Writing Creative Nonfiction

by Theodore A. Rees Cheney

Gives practical advice on writing more interesting prose, explains how to make use of dialogue, character development and point of view, and discusses research methods and ethical issues

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

Published April 1, 1991

Reviews

[Glenn Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, let me admit that my father wrote this book. But let me hasten to say that it changed my life as a writer. Until I read Writing Creative Nonfiction, I just assumed that any writing worthy of being called Literature had to be fiction. The novel was the literary art form. (And poetry, of course.) I was in brazil when I read it. I was trying to write the great American novel from a little banana farm I had bought not so much for the bananas as for a cheap and comfortable place to write the aforementioned literary opus. While I was grappling with that half-assed opus, I was also sending letters home. They were all about the life of a half-assed banana farmer. AFter reading Writing Creative Nonfiction, I realized that while I was cranking out that junky piece of fiction, I was cranking out literary nonfiction in the form of letters.

Creative Nonfiction, or Literary Nonfiction, can be as artistic as fiction and it is every bit as worthy of pursuit and perfection. Writing Creative Nonfiction shows you how it's done.

[Joy Kidney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compendium of thoughts and examples of how to write more interesting, dramatic, and vivid nonfiction.

[Michael Wing · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am an environmentalist and spend free time in the Maine woods. Olson came to me from a spiritual friend from Oregon who loved the meditations in these stories. I like the storires but not the mediations, too much sage dominates the style. Thoreau is hard enough, but Olson seems to try too hard. Good book for a camp shelf, something to go to for a piece when the mood strikes, and I clearly wasn't in the mood. Back to it later, maybe a winter night.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good craft book on this genre. Probably my favorite.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some useful information, but there are much more modern and comprehensive resources than this one. (Tell It Slant by Brenda Miller & Suzanne Paola is my go-to guidebook.)

[Debra Komar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in 1987, this book has not aged well. Creative non-fiction might have seemed new at the time, but it has since become the standard. As such, much of Cheney's advice feels a little dated.

His teaching style relies exclusively (one might say excessively) on examples. Looking at the writing of others is a very useful tool, but here it feels a bit much. Each chapter deals with a good, if somewhat simple, idea but the only expansion comes in the form of endless examples, most drawn from fiction, rather than non-fiction. Absent the necessary analysis, this method requires a lot of the reader, and little of the teacher beyond the choice of example.

Still, he draws from some great writers and there are nuggets of wisdom scattered throughout. It made me rethink my own style, and for that I am grateful. Those looking to expand into non-fiction should give it a look.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

[http://www.kirylinsvoice.com/2007/01/...]

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely helpful overview of techniques that accomplished nonfiction writers use to make their work readable, authentic and engaging. Novice authors, writers and bloggers should own this book.