Creative Non-Fiction

Creative Non-fiction is a broad genre of literature that writers use to blend the facts with interesting detail, insight, and ideas. Most likely the author of a creative-non fiction work is trying to send a message or invoke strong feelings in the reader. Creative non-fiction is different from basic non-fiction because of the inclusion of artistic ideas, literary techniques, and opinions. The writers of creative non-fiction usually write works on topics that interest them. Creative non-fiction writers are passionate about the subject matter of their works and therefore their works are very good pieces of literature. The writers of creative non-fiction tend to use literary methods writers would use in order for their works to be as compelling and captivating as a novel. Writers of creative non-fiction use techniques like suspense, drama, and others to make their works hold the readers attention and inspire a reaction. According to Bruce Dobbler’s Creative Non-Fiction Compendium, creative non-fiction is a branch of writing that includes literary techniques and artistic vision to portray actual people, ideas, and events. There are many different types of works that can fall under the creative non-fiction umbrella. Types of works like personal memoirs, prose, narratives, non-fiction novels, and even poems can be considered to be creative non-fiction. Creative non-fiction is also sometimes referred to as, “literary journalism”, or “journalism of fact”. Creative non-fiction is different from genres like “creative writing” and “journalism”, but is similar because the genre consists of aspects from both categories. Creative non-fiction must hold a readers attention and be interesting like creative writing, which uses imagination and literary techniques in order to grasp the audience. Journalism is a genre based solely on the facts and nothing else. Journalism writers are restrained because their writing should never include opinions or their own ideas. In creative non-fiction there can be much more flexibility in literary style and method. Creative non-fiction authors use their own ideas, beliefs, and opinions to give birth to the work. Overall, creative non-fiction is more efficient than both creative writing and journalism because it can include both facts and ideas and get a point across more effectively. The book, “The Curve of Binding Energy”, written by John Mcphee is a prime example of a creative non-fiction work. John Mcphee, an acclaimed creative non-fiction writer, uses the life of nuclear scientist Theodore Taylor and the inclusion of personal opinion on nuclear materials to create a thorough creative non-fiction work. Mcphee is successful in alarming his audience and I believe that was his intention in using the creative non-fiction genre to publish this work. He uses the experiences of Theodore Taylor with nuclear materials to inspire deep feelings within the reader. “The Curve of Binding Energy”, starts with a series of quotes from nuclear professionals and what they reveal are at times frightening. I think it is interesting how John Mcphee uses the quotes of the scholars and the opinions of Ted Taylor to portray to his reader the dangers of the nuclear existence. “The Curve of Binding Energy”, is the epitome of all creative non-fiction works and uses the creative non-fiction style thoroughly.