ENC 3310 Spring 2024

This course is for upper-level undergraduate students interested in writing creative nonfiction. “Creative nonfiction,” a common but sometimes misleading term, exists on a spectrum that stretches between researched, journalistic articles on the one hand, and lyrical personal essays on the other. The genre is “nonfiction,” and so it tries to be true—with the recognition that truth is various and not always objective, and that it exists within a contract established between the writer and the reader. At the same time, the genre is “creative” and uses many of the techniques of fiction, such as scenes, dialogue, characters, setting, sensory detail, narrative, plot, story, point of view, conflict, rising tension, climax, denouement, anecdote, etc. In this course, we will explore and practice many styles within the genre of creative nonfiction. Through lively, active discussions, assignments, and readings, you will gain the tools necessary to write nonfiction effectively and functionally. Understanding that revision is essential, you will complete the course with a refined and re-worked essay suitable for publication.