NAME: _____________________________________________________GRADE/STRAND:_____________________

CREATIVE NONFICTION (MIDTERM)

LESSON 1: Introduction to Literary I

Genres Literature
 Defined simply as the “art of words,” literature comes in various meanings.
 Rexroth (2020) defines literature as “those imaginative works of poetry and prose distinguished
by the intentions of their authors and the perceived aesthetic excellence of their execution.” Citing the
11th edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Rexroth adds that literature are “writings
having excellence of form or expression and expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest.”
 These definitions point out two important aspects of literature: excellence and expression. For a
work to be considered literature, it should not simply express humankind’s thoughts, feelings,
experiences and aspirations, but should also reflect merit and brilliance of expression.

Due to the depth and breadth of literature, various academics have classified it based on its different
aspects such as content, technique, tone, or simply definition.

On the basis of content, literature is divided into two major forms – fiction and nonfiction. As to
techniques used, literature is also classified into prose and poetry.
Genre refers to a type of art, literature, or music characterized by a distinct form, content, and
style. In literature, there are four literary genres: poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction. All these
literary genres have specific functions and features which distinguish one from the others.
As readers of literature, part of understanding a text is knowing to which genre a material
belongs since the message it conveys may be affected by certain conventions. When you have
mastered what distinguishes one from the other, it is easier to grasp what the writer is trying to tell you
hence putting you in a better position to think critically about the material you have read.
Different genres also have different roles. Fiction, for instance, may let you into a world which
is totally different from ours. Poetry may enrich your emotional and imaginative powers while drama
can help improve your communicative competencies. Nonfiction essays can give you insights about life
or it may lead you to think critically or persuasively about things and ideas around you. Whatever
genre you read, it is imperative that you have an understanding of what delineates one from the other
for you to balance your expectations of a particular literary work’s distinct conventions and style.

Fiction Defined
Fiction refers to a literary work which comes from the author’s imagination. Through the fictional
narrative, a writer may inform, entertain, inspire, or even persuade (Littlehale, 2020). Fiction has three
categories: realistic, non-realistic, and semi-fiction. MasterClass (2019) classifies fiction into 14
different forms including the following:
1. Literary Fiction. It refers to literary works with artistic value and literary merit. Political
criticism, social commentary, and reflections on humanity are most often the content of literary fiction.
Contrary to plot-driven works, they are typically character-driven, and places emphasis and focus on
the inner story of the character.
2. Mystery. Also known as detective fiction, mystery often follows a plot with a detective as
character or someone playing detective and tries to solve a case with a sprinkling of clues here and
there, giving the readers a feel for suspense, creates anticipation, and ultimately bares the truth with
some unexpected turns with nonetheless satisfying conclusions.

3. Thriller. This fiction type is characterized by dark, mysterious and suspenseful plots. It rarely
utilizes humor but highlights techniques like plot twists, red herrings, and cliffhangers which can keep
readers guessing until the very end.
4. Horror. Written to shock, startle, scare, and even repulse the readers, horror fiction creates a
horrifying sense of dread and may include characters like ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and
monsters. Horror themes may be of death, demons, evil spirits, the afterlife, and even fear itself.
5. Historical. This type of fiction involves the creative use of research to be able to transport
readers to another time and place. This time and place may be real, imagined, or a combination of
both. Some historical fiction may utilize characters who were historical figures and use real events in
history.
6. Romance. Created with a light-hearted, oftentimes optimistic tone, and most often a satisfying
conclusion, romantic fiction highlights love stories between people.
7. Western. Stories of this type often portray characters and setting of the western frontier like
cowboys, outlaws, and settlers of the American Old West. One distinct feature of this form is that it
relies mostly on the specific locale, culture, and language of that era in history.
8. Bildungsroman. Literally translated as “a novel of education” or “a novel of formation,” this
form highlights the transition or metamorphosis of a character from youth into adulthood. The
transition from immaturity to maturity experienced by the character may involve a profound loss, an
insightful journey, or an intense conflict.
9. Speculative fiction. This type may be a combination of different fiction forms like dystopian,
science fiction, and fantasy, or any other combination. The setting may be in a world so unlike the
world we live in. Considered as a supergenre, writers of speculative fiction have limitless use of the
possibilities beyond the human imagination.
10. Science Fiction. Classified under speculative fiction, sci-fi uses elements that do not exist in
the real world. Inspired by both natural science (physics, chemistry, and astronomy) and social
sciences (psychology, anthropology, and sociology), sci-fi stories may focus on time travel, space
exploration, and societies of the future.
11. Fantasy. Another type of speculative fiction, fantasy has imaginary characters and worlds and
may have influences of mythology and folklore which can be appealing to both children and adults
alike.
12. Dystopian. In contrast to utopian fiction which portrays a world better than the one we have,
dystopian fiction depicts a society that is worse than ours. Dystopian fiction is also another type of
science fiction.
13. Magical realism. The world portrayed in magical realism is similar to our real world but with
added magical elements which are considered “natural” in which the story takes place.
14. Realist literature. This type of fiction portrays a world very much like ours, with all the
elements created as truthful as it can be as it happens in our world.

Activity No. 1:

Instruction: List down fifteen (15) of your favorite books, movies, or series and their genre. Write your
answer on the space provided.

Example: Cinderella – Romance, Fantasy, and Magical Realism

LESSON 2: SUB-GENRES OF
FICTION
Sub-genres of Fiction

Some academics also classify fiction into sub-genres which include the following:
 1. Short Story. Shorter in length than a novel, a short story is a fictional prose work which usually
focuses on one plot, one main character (with a few additional minor characters), and one
central theme. It aims at unity of effect and creation of mood rather than on plot. Edgar Allan
Poe’s “The Philosophy of Composition” describes a short story as one that “should be read in one
sitting, anywhere from a half hour to two hours. In contemporary fiction, a short story can range
from 1,000 to 20,000 words.”
2. Novel. A novel is a narrative prose work of considerable length that talks about significant
human experience. The novel’s beginnings date back to as early as the writing of “Tale of Genji”
by Murasaki Shikibu; later, in the early seventeenth century, European novels came to be written
(Prahl, 2019).
A novel is also characterized by the following: (1) written in prose form, (2) considerable length
or word count, (3) fictional content, and (4) individualism; that is, it appeals to an individual
audience as a reader rather than to a group.
3. Myth. Derived from the Greek mythos, which has a range of meanings from “word,” through
“saying” and “story,” to “fiction,” a myth is a symbolic narrative of unknown origin and tells
events which are partly traditional and associated with religious beliefs. Myths are specific
accounts with gods or superhuman beings as characters involved in extraordinary events or
circumstances in a time that is unspecified but which is understood as existing apart from
ordinary human experience. Mythology, on the other hand, refers to both the study of myth and
the body of myths belonging to a particular religious tradition.
4. Legend. A legend is traditional tale which is thought to have historical bases.
5. Fable. A fable is an instructive story about human social behaviour with personified animals or
natural objects as characters and always ends with an explicit moral message. The concept of
time and space is also not specific in a fable.

Activity No. 1:

Instruction: Essay Writing: Answer the questions given below. Write your on the space provided.
Answers must be consisting of five (5) to ten (10) sentences.

1. What is your favorite movie or series recently? What is it about and what made you love it?

2. If you would be given a chance to write a story, what would be the title and its genre?

LESSON 3
Poetry
Poetry Defined
Poetry is a means of sharing experiences, telling a story, or expressing feelings or ideas through
the use of language in a particular way. As opposed to prose writing, poetry in written form has a
distinct structure and words may form patterns of sound, verse or thought. The creation of pictures
with words is very important in poetry, hence poets carefully choose words which will appeal to the
imagination of the readers and create vivid visual images.
There are some distinctive characteristics of poetry which sets it apart from prose:
A. the visual patterning of lines of unequal and shorter length,
B. the frequent division into stanzas (verses),
C. the possibility of unusual shapes, and
D. the distinctive use of white space which draws our eye into the compressed essence of
feelings and ideas.

Poems are usually shorter than novels, may come in many shapes and forms, and are often (but
not always) divided into stanzas (or verses). But just like prose, poems also share similar features like
subject (what it is about), theme (what it says about the subject), and a mood/feeling/tone (how the
author feels about this or how the author wants the readers to feel).
To make meaning out of poems, two broad approaches can be used:

A) Narrative poem – It tells a story with an orientation, complication, crisis, and resolution, or

B) Lyrical poem – It conveys an experience, or ideas, thoughts or feelings about a subject without
necessarily having ‘something happen.’

Poems also come in many forms. These forms are distinguished from the other by the choice of
structural units (couplets, quatrains, and their arrangement with the overall poem), the layout of a
poem on the page, and the organization of the lines of the poem. Here are some of them:

1) Acrostic. It is a poem which consists of vertical first letters name of the topic while the horizontal
words describe the topic.
2) Ballad. It is a narrative poem which tells a dramatic story in four-line stanza with a regular beat. A
ballad was originally set to music and sung. Characterized by simplicity of language, repetition of
epithets and phrases, simple rhyming schemes (usually abcd, sometimes abab) and refrains, topics
are often drawn from community life, local and national history, legend and folklore; while the verse
tales are usually of adventure, war, love, death and the supernatural
3) Chant. Dating to prehistoric time, hence one of the earliest forms of poetry, chant is a poem of no
fixed form, but in which one or more lines are repeated over and over. It is usually meant to be
spoken aloud.
4) Cinquain. It is a five line poem that follows a pattern and does not rhyme.
The cinquain consists of five lines of 2, 4, 6, 8 and 2 syllables respectively.
5) Comic Verse. It is a poem that involves humor and makes sense.
6) Diamante. It is a seven line poem in which the first and last lines are opposites or contrasts. It is
written in the shape of a diamond.
7) Elegy. It is a poem of mourning to someone’s death.
8) Epic. It is a long narrative poem on a subject which is thought to be great and serious.
9) Epigram. It is a short and pointed poem, often a witty statement in verse or prose which may be
complimentary, satiric or aphoristic.
10) Epitaph. It is a poem with a short inscription carved on a tombstone (or written with that
context in mind). It usually rhymes and lends itself to imitation and distortion. While the epitaph in a
cemetery is often serious, the form can be made humorous.
11) Free verse. It is a poetry that does not conform to particular schemes or patterns of rhyme,
meter or form because it doesn’t follow strict rules it has flexibility. Its rhythm is created by the
natural flow of the poet’s thoughts and emotions. Each line is based on speech rhythm which is
often a mixture of iambic and anapestic feet - sometimes with a regular number of stressed
syllables in each line. Each line is a meaningful unit in its own right, and in relation to other lines.
There is pattern and rhythm, though not in the traditional, regular form. Form is even more
important to free verse than to traditional verse, and it is usually quite subtle.
12) Haiku. Originated in Japan and often tells about nature, it consists of three unrhymed lines
containing 17 syllables (5, 7, 5) and portrays a single idea or feeling while having a strong visual
imagery.
13) Light verse. It is a poem that is cheerful, airy and light-hearted, it often describes everyday
events and uses language of the speaking voice.
14) Limerick. This is usually brief and lends itself to comic effects. The limerick consists of three
long and two short lines rhyming aabba. Rhyme and rhythm are used to enhance the content.
15) Lyric. Concerned with feelings and thoughts rather than action or narrative, it usually
represents and reflects on a single experience, is intensely personal, and its rhythms often have a
musical flexibility. It does not have to tell a story, and is often short (eg haiku, cinquain, shape,
tongue twisters, rhyming couplets, acrostic poems).
16) Narrative. It tells a story with an orientation, complication and resolution eg nursery rhymes. It
can be short or long, serious, humorous, personal or impersonal. It may come in the form of
allegories, fables or accounts of everyday events.
17) Nonsense verse. Categorized as light verse that has structure and rhyme and invented words,
it is characterized by fantastic themes, absurd images, artificial language and humor.
18) Nursery rhyme. Usually having regular rhymes, strong rhythms and repetition, it could be
described as jingles for children, forming part of the oral tradition of many countries.
19) Ode. Usually celebrating a person, animal or object, an ode is often written without the
constraints of formal structure or rhyme.
20) Riddle. It indirectly describes a person, place, thing or idea and can be any length and usually
has a rhyming scheme.
21) Song lyric. It is a poem that has been set to music. The word ‘lyric’ comes from the Greek word
lyre, a kind of harp that was often used to accompany songs.
22) Sonnet. It is a lyric poem that has fourteen lines of five beats each. Rather than tell a story. It
usually explores a feeling or state of mind or expresses a fixed idea. It first appeared in Italy in the
13th century. Many sonnets have an alternating rhyme scheme and usually have a ‘turning point’ at
the eighth line.
23) Tanka. A type of Japanese poem similar to haiku, it consists of five lines with the first and third
lines usually having five syllables and the others seven, making it a total of 31.
24) Villanelle. It is a fixed form, usually containing five three-line stanzas and a four-line stanza,
with only two rhymes throughout.

ACTIVITY

Instruction: Choose a genre, and then compose a poem with four (4) stanzas and four (4) lines.

_________________________
Genre: _____________
By: ___________________
NAME: _____________________________________________________GRADE/STRAND:_____________________
CREATIVE NONFICTION (MIDTERM)

LESSON 1:
DRAMA

A drama is a composition in either verse or prose presenting a story through pantomime or

dialogue. It contains conflict of characters, particularly the ones who perform in front of the audience
on the stage. The person who writes drama for stage directions is known as a “dramatist” or
“playwright.” The term “drama” is also used for the type of play written for theater, television, radio,
and film.
Because of the combination of performance, music, dance, props, and others which enable the
audience to feel like a part of the action, drama is considered a unique and distinctive genre of
literature.

There are four distinct types of drama:

1. Comedy. A comedy is a type of dramatic presentation which intends to make the audience
laugh through well-composed humorous elements.
2. Tragedy. One of the oldest forms of drama, tragedy exposes the plight and suffering of humans
to the audience.
3. Melodrama. This type of drama uses a technique marked by surge of feelings since melodrama
highlights exaggeration of emotions.
4. Musical drama. In a musical drama, the story is told through acting and dialogue, as well as
through dance and music, as well. The story may be comedic, though it may also involve serious
subjects.

Other Forms of Literary Genres

a. Diaries/Journals - Diaries and journals both contain records of experiences by its writer. A diary
records events, transactions, or observations daily or at frequent intervals. A journal, on the
other hand, contains one’s experiences, ideas and reflections but not necessarily on a daily
basis.
b. Memoirs - A memoir is an author’s narrative of his or her experiences, which makes it similar to
an autobiography, but with certain distinguishable characteristics.

c. Speeches - Merriam-Webster defines speech as “the communication or expression of thoughts

in spoken words.” Although speeches are not primary genres of literature, its significance lies in
the fact that these are important historical documents or moments and literature. A formal
address meant to be given to an audience, speeches can be found in prose, drama, and poetry,
and their primary goals are to persuade, inform, demonstrate, or entertain a reader, an
audience, or other characters. They can also be used in nonfiction or fiction, depending on their
purpose and use. Some of the primary speech forms include persuasive, informational,
demonstrative, special occasion speech, and debate.
Elements of Fiction
How does one say that a particular work is fiction? Generally, fiction work is not real hence
writers can utilize both the imagination and complex figurative language to appeal to the readers.
Fiction is also characterized by structured language, adherence to proper grammatical pattern, and
correct mechanics.
A work of fiction may combine fantastical and imaginary ideas from everyday life. Written
imaginatively, it comprises some important elements like plot, setting, character, conflict, and point of
view to lead the readers to its theme.

A. Character
- Characters are beings who live in the story. They can be actual people from this planet to aliens
from somewhere in the outer space. At other times, they can be animals, and even inanimate
objects; they can even be supernatural presences or make-believe creatures like goblins,
fairies, dragons, or elves.
1) Major or central characters - are vital to the development and resolution of the conflict. In other
words, the plot and resolution of conflict revolves around these characters.
2) Minor characters - serve to complement the major characters and help move the plot events
forward.
3) Dynamic - A dynamic character is a person who changes over time, usually as a result of
resolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis. Most dynamic characters tend to be central
rather than peripheral characters, because resolving the conflict is the major role of central
characters.
4) Static - A static character is someone who does not change over time; his or her personality
does not transform or evolve.
5) Round - A rounded character is anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often
portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.
6) Flat - A flat character is the opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable
for one kind of personality trait or characteristic.
7) Stock - Stock characters are those types of characters who have become conventional or
stereotypical through repeated use in particular types of stories. Stock characters are
instantly recognizable to readers or audience members (e.g. the femme fatale, the cynical but
moral private eye, the mad scientist, the geeky boy with glasses, and the faithful sidekick).
Stock characters are normally one-dimensional flat characters, but sometimes stock
personalities are deeply conflicted, rounded characters (e.g. the "Hamlet" type).
8) Protagonist - The protagonist is the central person in a story, and is often referred to as the
story's main character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. The
protagonist may not always be admirable (e.g. an anti-hero); nevertheless s/he must command
involvement on the part of the reader, or better yet, empathy.
9) Antagonist - The antagonist is the character(s) (or situation) that represents the opposition
against which the protagonist must contend. In other words, the antagonist is an obstacle that
the protagonist must overcome.
B. Setting
- Simply put, setting answers the question “where” and “when” about the narrative. Answers to
these questions give rise to the two types of setting: the physical and chronological setting.
o Physical setting refers to where the story takes place. It can be very general like in a farm, a
school, or a laboratory; or it can be specific, like “in the Metropolitan Naga Cathedral,” or “at
McDonald’s Diversion Road branch.”
o The chronological setting can also be general or specific, as during the “Christmas season,” or
“during the early morning of December 16 in 2019.” Sometimes, the setting is immaterial to
the story, as when the writer wants to be universal and not limited by time and space.
- Aside from the chronological and physical setting, it also includes the following:
a) The immediate surroundings of the characters such as props in a scene: trees, furniture,
food, inside of a house or car, etc.,
b) The weather such as cloudy, sunny, windy, snow, or rain, etc., and
c) The geographical location including the city, state, country, and possibly even the universe,
if the writer is writing science fiction.
C. Plot
- Plot is the order of events in the story. Writers usually follow a particular plot structure, called
“Freytag’s Pyramid,” although this is not always the case, as some may opt to start from the
middle part or ending part and go backwards to where the events began.
- Freytag’s Pyramid is named after the German playwright of the 1800s, Gustav Freytag, and has
the five-part plot structure which includes the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action,
and denouement, also known as resolution.

Freytag’s Pyramid
a. Exposition - introduces the characters, time, and the
problem. This occurs at the start of the story up to the
point where an inciting incident happens for the main
character to handle or solve. The exposition creates the
beginning of the story.
b. Rising action - includes the happenings that the main
character encounters. As each event develops, more
complications arise, making the problem more complex for
the character.
 c. Climax - refers to the turning point in the story. This is usually a single event with the greatest
intensity and uncertainty. Here the main character contends with the problem hence creating
the peak of interest for the readers.
d. Falling action - are the events that unfold after the climax. The resulting events after the
climax create an emotional response from the reader.
e. Denouement or resolution - provides closure and ties up loose ends in the story.

D. Conflict
- Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces or entities. The main character encounters a
conflict which may be an adversary or any other force to contend with.
Two types of conflict:
o External conflict could be:
 man against nature (a mother and her child evacuating at the height of typhoon Yolanda).
 man against man (a student being harassed by a bully classmate).
o Internal conflict could be:
 man against society or culture
 man against himself or herself
E. Point of view
- Who is telling the story? How is the story told? Point of view answers these questions.
- There are three different types of point of view which writers use in telling fiction.
a) First person point of view means that
the story is told from the viewpoint of one of the
characters who may be the protagonist or main
character in the narrative. Here, first person
personal pronouns are used like I, me, my, we, and
our. By using this point of view, readers may feel
an affinity and empathy for the narrator as the
narration can include the narrator’s motives,
thoughts and feelings. On the other hand, this view
may be limited as it cannot say for certain other
characters’ thoughts, feelings, and motives.
b) The second person point of view which is seldom used, speaks to the reader as if
the reader is the protagonist. At other times, the narrator may use apostrophe, a figurative
language where the speaker talks to an absent or unidentified person. The second person
pronouns are used here like you and your.
c) The third person point of view is classified into third person limited and third
person omniscient. In both types of view, the narrator is not a character nor in the story.
In third person limited, the narrator is limited only to one of the character’s thoughts.
In third person omniscient, the narrator is “all-knowing” and “all-seeing” and knows
various characters’ thoughts. This view uses third person pronouns like he, she, it, and they.

F. Theme
- Theme is the underlying truth conveyed by the author through the story. Themes are usually
universal which means that they are understood by readers across cultures, eras, or
nationalities. Some common themes include coming of age, circle of life, prejudice, greed, good
vs. evil, and beating the odds. Theme is different from the moral or lesson of a narrative.

Elements of Drama
Drama is pretty much similar in certain narrative aspects to fiction, like the presence of
characters, plot, setting, conflict, and theme. Since drama is intended for performance, it has
particular elements, though, which are distinct from other genres. This includes presentation elements
like venue, costumes, set design, lighting design, and music.

Activity No. 1:
EXPLAIN: Explain the following items based on what you have learned from the discussion.

1. Drama
2. Four Distinct Types of Drama
a. Comedy
 b. Tragedy
c. Melodrama
d. Musical drama
3. Elements of Fiction
a. Character
b. Setting
c. Plot
d. Conflict
e. Point of View
f. Theme

Activity No. 2
SEARCH: Search for one (1) drama scene with any type and genre (e.g. “I’m Sorry Ma” Scene – The
Four Sisters and a Wedding.) then write it on a yellow paper. Make sure to follow the format indicated
below:

_____________________________________
Title of Drama:
_________________________
Genre/type:

Dialogue:

Activity No.
3
REFLECT: Watch a drama and write a short reflection about what the movie/drama is about and what
you have learned from it. Do this on a yellow paper. Make sure to follow the format indicated below:

_________________________________
Title of the Drama:
____________________
Genre/Type:

Reflection:

LESSON 2: CREATIVE NONFICTION

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Nonfiction is writing that is based on true events, people, places, and facts. It is a vast category
and has sub-genres: it could be factual, like a scientific paper; it could also be creative, like a personal
essay. The label “creative nonfiction” can apply to various categories of writing, including food, travel,
memoir, personal essay, and other hybridized forms.
Creative nonfiction work also tends to focus on transformational events in the narrator’s or
central character’s life. It generally seems closer to the truth of the narrator’s experience than other
forms of nonfiction, as revealing the narrator’s experience / emotional consequence of the experience
often seems the implicit “goal” of the work.
A creative nonfiction work can sound very personal and deeply revealing and the resulting
authenticity can have profound effects. The writer who has experienced that particular event being
narrated is in the best position to talk about the experience from his or her viewpoint. The reader, on
the other hand, can feel an affinity towards the writer’s work as it was narrated from an authentic, no-
filter landscape, hence making it something to be trusted.

Elements of Creative Nonfiction

“Creative non-fiction blurs the distinction between fiction and non-fiction but only at the
periphery of knowledge, where fact and truth are unavailable or obscured (Penn, 2017).” If the
“periphery of knowledge” is the one thing that delineates one from the other, logically, it follows that
creative nonfiction shares similar elements with fiction.
A. Plot. Plot is one of the basic elements of every story: put simply, plot refers to the actual events
that take place within the bounds of your narrative. Using our rhetorical situation vocabulary, we can
identify “plot” as the primary subject of a 9 descriptive personal narrative. Three related elements to
consider are scope, sequence, and pacing.
B. Characters. Characters bring life to the story. Keep in mind that while human characters are most
frequently featured in stories, sometimes there are nonhuman characters in a story such as animals or
even the environment itself.
C. Characterization. Characterization refers to the development of characters through actions,
descriptions, and dialogue. Your audience will be more engaged with and sympathetic toward your
narrative if they can vividly imagine the 10 characters as real people. Like setting description,
characterization relies on specificity.
D. Point of View. The writer’s narrative position is informed by point-of-view and the emotional
variables referred as tone and mood. Simply put, point of view is the perspective from which the story
is told. This is also a grammatical phenomenon as it is dependent on pronoun use and impacts tone,
mood, scope, voice, and plot. Although point-of-view will influence tone and mood, we can also
consider what feelings we want to convey and inspire independently as part of our narrative position.
E. Angle. This element refers to the specific or particular standpoint from which the narrative is told.
Visualize yourself writing about a chair. You were standing right in front so you can describe how it
looks from the front. But of course, you might stand to one side and see another aspect which you
might not see from the front. You can even move back and take a look from the back, or even from the
top. From these different standpoints, you might be able to write different things about the chair.
F. Setting and Atmosphere. Each story has a setting. The setting is the place where the story takes
place. Usually, an effective story establishes its setting early in the story: otherwise readers will have a
difficult time visualizing the action of the story.
G. Symbols and Symbolisms. Writers use symbols to give meaning to objects, or events that are
outside of the literal. Many people are familiar with common symbols in everyday life. Red roses are
symbols of love, and doves are symbols of peace.
H. Irony. Irony is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different
from how they actually are. If this seems like a loose definition, don't worry—it is. Irony is a broad term
that encompasses three different types of irony, each with their own specific definition: verbal irony,
dramatic irony, and situational irony. Most of the time when people use the word irony, they're actually
referring to one of these specific types of irony.
I. Figures of speech. These are the various rhetorical uses of language that depart from customary
construction, word order, or significance. Specifically, a figure of speech is a rhetorical device that
achieves a special effect by using words in a distinctive way.
J. Dialogue. Basically, this refers to the communication between characters in the narrative. A
dialogue is dependent on relationships between characters, and this, in turn, can influence tone of
voice, word choice (such as using slang, jargon, or lingo), what details we share, and even what
language we speak.
K. Scene. A plot, in any form of literature, is made up of scenes. In drama, it's the subdivision of an
act. Usually, it's defined by having a single setting and a certain set of characters.

Activity No.
4
FILL IN THE BLANKS: Complete the statements by writing the appropriate words or amounts in the
answer blanks.

1. Nonfiction is writing that is based on _______________________________.

2. Creative nonfiction work also tends to focus on ______________ events in the narrator’s or central
character’s life.
3. A ____________ work can sound very personal and deeply revealing and the resulting authenticity can
have profound effects.
4. If the “______________________” is the one thing that delineates one from the other, logically, it
follows that creative nonfiction shares similar elements with fiction.
5. Plot is one of the ___________ of every story: put simply, plot refers to the actual events that take
place within the bounds of your narrative.
6. ____________ bring life to the story. Keep in mind that while human characters are most frequently
featured in stories, sometimes there are nonhuman characters in a story such as animals or even the
environment itself.
7. Characterization refers to the ___________ of characters through actions, descriptions, and dialogue.
8. The writer’s narrative position is informed by __________ and the emotional variables referred as
tone and mood.
9. Angle refers to the specific or particular _________ from which the narrative is told.
10.The setting is the place ________ the story takes place.
11.Writers use symbols to give ________ to objects, or events that are outside of the literal..
12._____ is a literary device or event in which how things seem to be is in fact very different from how
they actually are.
13.A figure of speech is a rhetorical device that achieves a ___________ by using words in a distinctive
way.
14.Dialogue refers to the communication between characters in the narrative.
15._______ is defined by having a single setting and a certain set of characters.
NAME: _____________________________________________________
GRADE/STRAND:________________________
CREATIVE NONFICTION (PRE FINALS)

LESSON 1: CREATIVE NONFICTION FORMS

AND TYPES

FORMS AND TYPES OF CREATIVE NONFICTION

1. Autobiography/Biography
 An autobiography is a self-authored story of a person’s life. It is an account of one’s life
written or recorded in some way by that person.
 Both biography and autobiography tell the story of an individual person’s life. The
difference is that an autobiography is written by the subject of the story while a
biography is written by a third person. A biography is generally preferred over an
autobiography to be published as a book or produced as a movie
2. Literary Journalism/Reportage
 Literary journalism is the creative nonfiction form that comes closest to newspaper and
magazine writing. It is fact-driven and requires research and, often, interviews. Some of
the writings that fall within the genre of Literary Journalism include biography,
memoirs, personal essay, travel writing, hybridized essays, and food writing
among others.
3. Personal narratives
 Personal narrative essays can be written as a means to point out the activities in our
mundane life and painting them in another light. From sharp observations, significant
questions which should not be ignored can then be formulated.
4. Travelogue
 A travelogue is a person’s account of a journey to another country or place. It can
either be a written report with many factual details or a narrative story about
personal impressions and experiences supported by images.
5. Vlogs
 A typical vlog combines text, images, videos and links to relevant pages and media on
the Web.
6. Blogs
 A typical blog combines text, images, and links to relevant pages and media on the Web.
Blog readers can leave comments and communicate with the author.
7. Testimonio
 Testimonial literature is “an authentic narrative, told by a witness who is moved to
narrate by the urgency of a situation (e.g., war, oppression, revolution, etc.).

Activity No. 1:
Directions: Identify the form or type of creative nonfiction described in each statement. Write your
answer in the space provided.
1. A self-authored story of a person’s life, written or recorded by that person. __________
2. This type of writing is fact-driven and often requires research and interviews, closely resembling
newspaper and magazine writing. __________
3. An essay that recounts personal experiences and observations, often used to shed light on
everyday life. __________
4. A narrative account detailing a person’s journey to another country or place, which can include
factual details and personal impressions. __________
5. A digital platform that combines text, images, and videos, often shared by an individual,
typically about various topics. __________
6. A web-based journal that allows for interaction between the author and readers through
comments and discussions. __________
7. A type of literature that presents an authentic narrative told by a witness, often motivated by
urgent situations such as war or oppression. __________
8. Written by a third person, this type of account tells the story of an individual’s life. __________
 9. A form of writing that includes memoirs, personal essays, and travel writing, blending
storytelling with factual reporting. __________
10. This form of creative nonfiction often emphasizes significant questions and observations in our
daily lives. __________
11. A narrative that can be both a report and a story, often illustrated with images from the journey.
__________
12. A digital journal that may contain links to various media and allows for reader interaction.
__________
13. A narrative recounting one’s life experiences that is authored by the individual themselves.
__________
14. This genre requires rigorous research and often interviews to present a balanced view of the
subject matter. __________
15. A firsthand account by someone who has experienced significant historical or social events,
often conveying deep personal insights. __________

LESSON 2: CRITIQUE NONFICTION

Key Elements of Good Creative Nonfiction:
1. Coherence and Organization: Ensure paragraphs are logically arranged, with clear
statements of purpose and supporting details. Ideas should flow smoothly from one point to the
next.
2. Cohesion: Ideas at the sentence level should connect well, creating a seamless reading
experience. The structure of your text is often determined by your topic.
Common Structures:
 Chronological: Events are arranged in the order they occurred.
 Flashback: The story begins in the present and moves to the past.
 Parallel: Multiple stories run alongside each other, occasionally intersecting.
 Collage/Mosaic: Small fragments are pieced together to create a larger picture.
 Question and Answer: Allows the subject’s voice to be heard without excessive attributions.
 Frame: A story-within-a-story format, highlighting both external and internal journeys.
Basic Structure of a Creative Nonfiction Piece:
1. Introduction: Captures the reader’s attention with a strong opening, hinting at the subject and
setting the tone.
o Title: A working title can help focus your writing.
o First Paragraph: Should engage the reader and suggest what’s to come, emphasizing
action and drama.
2. Body: Utilizes sensory details and literary devices to bring the story to life.
3. Conclusion: Summarizes key points and provides a satisfying closure to the narrative.
Literary Elements: Essential characteristics of any story, including theme, setting, conflict, and point
of view.
Using Factual Information: Creative nonfiction relies on truth. Always:
 Avoid inventing or altering facts.
 Provide accurate and verifiable information.
 Use concrete evidence, examples, and quotations.
 Incorporate literary devices for storytelling.
 Choose engaging language.

Critique Guidelines
Purpose of Critique: A critique reviews a piece of writing, discussing its strengths and weaknesses.
Peer Critique Guidelines:
1. Be Kind: Treat others respectfully; avoid hurtful comments.
2. Be Specific: Focus on particular strengths and weaknesses.
3. Be Helpful: Aim to contribute positively to the author’s work.
4. Participate: Your feedback is valuable in supporting others.
How to Write a Critique:
1. Summarize and Interpret: Explain what you think the piece is about and its intended
message.
2. Identify Strengths: Highlight what works well in the piece.
3. Provide Constructive Criticism: Offer respectful, specific suggestions for improvement with
examples.
Critique Do’s and Don’ts: Do:
 Read the piece multiple times.
  Approach it as an ordinary reader first.
 Understand the author’s goals.
 Be specific and provide relevant examples.
Don’t:
 Impose your own tastes or rewrite the piece.
 Discourage the author.
 Offer vague criticisms.
Note: Don’t expect your first critique to be perfect. Your critiquing skills will improve with practice, just
like your writing.

Activity No. 2
Instructions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. What is the importance of coherence and organization in creative nonfiction writing?

2. Describe the chronological structure in creative nonfiction and give an example of

when it might be used.

3. How does the use of sensory details enhance the reader's experience in a creative
nonfiction piece?

4. What is the role of the introduction in a creative nonfiction piece, and what key
elements should it include?

5. Why is it important to provide factual information in creative nonfiction, and what

should a writer avoid doing?
NAME: _____________________________________________________
GRADE/STRAND:________________________
CREATIVE NONFICTION (FINALS)

LESSON 1: WRITING A DRAFT OF A CREATIVE

NONFICTION PIECE

Creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing part of the creative writing world because it tries to bring
together the imaginative strategies of fiction storytelling and new ways of narrating real-life events.
Learning the secrets and techniques of creative nonfiction offers you so much more than just insights
into this exciting style of writing.

Mastering the art and craft of creative nonfiction can:

help you write more effectively in a variety of academic and personal situations, provide dynamic
new ways for you to preserve life experiences as how they truly occurred or as you felt them,
allow you to share your stories in ways that other people are sure to find compelling, and
open up new windows on how you think about your own personal history and that of others.

Before putting pen to paper, a writer has many decisions to make. One of the most important of these
is identifying the kind of work he or she would like to create. While fiction writers choose to rely solely
on their imagination and ability to distort reality, nonfiction writers assume the hefty load of research,
reportage and accuracy.

The 5 R’s of creative nonfiction is a short checklist to refer to when writing a nonfiction work that will
ensure your bases are covered.

The 5 R's of Creative Nonfiction

1. Write about real life. Remember that you are writing about real people, real places and real events.
Visiting the people and the places you are going to write about will give you the tools necessary to tell
an accurate story with vivid scenery, well-described artifacts and true-to-life personages. Nothing
should be fictional or made up. Everything that makes it into your work of creative nonfiction must have
happened at some time or another in real life. Never embellish or alter reality.
2. Conduct extensive research. Use every resource available to gather information on your subject. Of
course, where you look for information will depend on the subject matter, but some great starting
places are: The library Newspaper archives The Internet Interviews Public records Books and magazines
Photographs Immersion (visiting the place you are writing about) It is also apparent to ensure your
sources are accurate and reputable. If not, your integrity is at stake. Even worse, a creative nonfiction
writer who doesn't conduct sufficient research is liable to have their name scourged by readers.
3. Write a narrative. Use the storytelling elements of fiction to create a compelling story with the factual
information you’ve gathered. You could craft your story this way using the standard pattern: Inciting
incident Conflict (internal or external) Climax or turning point 8 Resolution End of story
4. Include personal touch. The “creative” in “creative nonfiction” comes with the author’s unique voice
and opinion on the matters being related on the page. You, the author, are the human connection
between the subject matter and the reader. In this sense, creative nonfiction relies much more on the
personality of the author than fiction. You must befriend your reader, make them trust you, and proceed
with your storytelling.
5. Learn by reading. The creative nonfiction writer should read autobiographies, newspapers,
magazines, articles and other nonfiction books to get a taste for how theirs should be formatted and
written. With these tips, you are more than halfway to creating a great work of creative nonfiction. Once
you’ve collected your information, plotted your story and taken a unique angle on the subject, you are
ready to begin the hardest part of the process: writing the story. Happy writing!
 ACT
IVIT
Y
#1
Compose your own narrative essay. Share the story behind a cherished family tradition. Describe how it
started, its significance to your family, and a memorable experience you had while participating in this
tradition. Focus on the emotions and lessons learned through this experience.