Sean Lovelace—
I am presenting the concept of creative nonfiction to intro writing students tomorrow. They will write their first exercise. Should I tell them to use qualifiers–“Perhaps, my mother said…” “As I remember it…”–or should I tell them to respect the reader: the contemporary reader obviously understands that CNF is flawed memory using flawed words.
I love this. Well put.
I love this. Well put.
Perhaps you should give them the option of both and let them decide for themselves. If I recall correctly, there’s merit to both.
Perhaps you should give them the option of both and let them decide for themselves. If I recall correctly, there’s merit to both.
I’m tremendously conservative about this one and always opt for qualifiers for the guesses I have to make. Also there’s something about those nods when I’m reading that makes me trust the author more.
I’m tremendously conservative about this one and always opt for qualifiers for the guesses I have to make. Also there’s something about those nods when I’m reading that makes me trust the author more.
I use “The Fourth State of Matter” by Jo Ann Beard to illustrate the idea that nonfiction is built, not simply remembered, because it’s meticulously constructed and you can ask rhetorical questions like, “Do you think her life unfolded this cleanly or has she moved things around for effect?” It’s both a great essay and one that is clearly patterned, content-wise, in a very deliberate way.
I use “The Fourth State of Matter” by Jo Ann Beard to illustrate the idea that nonfiction is built, not simply remembered, because it’s meticulously constructed and you can ask rhetorical questions like, “Do you think her life unfolded this cleanly or has she moved things around for effect?” It’s both a great essay and one that is clearly patterned, content-wise, in a very deliberate way.
Second option. Or some hybrid. If they’re new to it and think they need to qualify every uncertainty they’ll throw their finger joints out typing all those extra words.
Second option. Or some hybrid. If they’re new to it and think they need to qualify every uncertainty they’ll throw their finger joints out typing all those extra words.
I love this. Well put.
I’d avoid the qualifiers: it’s hard enough to write nonfiction without having to worry about lying.
I’d avoid the qualifiers: it’s hard enough to write nonfiction without having to worry about lying.
Perhaps you should give them the option of both and let them decide for themselves. If I recall correctly, there’s merit to both.
I’m tremendously conservative about this one and always opt for qualifiers for the guesses I have to make. Also there’s something about those nods when I’m reading that makes me trust the author more.
I use “The Fourth State of Matter” by Jo Ann Beard to illustrate the idea that nonfiction is built, not simply remembered, because it’s meticulously constructed and you can ask rhetorical questions like, “Do you think her life unfolded this cleanly or has she moved things around for effect?” It’s both a great essay and one that is clearly patterned, content-wise, in a very deliberate way.
Second option. Or some hybrid. If they’re new to it and think they need to qualify every uncertainty they’ll throw their finger joints out typing all those extra words.
Completely agree with this. The problem will be if the nonfiction they’re writing about is interesting enough to be published…. all the it’s real/not real semantics can be worked out later.*
*note that this won’t be an issue because most won’t be published
Completely agree with this. The problem will be if the nonfiction they’re writing about is interesting enough to be published…. all the it’s real/not real semantics can be worked out later.*
*note that this won’t be an issue because most won’t be published
I like telling people, especially beginners, to write like they’re talking to an old friend or relative. Scott McClanahan does this especially well. They can start with “Remember when…” and just edit that part out later. Or the old “I remember” Joe Brainard trick, just replace the word remember with “was” or whatever fits.
I like telling people, especially beginners, to write like they’re talking to an old friend or relative. Scott McClanahan does this especially well. They can start with “Remember when…” and just edit that part out later. Or the old “I remember” Joe Brainard trick, just replace the word remember with “was” or whatever fits.
I’d avoid the qualifiers: it’s hard enough to write nonfiction without having to worry about lying.
Tell them to be fearless with their memories.
Tell them to be fearless with their memories.
Completely agree with this. The problem will be if the nonfiction they’re writing about is interesting enough to be published…. all the it’s real/not real semantics can be worked out later.*
*note that this won’t be an issue because most won’t be published
I like telling people, especially beginners, to write like they’re talking to an old friend or relative. Scott McClanahan does this especially well. They can start with “Remember when…” and just edit that part out later. Or the old “I remember” Joe Brainard trick, just replace the word remember with “was” or whatever fits.
i love this story. the deliberate pattern seems to enact the function of qualifiers, and much better
i love this story. the deliberate pattern seems to enact the function of qualifiers, and much better
Tell them to be fearless with their memories.
The distinction between “I remember” and “perhaps” is very subtle. Teaching subtlety to 19-year-old beginning writers is always the challenge, no matter the genre.
The distinction between “I remember” and “perhaps” is very subtle. Teaching subtlety to 19-year-old beginning writers is always the challenge, no matter the genre.
I’m against qualifiers in CNF. I’ve got a bad habit of assuming all CNF is made up and all fiction is true. The qualifiers reaffirm this to me.
I’m against qualifiers in CNF. I’ve got a bad habit of assuming all CNF is made up and all fiction is true. The qualifiers reaffirm this to me.
I’m against qualifiers in everything. Better to cut out the timidity. If you’ve made a story or essay or poem that needs to be qualified, then maybe you haven’t made a story or essay or poem at all.
I’m against qualifiers in everything. Better to cut out the timidity. If you’ve made a story or essay or poem that needs to be qualified, then maybe you haven’t made a story or essay or poem at all.
Yeah, imagine something like “This Boy’s Life” where the natural flow of dialogue is stopped every few minutes for, “Well, I think my mother said that at least.” Maybe having one at some point in a longer work is enough, a kind of admitting to the reader that not everything is going to be 100% recorded dialogue. But for college beginners? I say go with option two. They’re already going to be timid enough.
Yeah, imagine something like “This Boy’s Life” where the natural flow of dialogue is stopped every few minutes for, “Well, I think my mother said that at least.” Maybe having one at some point in a longer work is enough, a kind of admitting to the reader that not everything is going to be 100% recorded dialogue. But for college beginners? I say go with option two. They’re already going to be timid enough.
Yeah, say “the contemporary reader … understands that CNF is flawed memory using flawed words” but maybe get rid of the “obviously” because this is not necessarily obvious to them. And maybe don’t even mention “qualifiers”, but just see what happens with/after the first assignment and use what happens as things progress to “teach” (to find “teachable moments”).
Yeah, say “the contemporary reader … understands that CNF is flawed memory using flawed words” but maybe get rid of the “obviously” because this is not necessarily obvious to them. And maybe don’t even mention “qualifiers”, but just see what happens with/after the first assignment and use what happens as things progress to “teach” (to find “teachable moments”).
i love this story. the deliberate pattern seems to enact the function of qualifiers, and much better
The distinction between “I remember” and “perhaps” is very subtle. Teaching subtlety to 19-year-old beginning writers is always the challenge, no matter the genre.
Yeah–I hadn’t thought about that before (the pattern enacting the function of qualifiers). Very cool.
Yeah–I hadn’t thought about that before (the pattern enacting the function of qualifiers). Very cool.
I’m against qualifiers in CNF. I’ve got a bad habit of assuming all CNF is made up and all fiction is true. The qualifiers reaffirm this to me.
I’m against qualifiers in everything. Better to cut out the timidity. If you’ve made a story or essay or poem that needs to be qualified, then maybe you haven’t made a story or essay or poem at all.
Yeah, imagine something like “This Boy’s Life” where the natural flow of dialogue is stopped every few minutes for, “Well, I think my mother said that at least.” Maybe having one at some point in a longer work is enough, a kind of admitting to the reader that not everything is going to be 100% recorded dialogue. But for college beginners? I say go with option two. They’re already going to be timid enough.
I agree with the teach both camp. Sometimes if you hold off on qualifiers till later in the piece really interesting things can happen. Right now I’m really thinking about Lauren Slater’s ‘Lying’ and how trust is built, broken, and rebuilt with more strength and clarity then it began with. I also think there are some great moments in The Beauty of the Husband, A Fictional Essay in 29 Tangos that use qualifiers to create tension.
I agree with the teach both camp. Sometimes if you hold off on qualifiers till later in the piece really interesting things can happen. Right now I’m really thinking about Lauren Slater’s ‘Lying’ and how trust is built, broken, and rebuilt with more strength and clarity then it began with. I also think there are some great moments in The Beauty of the Husband, A Fictional Essay in 29 Tangos that use qualifiers to create tension.
Yeah, say “the contemporary reader … understands that CNF is flawed memory using flawed words” but maybe get rid of the “obviously” because this is not necessarily obvious to them. And maybe don’t even mention “qualifiers”, but just see what happens with/after the first assignment and use what happens as things progress to “teach” (to find “teachable moments”).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRwKCSsqiNE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRwKCSsqiNE&feature=related
Yeah–I hadn’t thought about that before (the pattern enacting the function of qualifiers). Very cool.
I agree with the teach both camp. Sometimes if you hold off on qualifiers till later in the piece really interesting things can happen. Right now I’m really thinking about Lauren Slater’s ‘Lying’ and how trust is built, broken, and rebuilt with more strength and clarity then it began with. I also think there are some great moments in The Beauty of the Husband, A Fictional Essay in 29 Tangos that use qualifiers to create tension.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRwKCSsqiNE&feature=related