The Beginning Of Creative Nonfiction - 1517 Words

The history of creative nonfiction is vast and diverse, spanning from the earliest known civilization to the present. This literary genre includes memoirs, essays, travel writing, and journalism. The literary essay is the mode of creative nonfiction I have chosen for my course project, and I will address the general history of creative nonfiction, focusing on the development of the essay. The origins of this genre date back centuries before Montaigne coined the term â€Å"essay.† The beginning of creative nonfiction began in Mesopotamia (D’Agata 1). John D’Agata states that the Sumerians created the world’s very first writing system, and their earliest accounts were of trade and commerce; in other words, writing began as nonfiction. Sumerian’s†¦show more content†¦In 500 B.C.E., the Greeks were discovering the atom, and Heraclitus drew from these studies to form his belief that the universe is susceptible to change (D’Agata 9). He believed that everything was instable, and his writings projected this view. Even though only fragments of his writings have survived, he has still managed to imprint himself in the ancient roots of the essay. Heraclitus was known as â€Å"The Riddler† because his sentences sometimes used the exact same word to simultaneously signify both a subject and an object (D’Agata 15). E ven the philosopher Socrates found it difficult to read Heraclitus’ works. Socrates said, â€Å"Heraclitus is a writer of the most splendid sort, but I think it would take a diver of the world’s deepest seas to get to the bottom of him (D’Agata 16). Aside from his ambiguous writing style, Heraclitus is also one of the first well-known writers to ask a question that has produced many future great works of creative nonfiction—What do I know? After the birth of Christ, literary nonfiction and the essay became overlooked due to the rise of the information age. Roman writers rarely wrote in the essay form, yet a few authors maintained the nonfiction tradition. Lucius Seneca wrote letters to battle his extreme uncertainty about himself. Like other letters, Seneca’s pieces are personal expositions that are addressed to another person;Show MoreRelatedBased on True Events A Glance into the Nonfiction Novel Genre979 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The best nonfiction recognizes the impossibility of perfect representation, the dream of the 1:1 ratio,† (Sharlett). What Jeff Sharlet means in this quote is that facts cannot be perfectly represented, regardless of any type of imagery or descriptions, so a good nonfiction work uses only what is needed to get the message across. Beginning in the 20th century, many nonfiction writers would even look towards fiction for the resources to describe what was considered impossible t o describe (Taylor)Read MoreA Literary Magazine Is A Distinctive Publication That Focuses1014 Words   |  5 Pagespublication that focuses on different genres. Some genres that the magazine concentrates on is creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and drama. In addition, a literary magazine is composed of different productions such as memoirs and book reviews. They contain interested topics and can be found in local bookstores, libraries, and online. One unique magazine that showcase works of creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry is Ragazine.CC. Ragazine.CC is an electronic based magazine and it is publishedRead MoreThe Things I Know Nothing At All : A Little Thing From Experience1632 Words   |  7 Pagesmicro fiction, or creative non-fiction. It is inspired by Anne Carson’s Short Talks where she analyzes different subjects that are interconnected on a grander scheme. I used Janet Burroway’s Imaginative Writing: the Elements of Craft to create my creative non-fiction piece and to develop its subjects. The goal of my project is to offer a different perception on subjects that are deemed irrelevant, but present an insight that shows a collective meaning. The genre of creative nonfiction is evolving andRead MoreReflection Of Creative Writing811 Words   |  4 PagesCreative Writing was a class I never imagined taking. In high school, I enjoyed the small section of English class that was set aside for creative writing. That was all it was; a small section of my class time dedicated to writing about whatever I wanted. Reading has been my favorite hobby for as long as I can remember. Sitting in my advisor’s office at the beginning of summer; I was hesitant about taking this class. I have never actually taken a class specifically for creative writing and was afraidRead MoreWriting Is An Art That Improves Through Time With Consistent Practice And Exploration Of One s Skills1234 Words   |  5 Pagesthe context of creative writing, poetry, as well as fictional writing; something I had little to no experience in. With the correct guidance from you, my professor, and consistent practicing, I was able to create five pieces that I beli eve to be some of my best work in these particular genres of writing. Although they are a work in progress, they are the beginning to what can be extended into something more. The first piece that is presented in this portfolio is the creative nonfiction writing assignmentRead MoreMy First Poem By Samantha871 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout Creative Writing, I have worked on countless poems and wrote several pieces of nonfiction and fiction. I have selected five poems along with two pieces of fiction and one piece of nonfiction. My first poem is called Poem I in the Untitled Series by Samantha. I chose to not name my poems because I didn’t want to limit the reader. The first poem is four quatrains and is about fall and winter. I tired to experiment with end rhythm. I decide to follow the rhythm pattern A, B, C, B. It’sRead MoreTruman Capote s The Cold Blood1375 Words   |  6 Pagesfascinating portrayal of the Clutter family’s tragic murder. A typical novel, flooded with the complexities of the author’s creative mind, conveys the plot amidst vivid descriptions of the setting and characters to develop a fantasy; however, In Cold Blood utilizes the same elements to portray a stark, sometimes unsettling, reality. From the very beginning of the novel, Capote describes the setting of the Clutter murders, the town of Holcomb, with the vibrant flare of an extroverted gossiperRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Guns Of August Essay1566 Words   |  7 Pagesperhaps the most famous war in American history. Most people only know that the Great war was the first world war that caused catastrophe through the worlds alliances. The Guns of August also known as August 1914 is a historical work of nonfiction written about the beginning of World War I. The Guns of August is an interesting book that goes through the first couple of months of the war. This book explains in great detail of the causes of the war like the de ath of Arch duke Franz Ferdinand. His death wasRead MoreMy Experience Of Reading And Writing1173 Words   |  5 Pageswhen I want to order something from a restaurant I have to read the menu, add up the cost and determine whether or not I get to order what I want or have to cut back a little depending on how much money I have in my pocket at the time. From the beginning I remember hearing someone read to me or reading to myself.Most of the time it would be Captain Underpants or Magic Tree house.Now that i’ve grown up the books have gotten bigger and sometimes I have to write essays on them.I am not great at writingRead MoreThe Art Of Reading874 Words   |  4 PagesJeremy Lutz 5/4/15 Mrs. Bowen The Art of Reading Reading has shifted the culture and social atmosphere of society from the beginning of time. Reading started as a form of communication then became a necessity as civilizations grew. People depended upon reading to foster intellectual growth throughout their traditions as early as 40,000 years ago. From this great historical timeline of books, come the early literary masterpieces such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, and more profound books still applied