I put this list of working definitions together for the brand spankin’ new memoir group. I was surprised to have such a hard time tracking down explanations of these terms, so these are an amalgam of my own knowledge and what I have been able to find. Feel free to discuss these in the comments!
NON-FICTION
1. CREATIVE NON-FICTION (CNF) is non-fiction which uses the literary devices of fiction to tell a story. According to Wikipedia, CNF is “a genre of writing truth which uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not primarily written in service to its craft.” Examples of CNF include memoir, autobiography, personal essay, travel writing, biography, and literary journalism.
The journal Creative Non-Fiction explains that the term “‘creative nonfiction’ precisely describes what the form is all about. The word ‘creative’ refers simply to the use of literary craft in presenting nonfiction—that is, factually accurate prose about real people and events—in a compelling, vivid manner. To put it another way, creative nonfiction writers do not make things up; they make ideas and information that already exist more interesting and, often, more accessible.”
Links:
- A good description of the genre of CNF
- More detail on CNF
- An interesting essay on CNF
2. A MEMOIR is a thematic slice of the writer’s life. An AUTOBIOGRAPHY is a chronological description of the writer’s entire life. Both are sub-categories of “creative non-fiction.” Again, from Wikipedia: “While an autobiography typically focuses on the ‘life and times’ of the writer, a memoir has a narrower, more intimate focus on his or her own memories, feelings and emotions.”
Links:
- More information on memoir
FICTION
3. An AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NOVEL is “a novel based on the life of the author. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction. Because an autobiographical novel is partially fiction, the author does not ask the reader to expect the text to fulfill the ‘autobiographical pact.’ Names and locations are often changed and events are recreated to make them more dramatic but the story still bears a close resemblance to that of the author’s life. While the events of the author’s life are recounted, there is no pretense of exact truth. Events may be exaggerated or altered for artistic or thematic purposes.” (Source: Wikipedia.)
Examples of autobiographical novels can be found here. Autobiographical novels need not follow the form of non-fiction autobiographies; these should read as fiction novels, but be enhanced by the fact that the story is based on the author’s life (usually the protagonist is modeled on the author and the events in the book resemble ones in the author’s life).
I could not find any useful links to further explain an autobiographical novel or autobiographical fiction. This is the best link I found.
Once you have your head around those working definitions, you could move on to reading these articles (which might further confuse you and/or enhance your understanding of the terms and genres):
1. “An Interview With Creative Nonfiction Writer Phillip Lopate”
Choice quotes:
“The reason I read nonfiction is to follow an interesting mind… I’m arguing more for reflective nonfiction where thinking and the play of consciousness is the main actor.”
I like his thoughts on the writing process: “It is very much like working with a lump of clay. You’re trying to form it into a statuette. Will it fall over, or will it stand? If at least you complete the process, you complete the arc, then you know that you pulled it off on the simplest technical level. Then you have to try to make it better. You go over and over, revising, and then you come to the point where you say, ‘I’m done.’”
2. “An Interview With Writer Robin Romm”
Choice quote:
“Q: Your relationships with your father and boyfriend play a central part in this memoir. How did you navigate the tricky business of writing honestly, yet remaining respectful of those relationships?
A: This was a giant task. I was angry with my mother for dying and I was angry with the people in my life who couldn’t help me. Which was everyone. How do you express this rage without compromising love? I wrote and rewrote these two men, searching for a way to make anger respectful. I guess I settled on critiquing myself rather than them. That’s how I managed the complexity.”
ETA: More thoughts I’ve come across on memoir (actually the first one is good general writing advice!):
In the article, the author says that disclaimers in memoirs are okay when they:
1. protect identities
2. suggest that the author’s memory is imperfect
3. note that omissions have been made for narrative economy
