makes perfect sense! It mentions that a writer’s attitude and options about a particular subject are crucial components to an essay, and no doubt they are. Positive energy while writing an essay VS. negative energy while writing an essay, which would a reader most likely prefer reading more? As I come back to question my own thoughts, it could be either or. Depending on the reader and how they might be feeling, or what type of mentality the reader has. My personal opinion to exceptional creative nonfiction writing is to know what you’re talking about, enjoy talking about it, re-write it a millions times to incorporate new and better ideas, and to have confidence that someone in the world will enjoy reading it once it is out there.
ReplyDelete-Natasha Ruby Villarreal
Information overload. I am still in the midst of trying to digest the material I have just read and cannot totally comment to agreeing or disagreeing yet.
ReplyDeleteTHANKS TO THIS BOOK- I arrive at this creative fiction writing coarse with already having taken the non-fiction creative writing class this past fall. One of the things which burn in my brain right now is how staying away from the five paragraph essay is best. I had been locked into this mode for so long and last semester I actually had the chance to step away from that form. The readings that I am getting now would have been helpful prior to taking that class.
QUESTIONS- I get a different perspective on the building of one’s own character though. Last semester, it seemed helpful to write out our essay with building the narrator up as reliable and sincere first in order to gain audience support before going deeper with shocking honesty. The main reason for this stemmed from the possibility of isolating your audience and causing the reader to turn on the writer. Starkey seems to jump right in with the blatant humble thing when he recalls “Lopate’s call for “self-belittlement”” (p205). He uses David Sedaris as an example of how to get your audience to not view the writer as an ego maniac. Sedaris’ essay didn’t seem humble but it didn’t seem ego driven either, I felt that McClanahan’s essay did a better job of embodying this example. I also wonder if a writer belittling themselves right off the first lines has an awkward isolating effect on the reader and how much is too much?
FAVORITES- My favorite example Liferower by Rebecca McClanahan, no surprise. Her organization is something so freeing and made me think of one of my own journaling rants; however, there is an organization to her writing that is awesomely sophisticated. Her scripted moment had me the most excited and motivated to write. I liked the way I felt as though I was right in the middle of the work out right alongside her. This technique of braiding seems challenging but I will definitely be trying it out.
Brenda Gomez
I like how much David Starkey goes in depth in describing and explaining creative writing. I never knew how there was such a thing as creative nonfiction. I agree it will seem to be fun like other students view it to because it is more of a freelance writing in my opinion. Creative writing is a freedom given to everyone that loves to share stories and their thoughts according to myself. That is how much I believe to agree on with David Starkey's explanation on creative nonfiction. Root and Steinberg have good beliefs on creative nonfiction of having actual real life experiences or stories of others lives. Writers have to know what they are writing about meaning they should have knowledge on what they are putting out there in their work. I agree with the essayist for John T. Price, "Personal essays bring together the best of both poetry and fiction, combining lyrical and imagistic language with narrative appeal." It is expressing your thoughts with the way you feel about it yet drawing a picture for the readers with the way you word your work.185
ReplyDeleteEditor Philip Lopare's introductipn of The Art of the Personal Essay, that he published in 200) 1997, expresses his thoughts on the genre of creative nonfiction. He explains how the personal essay should include ironic, humorous, honest, confession life details. Basically exploring into depth of life what others may miss out on a daily basis. Showing the side of destroying from what I learned so far in this course. But in Lopare's view, "It goes against the grain of popular opinion." To me that is saying to write out of the norm and create something different to what many may not see eye to eye with. Such a way as he describes, "to test, to make 300 a run at something without knowing whether you are going to succeed." As long as you and I try to bring about a topic that is different from all others beliefs. Although creative nonfiction seems easy it is a challenge as it is viewed to be. As writer "Annie Dillard calls the "two crucial points" in any work of nonfiction: "what to put in and what to leave out.", makes important sense to making a draft. In order to write the subject at hand without steering out of the main idea, you do not want to confuse the writer on what you are writing about.
Adelisa Fuentes