From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Tue, 02 Apr 2002 10:09:59 -0600

Thanks, Ruth, for getting our discussion of creative nonfiction off to a lively start. As a nonfiction purist myself, your response to the term "creative nonfiction" was similar to my own when I first heard it used in reference to adult literature. Thanks, too, to all of you who have jumped in to help define it. There is quite a bit written about creative fiction for adults that can be found online. Some links that might provide a helpful reference:

"What Is Creative Nonfiction?" (Phil Druker/University of Idaho) http://www.ets.uidaho.edu/druker/nonfic.html

"The Age of Creative Nonfiction" (panel discussion) http://www.pitt.edu/~nidus/rt1.html

"Creative Nonfiction" (journal) http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/back.htm

The latter is the journal to which Wally Hastings referred.

There hasn't been a lot written specifically about creative nonfiction for children and teens, but I think we could probably all come up with some examples.

What we had hoped to focus on this month, I think, is more along the lines of Brenda Bowen's description: "Non-fiction that employs techniques of fiction -- strong narrative, a particular point of view,
"plot," and vivid writing." It seems to me that we are seeing more of this in nonfiction for children these days as the line between fiction and nonfiction is continually blurred. What's going on? Should the nonfiction purists among us lighten up? Or should we continue to advocate for a strong distinction between the fiction and nonfiction genres?

KT

Kathleen T. Horning (horning at education.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608&3930 FAX: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Tue 02 Apr 2002 10:09:59 AM CST