MINI-LECTURE AND ACTIVITY

SHEETS IN CREATIVE NONFICTION

QUARTER 3- WEEK 1

Most Essential Learning Competency:

Analyze the theme and techniques used in particular text (HUMSS_CNF11/12-Ia-3)

WEEK
1-2
WEEK
1 Theme and Techniques
Lesson
I
Focusing on formal elements and writing techniques, including
autobiography and blogging, among others, the subject introduces the reading and
writing of creative nonfiction as a literary form. The subject develops in
you the skills in reading and critical and creative thinking that will help you to be
imaginative readers and writers.
Understanding the theme and techniques used in a literary piece is critical
to deciphering an author's message. It serves as a jigsaw puzzle that should be
arranged in order to attain the coherence and logical arrangement of the text.
Theme serves as the golden thread that weaves the storyline and its elements.
Learning the techniques and theme in nonfiction helps you weave your own
nonfiction piece.
In this lesson, you are expected to analyze the theme and techniques used
in a particular text. Techniques and theme will be discussed in this lesson for you
to be well-equipped in analyzing a given text.

D
Writing about personal experiences, real people, or events focusing on facts
instead of inventive substance, nonfiction can be a wellspring of instructive and
real readings.
Much the same as creative writing and other composing sorts, creative
nonfiction drives you to find and get subjects and points being conveyed by writers
utilizing their methods and styles recorded as hard copy.
Try to activate your prior knowledge about the elements and techniques of
creative nonfiction. Are they just the same with the elements and techniques that
you have learned in your Creative Writing class?

Learning Task 1: Using the the K-W-L chart, write down on the first column (K)
the things you know about “Creative Nonfiction”, while on the second column, write
the things that you want to learn about the said word. Leave the last column blank
as you will do this on the latter part of the lesson. Do this in your notebook.
CREATIVE NONFICTION
What I Know What I want to know What I Learned

6
Learning Task 2: Write your understanding on the elements below. Tell if you think
that the elements are still part of creative nonfiction. Do this in your notebook.

Elements of Your Definition Is it still present in

Fiction Creative Nonfiction?
Characters
Setting
Theme
Point of View
Plot

Learning Task 3: Among the stories, reading selections or films that you have read
or watched, can you give the top three themes that you usually encounter? Do this
in your notebook.

1.
2.
3.

Nonfiction is a wide kind of compositions that incorporates all books that

are not established in an anecdotal account. Creative nonfiction can be classified in
history and biography; it might be instructional; it can offer publication and humor;
and it can mull over philosophical requests. If a book is not delved in a made-up
story, by then it is certified.

The essence of originality are well-used in evident occasions, numerous true

to life stories offer unequivocally obstinate editorial on those genuine occasions. In
a short concept, nonfiction deals with reality.

Moreover, nonfiction or literary narrative nonfiction is a genre of writing that

uses creative ways on utilizing literary styles and techniques with the springboard
of factual and accurate narratives.

Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing

or journalism, which is likewise established in exact certainty however is not
essentially written in support of its specialty. As a classification, imaginative true to
life is still moderately youthful, and is just starting to be investigated with the
equivalent basic examination given to fiction and verse.

When you are reading or encountering stories that are based from reality or
sources came from the truth, you can simply tell that it is creative nonfiction.

7
 ◦ Fact. The core of nonfiction is fact. Factual information shall be included in
the piece and not a made up information.
◦ Extensive research. Conducting and gathering information through
research provide accurate and reliable information that you may use in
writing your nonfiction write-up.
◦ Reportage/reporting. Documenting the gathered information like interview
and reports helps you keep records and files for future usages.
◦ Personal experience and personal opinion. Since the main source of
contents are based from the personal experiences and personal insights of
the writer, it makes an easy way to write a piece.
◦ Explanation/Exposition. Explaining the story to the reader is expected to
attain the objectives of the piece.
◦ Essay format. The outputs in creative nonfiction are often in essay format.
Examples: Procedural Essay, Personal Essay, Literary essays, descriptive
essay
Creative nonfiction is the literature of fact. Yet, creative nonfiction writer
utilizes many of the literary devices of fiction writing. The following is a list of the
most common literary devices that writers incorporate into their nonfiction writing:
◦ Storytelling/narration. The goal, challenges and obstacles, a turning
point, and resolution of the story shall be delivered spontaneously to help the
readers understand the flow of the story.
◦ Character/Characterization. In a nonfiction story, characters are also
important. The main character serves as the core or central idea of the
storyline. The story revolves to the experiences of the main character with
the help of the other characters.
◦ Setting, atmosphere and scene. The writer creates scenes that are action
-oriented; include dialogue; and contain vivid descriptions.
◦ Plot and plot structure. These are the main events that make up the story.
In a personal essay, there might be only one event. In a memoir, there are
often several significant events.
◦ Figurative language. The use of figurative languages helps the writer to
provide aesthetics to the piece. It gives vibrant effect to the story.
◦ Imagery. The use of different sensory images helps also to add color in
writing a nonfiction piece.
◦ Angle/Point of view. Most of the time nonfiction adheres with the use of
First Person Point of View since the experiences are being told.
◦ Dialogue. This can help to make the story run within the characters.

◦ Theme. It is the central idea or universal truth presented in the work.

8
The 5’Rs of Creative Nonfiction
Lee Gutkind, who is a writer, professor, and expert on creative nonfiction,
wrote an essay called “The Five R’s of Creative Nonfiction.” In this essay, he
identified five essential elements of creative nonfiction. These include:
1. Creative nonfiction uses a real life elements. The writer creates concepts of a
story using the vital and real information about the subject which can be
associated on close attributes of the real experiences.
2. Creative nonfiction lets the writer to engage on his personal reflection about the
subject. After gathering information, the writer needs to scrutinize and analyze
the gathered information. Assessing and considering his ideologies and beliefs.
Through this, it will help the writer to be more factual based.
3. Creative nonfiction instructs the author to do a complete research. The author
needs to find out relevant and vital information about the subject. The writer
needs to finish investigating and weighing information that will be included in
the story. Finishing auxiliary examination will lead to create a complete and
substantial contents. For an instance, looking into an individual diary, or
meeting a companion or relative, to guarantee that the data is honest and
genuine.
4. The fourth aspect of creative nonfiction is reading. Reading while conducting
research is not enough. The writer must recall the components through reading
to improve and make some modifications.
5. The final element of creative nonfiction is writing. Writing imaginative true to
life is both a workmanship and specialty. The craft of inventive true to life
necessitates that the essayist utilizes his gifts, senses, innovative capacities, and
creative mind to compose paramount imaginative true to life.
Types of Creative Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction always deals on reality. Reality can be about using the
topics like the use of individual encounter, occasion, or issue in the open eye. There
are different classes or categories to consider in creative nonfiction such as the
individual article, journal, and life account.
• Personal Essay. The writer uses information that is based on personal
experience or a single event, which leads in significant personal meaning or a
lesson learned that he encountered. The writer uses the first person “I.”
• Memoir. The writer creates a real story within a time or period of life, one that
contributed a significant personal meaning and truth. The writer uses the first
person “I” in the story.
• Literary journalism essay. The writer creates an output on an issue or topic
using the understood literary devices, such as the elements of fiction and
figurative languages.
• Autobiography. The writer writes his/her own life story, from birth to the
present, using the first person “I.”
• Travel Writing. The writer creates article narration about travel using literary
devices and figurative languages.
• Food writing. The writer crafts stories about food and cuisine using literary
techniques that mat lead to a review and recommendation.
• Profiles. The writer constructs life stories of people using literary devices.

9
 Green (2018) defined theme as a thread that runs throughout a whole book.
When done well, the theme relates to every subject and story and piece of advice. It
ties everything together.
Sometimes, themes are obvious. In Harry Potter, there are treats battling
baddies, and the primary subject is acceptable versus evil. It likewise has subjects
of bigotry and correspondence.
In a literary text, theme is the broader message of the story. In nonfiction
informational texts, the central ideas are the most essential ideas.
Central Ideas. These are the most essential ideas of a text; the key points the author
wants to make! The BIG idea.
Nonfiction works use supporting details to develop central ideas. Details
within the text support and develop the central idea in the following ways:
• Prove the concept since you must consider reality;
• Explain the central idea of the story;
• Define the concept;
• Show some examples and illustrations; and
• Give additional information.

Determining Central Ideas

Often, the central idea is directly stated near the beginning of the text.
However, readers may also have to infer the central idea by determining what point
(message/idea) all the details come together to support.
The main ideas of individual paragraphs will lead to the central idea of the
whole text.

Constructing Paragraphs in Nonfiction Text

Each paragraph has its own main idea. The main idea of each paragraph is
used to support the central idea of the whole text.
The main idea of a paragraph must be associated with supporting
information and evidences to strengthen the main idea.
The details of the piece shall go along with the central idea to attain unity
and coherence.
Delivering paragraphs shall consider the strength and weakness of the ideas
being imparted in the story. Reviewing the central idea will lead you to paragraphs
that are substantial and purposive.

10
Ponder with Ideas
Writing creative nonfiction is tied in with recounting to genuine stories. You
can recount to an anecdote about yourself, making expositions about close to home
encounters. You can likewise expound on others, spots and occasions on the planet.
In nonfiction, you compose valid and verifiable stories, not fiction. You will
need to introduce reality and realities in a convincing, engaging, and noteworthy
way with the goal that others will be enlivened to peruse your story. To compose
any of these types of imaginative true to life, you have numerous procedures to look
over, e.g. scene, synopsis, individual reflection.

In a blog of Hood (2012), he identified the toolbox of techniques that writers

are expected to use when writing creative nonfiction.
• Topic and Question. In prewriting, you need to choose a topic and then
try to link possible questions to be answered. In doing this, it helps you to
focus on the areas that you intend to highlight, For instance, in choosing
a topic on a travelogue, you need to formulate questions like How to get
there? What are the amenities or activities that can be done? The
transportation fares and routes.
• Narrative Structure or Shape of a Story. Narrative structure lets you to
discover within the way on delivering the story through narration, meaning
that you discover the details of the story and its structure as you write. In
creative nonfiction, there are five popular narrative structures or shapes
Narrative structure: Telling the story chronologically, from beginning to
end.
• Braided Structure: Telling a story by weaving or combining two,
sometimes three, narratives or stories.
• Collage: Using a thematic and segmented approach that combines a
quotation or two, poem, scene, metaphor, simile, allusion, personification,
image, vignette, anecdote, a short, short, true story, with an epiphany.
• Frame: Telling a story by opening with a particular scene or reflecting
and closing with a particular scene or reflection.
• Narrative with Flashback: Telling a story using scene, summary,
reflection, and flashbacks.
As well, the you can experiment with the narrative structure, resulting in a
new structure or shape.

11
Distinctive Voice, Style, and Intimate Point of View. All good writers have a
distinctive voice, which is the persona of the writer expressed on the age.
Good writers also have a unique style. Additionally have a one of a kind style.
An author's style is his/her demeanor of persona on the page. It incorporates
decision of expression, sentence assortment, and tone, perspective, utilization of
illustration, and other abstract gadgets. The tone of the keeping in touch with itself
is in every case well disposed, conversational. Stories are regularly told utilizing the
main individual perspective.

Detail and Description. Creative writing is often a form of discovery. As you

compose, you review the subtleties, the recollections, the pictures, the felt feeling,
the more profound importance. You'll review from memory critical, specific
subtleties and afterward thinks of them down. You'll make distinctive depictions
with solid, explicit, and specific subtleties. You don't need to incorporate everything
about, those that are huge or significant. Frequently you'll utilize tactile symbolism,
language that conjures the feeling of sight, smell, taste, contact, or hearing. The
reason for including subtlety is to reproduce the involvement with the psyche of the
readers.

Scene and Summary. One of the most important techniques of creative nonfiction
is writing in scenes. A scene recreates the experience of the writer for the reader. A
scene evokes. To write a scene, you must show the reader what is happening. A
scene often includes:
Setting - time and place of the story
Action - something that happens
Dialogue - something being said
Vivid description - concrete and specific details
Imagery - language that invokes reader’s sense of sight, smell, taste, touch,
hearing
Point of View - first, second, third persons
Figurative language - simile, metaphor, etc.
Beginning, middle and ending - a scene has a beginning, middle and end
Summary involves telling the reader what happened. Telling means to
summarize and to compress, leaving out the details and descriptions. Telling
is explaining.
You should create scenes of important events, such as for a setback and
the turning point.
Scene and summary are used for all types of creative nonfiction.

12
Techniques of Fiction. You’ll also rely on the techniques of fiction to tell a true
story, including:

• Setting-time and place and context, which provides the backdrop to the
true story
• Narrative Arc ( inciting incident, conflict and setback, climax, epiphany,
resolution)
• Point of View- first person “I”, Second Person “You”, third person “He/
She”
• Character development- Developing character through action, dialogue,
description
• Vivid Description-descriptions that are concrete and specific
• Use of imagery-literal imagery through description; figurative imagery with
simile or metaphor
• Theme-the meaning of the story
The narrative arc is used to write a personal narrative essay, sometimes a
memoir. The opinion essay, meditative essay, and collage essay don’t require a
narrative. These sorts of essays tend to be structured around a theme.

Poetic Devices-Figurative Language. You’ll often use one or more of the follow-
ing poetic devices to write creative nonfiction:
• Simile
• Metaphor
• Symbolism
• Personification
• Imagery
• Assonance and alliteration
• Allusion
Experienced Writers often use any of the above to write creative nonfiction.
Simile and metaphor are the tools of choice.
Personal Reflection. In most types of creative nonfiction, you’ll share personal
reflection with the reader. These can include:

• Personal thoughts and feelings

• Opinions
• Ruminations
• Personal perspective
• stream of consciousness
• Mediations

Personal refection is required to write a memoir. It is also used to write a personal

narrative, opinion, meditative, and lyrical essay. Personal reflection can also be
incorporated into literary journalism.
Word Choice/Diction. Check to see that you use language in a fresh and original
way, making note of connotation, the implied meaning of the word. As well,
selecting words with the best meaning. Meaning refers to diction. Avoid using
clichés and jargon.

13
Sentence Variety (Length and structure). Use short and long, and a variety of
syntax to create a personal essay, memoir, or literary journalism. Sentence variety
includes:

• Intentional Fragment. e.g. A pen. Pad of paper. Time, lots of time. Experimenta-
tion. A creative mind. These are the requirements of creative writing.
• Simple, compound, complex, compound-complex sentences
• Parallel structure in sentences, e.g. I require a pen, pad of paper, spare time,
experimentation, and a creative mind, to write creatively, to write poetry, to write
fiction, to write a personal essay, to write anything.
• Declarative (statement of fact), Interrogative (ask a question), exclamatory
(emphatic) sentences
• Inverted sentence. E.g. The book of poetry he wrote…The film, the script, the
special effects, the story, I enjoyed.
• Lose sentence and periodic sentences. When writing a periodic sentence, the
main idea and clause are at the end of the sentence. For a lose sentence, the
main idea and independent clause are at the beginning of the sentence.

Lyrical Language. Sometimes, a writer will use a lyrical style to express emotion
and evoke emotion in the reader. This is often the case when writing a lyrical essay.
The writing style is based on the following:
• repetition of words, phrases, clauses;
• parallel structure;
• rhyme, both rhyme and internal rhyme;
• alliteration and assonance; and
• sensory imagery.

E
Learning Task 4: Write which technique is being used on the line. There may be
more than one correct answer as you may write more than one answer. In your
notebook, explain how you know your answer. Slashes represent line breaks.

Example: This falling spray of snow-flakes is / a handful of dead Februaries

What technique is used? Personification and Alliteration

1. The pans clattered and banged the tapping of the wooden spoon tap, tap, tap
What technique is used?
Alliteration, Rhyme, Onomatopoeia, Idiom, Simile, Metaphor, Hyperbole, or Personification

2. On those rainy summer days, I had nothing fun to do and could only sit inside,
staring out at the rain like a Dickensian orphan.
What technique is used?
Alliteration, Rhyme, Onomatopoeia, Idiom, Simile, Metaphor, Hyperbole, or Personification

3. We hit the beach early on Saturday, the last day of our trip. As soon as I got out
of the car, I smelled the salty air and heard waves roaring in my ears.
What technique is used?
Alliteration, Rhyme, Onomatopoeia, Imagery, Simile, Metaphor, Hyperbole

14
 Learning Task 5: Using the template, give your comments and observations on the
5Rs of creative nonfiction incorporated in the text below. Write your answers in your
notebook.
Festive colors everywhere, people who confidently sing despite of being out of
tune of their rented karaoke, mouth-watering delicacies, busy streets and
entertaining contests. These reflect on how Filipinos celebrate their Fiesta.
Aside from being hospitable, Filipinos are also known because of their culture
and traditions especially when it comes to Fiesta celebration. There are various
reasons why they have their festivals. One of the common reasons for the
extravagant kinds of celebrations is to give tribute to their patron saints or any god
or deity they believe in. Another is the way of gratitude for a bountiful harvest. There
are also provinces which perform rituals in festivals to ask for something like rain.
Festivals are not only for delight nor for gratitude; it is also an avenue to
practice unity within the community. It cans also serve as reunion for the families
who have not seen their relatives for a long time.
The various ways of celebrations have a great role in the lives of the Filipinos
for it sparks creativity, reflects the values and cultures. Preservation of the traditions
like Fiesta shall be manifested in every generation for it is indeed beautiful scenery
to see.

5 Rs of Creative Nonfiction Comments and Observations

Real Life

Reflection

Research

Reading

Writing

Learning Task 6: Go back with the text in the previous learning task. Identify the
imageries used in the text. Use the column below to group the imageries. Do this in
your notebook.

Tactile
Visual Auditory Olfactory Gustatory
Kinesthetic

15
 A
Learning Task 7: Analyze the theme and techniques used in the text below. Use the
template to do the analysis. Do this in your notebook.
Oh my… Omang
The Erudites

It’s already five in the morning. Kring… Kring... Kring..

I was lying on my single bed, feeling its coziness and the coldness of my room
when I realized that I was no longer in Rizal because I decided to take my last shot
before my summer has ended. So, I decided to rise up early so I could accomplish
lots of my activities.
As I unveiled the beige curtain of my cottage’s window, I witnessed a
picturesque view of Caramoan. It was intensively heaven. There were varieties of
green trees, ornamentals on the right side, it seemed like a forest somewhere in
Arizona but it was not.
On the other side, I saw the God-made shore covered with heavenly white
sand with reachable horizon at the end. My eyes were feasted on the wonderful
sceneries, it was magical for me.
I immediately started my day by walking taking to the well-known, Omang
Cave which is few meters away from my cabin in Gota, one of Caramoan’s finest
resorts. I never felt the distance because of the place’s ambiance and atmosphere. I
could also hear the monkeys seemed like talking with each other, chatting about us
who were strangers in their place.
As I reached the cave together with the other tourists, I wore my protective
gears especially my helmet before I entered to the prominent cave of Caramoan.
It seemed that the cave is like a dark hole leading to Hades’ kingdom. I
hurriedly turned on my flashlight to see the wonders of the cave. Upon entering the
cave, I saw thousands of bats, screeching and screaming which seemed like they
saw hunters and tried to fly in different directions. It feels like there’s a thin air
passing through the narrow path. I could hardly breathe. But as we continue
trekking the rough and soggy floor of limestones, we embraced the fresh air touching
our exhausted bodies.
As I reached the other side of the cave, Sohotan River surprised us with its
tranquility and sacredness. We decided to take kayaking for us to reach the other
side of the beach.
At exactly nine in the morning, I went back to the resort and started eating
my breakfast and waiting for the telephone to RING once again… Kring… Kring…
Kring… to get ready for my next adventure here in Caramoan .

16
 Elements and
Identification Analysis
Techniques

Theme

Narrative Structure

Distinctive Voice,
Style, and Intimate
Point of View

Detail and Description

Scene and Summary

Techniques of Fiction

Poetic Devices-
Figurative Language

Personal Reflection

Word Choice / Diction

Sentence Variety
(Length and structure)

Lyrical Language

17
SOURCE:
Creative Nonfiction
PIVOT IV-A Learner’s Material
Quarter 1, Version 1.0
First Edition, 2020

Published by: Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON

Regional Director: Wilfredo E. Cabral
Assistant Regional Director: Ruth L. Fuentes