"If students are not learning the way you teach, you have to adjust and teach the way they learn."
Literary Nonfiction
Literary Nonfiction is "true stories well told," according to Lee Gutkind, the "Godfather" of literary nonfiction.
The following are characteristics of literary nonfiction (also often called creative nonfiction):
The following are characteristics of literary nonfiction (also often called creative nonfiction):
- Reads like and includes elements of fiction (plot, characters, conflict, etc.)
- Also uses literary devices: POV, dialogue, flashback/forward, foreshadowing
- Takes an interesting, literary approach to nonfiction
- Infuses literary finesse with documentable subject matters
- It’s factually true and artistically elegant (most are page-turners)
- Allows writers to inject themselves into the narrative of verifiable facts
- It doesn’t change/alter facts
Also, literary nonfiction is broad enough to include the following types of writing:
- Travel Writing
- Science/Nature Writing
- Speeches
- Documentaries
- Food Writing
- Sports Writing
- Biography
- Autobiography
- Memoir Writing
- Literary Journalism
- Personal Essays
Examples of Literary Nonfiction
Memoir
"Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black" by Gregory H. Williams
He leaned closer and spoke very softly.
"There's something else I want to tell you.''
"What?" I groaned.
"Remember Miss Sallie who used to work for us in the tavern?''
"It's hard to tell you boys this.'' He paused, then slowly added, "...but she's really my momma. That means she's your grandmother.''
"But that can't be, dad! She's colored!" I whispered, lest I be overheard by the other white passengers on the bus.”
"There's something else I want to tell you.''
"What?" I groaned.
"Remember Miss Sallie who used to work for us in the tavern?''
"It's hard to tell you boys this.'' He paused, then slowly added, "...but she's really my momma. That means she's your grandmother.''
"But that can't be, dad! She's colored!" I whispered, lest I be overheard by the other white passengers on the bus.”
Literary Journalism
"The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration" by Isabel Wilkerson
They lived on the curving land in the hill country of northeast Mississippi. It was a voluptuous place, more beautiful than the Delta land along the Great River, and like anything beautiful, had a tendency to break grown people’s hearts. It was not meant to work as hard as it was made to when it came to sowing cotton, and, of the two regions, it had the more difficult birthing pains.
Travel Writing
"Niagara Falls" by Rupert Brooke
On the edge of disaster the river seems to gather herself, to pause, top, lift a head noble in ruin, and then, with a slow grandeur, to plunge into the eternal thunder and white chaos below. Where the stream runs shallower it is a kind of violet color, but both violet and green fray and frill to white as they fall.