Creating Nonfiction: Lessons from the Voice of the Genre

by Lee Gutkind (Editor), Robyn Jodlowski (Editor), Roy Peter Clark

The editors of Creative Nonfiction have selected their favorite craft essays from the early issues of the groundbreaking literary journal. Authors including Roy Peter Clark, Bret Lott, and Hilary Masters grapple with issues such as the line between fact and fiction, how to convey voice effectively, and the challenges of writing about family members. Edited by Lee Gutkind and Robyn Jodlowski, this collection offers both inspiration and instruction for students and writers new to the genre; those who are already familiar with creative nonfiction will enjoy learning more about its rich history.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2013

About the author

Lee Gutkind has been recognized by Vanity Fair as “the godfather behind creative nonfiction.” A prolific writer, he has authored and edited over twenty-five books, and is the founder and editor of Creative Nonfiction, the first and largest literary magazine to publish only narrative nonfiction. Gutkind has received grants, honors, and awards from numerous organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Science Foundation. A man of many talents, Gutkind has been a motorcyclist, medical insider, sports expert, sailor, and college professor. He is currently distinguished writer in residence in the Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes at Arizona State University and a professor in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication.

Reviews

[Karen Kao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee Gutkind calls himself creative nonfiction's most active advocate and practitioner. He founded the Creative Nonfiction magazine in 1991. He was instrumental in establishing the first creative nonfiction MFA programs. Think memoir, lyric essay, and all points between.

Today, creative nonfiction (or CNF) is hot. The seed Gutkind planted in the 1990's has grown. Creative Nonfiction is a vast colony of print and online journals, a learning platform, and a book publishing arm.

I received my copy of Creating Nonfiction: Lessons from the Voice of the Genre as a goodie when I signed up for a Creative Nonfiction class. Gutkind and his co-editor Robyn Jodlowski assembled the best craft essays from the first 20 issues of Creative Nonfiction.

Here is Natalia Rachel Singer, a contributor who, at the age of five, decided to become a writer.

I remember thinking, as I watched my parents' marriage dissolve, and I stayed up late staring out the window at the acorn tree in the yard and listening to the cranes at the city dump two blocks away scoop up crushed aluminum, that if I could record "this"—parents fighting, squirrels crunching acorns, garbage sorted like bad memories—that if I could find words to make sense of my own life, I could write anything

To read the full review, please visit my website for Gutkind's Baby.

[Lori Goshert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed it and learned from many of the essays, particularly "Excavations," "Out of Nothing," and "Dots on a Page." I also liked "Love Letters." There were one or two essays I found long-winded and not particularly helpful, but overall the book was good. There appeared to be some typos and punctuation errors, but I blame Kindle for them since I know CNF has great editors.