Writing 114 provides an introduction to creative nonfiction (CNF), a genre that encompasses many kinds of prose: memoirs, biography, travel writing, science writing, and literary journalism, to name a few. CNF writers almost always—in some way or other—focus on the tensions that emerge between individuals and the world around them. Thus, the title of this course, “Writing Culture,” refers to writing about oneself and others in the context of a broader culture. How do we negotiate cultural norms, expectations, rituals, and practices? How does culture shape us as individuals? To what degree do we absorb or resist our cultural influences? And how do we, as individual actors and witnesses to our world, shape the culture in which we live? These are just a few of the many questions we’ll ask ourselves as we move through this course.
In this class, we’ll read and reflect upon a variety of creative nonfiction texts*, as well as compose our own essays. You’ll have the freedom to explore a wide range of topics and experiment broadly with voice, style, form, and the use of research to enrich your writing.
Rather than present reality as a series of raw facts, CNF writers borrow techniques of fiction writing—description, anecdote, scene construction, characterization, and dialogue—to tell dynamic and compelling true stories. The crucial distinction between creative nonfiction and fiction is that nonfiction purports to tell the truth with very little embellishment, while fiction claims to be “made up.” Creative nonfiction also draws from poetic approaches to language, including imagery, metaphor, tone, and shifts in point of view and perspective. We’ll study these building blocks of creative nonfiction and use them in the composition process.
Since this is an intensive writing class, we’ll often engage in writing workshops in class, including brainstorming and freewriting activities**, and structured peer critiques. You will need to come to class prepared to write. All students will need a dedicated notebook for this purpose.