The Art of Writing Creative Non-Fiction Utilizing Research and other Literary Techniques Joanay Shepherd

We live in a period where information can be posted anywhere, by anyone, without facts or research to verify the details. Journalists such as Stephen Glass and writers such as Jonah Leher have gone to great lengths to fabricate written works, becoming famous while deceiving the public. Without research and fact-checking, these fabrications may have not come to light. My project examines how using investigative journalism techniques along with standard research methods and literary devices can create a factual, creative non-fiction work; while also being as creative as a fiction piece. I argue that material in creative non-fiction has to be researched meticulously in order for the audience to receive a precise and detailed account of the text; and written creatively for the work to be accepted for publication or presentation. Using both techniques, my paper demonstrated how metaphors, allusion, personification, hyperbole and other literary devices create the best creative non-fiction. Creative non-fiction has to read like fiction, but contain accurate and documented information. Interviewing relatives and friends, reading old diary entries, and archived business registries helped to make my information accurate. I mention names of songs, books, and places from my memory, and by researching, analyzing and examining historical documents, I was able to validate those experiences. My creative piece was accepted for presentation at the 2013 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention indicating that both aspects are equally important. (230 words)