First of all, I want to thank everyone who voted on last week’s poll, resumé and résumé are neck in neck with four votes to three. The poll will stay open indefinitely, so go vote if you haven’t already done so.

At Recliner Books we are looking for manuscripts of literary fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction (sometimes called literary nonfiction or popular nonfiction). So far we have received many fiction and poetry submissions (even a few strictly nonfiction ones) but no creative nonfiction.

That’s why I am writing about what makes a manuscript “creative nonfiction”, in the hopes that some of you reading today have a creative nonfiction manuscript or know someone who does. I will also mention some of the advantages and disadvantages of this approach in your work.

So what is creative nonfiction? There is quite a range in the genre, but simply put; creative nonfiction weaves literary elements into a manuscript addressing completely factual events. An excerpt from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden will show you what I mean (I’ve coloured the literary elements in blue):

The pond began to boom about an hour after sunrise, when it felt the influence of the sun’s rays slanted upon it from over the hills; it stretched itself and yawned like a waking man with a gradually increasing tumult, which was kept up three or four hours. It took a short siesta at noon, and boomed once more toward the night, as the sun was withdrawing his influence.

Mr. Thoreau could have given a much blander description of the melting pond, something typical of other works of nonfiction, instead he chose to infuse his description with poetic elements to make it vivid and more memorable. For example, I read Walden eight years ago, but this description remains in my memory because of how well written it is.

Another example of creative nonfiction is The Informant by Kurt Eichenwald. It’s a very interesting book which has been made into a (probably very bad) movie starring Matt Damon. In this excerpt you will see how the author conducted “…about eight hundred hours of interviews with more than one hundred participants in these events…” and put what he learned in a format befitting a nonfiction page-turner.

Whitacre tried to look natural that morning as he strode into ADM’s hangar at the Decatur Airport. Jim Randall was waiting for him, looking irked. The two were supposed to fly to North Carolina by corporate plane so that they could check on a new plant. Randall liked an early start and was annoyed that Whitacre hadn’t been there, ready to go. On top of it all, Randall had received a message that Whitacre should call the office before takeoff. There was no telling how delayed this flight was going to be.

“Hey, Mark,” Randall growled. “Call Cheviron. He wants to talk to you right away.”

Whitacre felt his heart drop. Had Cheviron already found out about what he had said to Shepard?

“What does he want?”

“I don’t know. Just go call him.”

Whitacre nodded. The walk to the telephone seemed to last an eternity. He dialed ADM’s main number and asked for Cheviron, but he couldn’t get through. He called again as Randall stewed. Finally, he was connected to Cheviron’s home.

I admit that Mr. Eichenwald commits a few literary missteps when it comes to “telling” rather than “showing”, but he took subject matter that would have otherwise been quite boring and made it interesting and accessible to the average reader. So perhaps we can forgive him for describing Jim Randall as “looking irked”, but in our own writing, let us endeavour to craft scenes that don’t rely on those kinds of crutches.

As more and more forms of entertainment and sources of information fight for our attention, I believe the days of the traditional nonfiction book are numbered. More and more authors are employing at least minimal literary tactics in their nonfiction writing. I prefer creative nonfiction to strictly nonfiction because it is easier to read, more engaging, and more memorable.

Nevertheless, two downsides of the genre come to mind. One applies to existing nonfiction writers and the other to those hoping to enter the field. If you have been writing nonfiction and decide to try your hand at creative nonfiction you will find it much more challenging than simply sticking to the facts. As any literary fiction author can tell you; stories aren’t written, they are crafted, sculpted, and refined like any other piece of art. Not everyone has the gift for the craft of storytelling, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. If you have been writing fiction and decide to write a work of creative nonfiction, I think you’ll be surprised by the extensive research involved and the stringent requirements imposed by truthful, factual reporting.

With the advantages and disadvantages in mind (I’ve only mentioned a few of the ones I consider most important), I believe you will be able to approach creative nonfiction strategically and produce an enlightening manuscript. And when you do, I hope you’ll send it to us at Recliner Books so we can consider it for publication.

If you are interested in The Informant, here is the book’s website: http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/features/informant/home.php