Minds on.

You do not have to explain every single drop of water contained in a rain barrel. You have to explain one drop—H2O. The reader will get it.

George Singleton

This is the did you know icon. Did You Know?

Quentin Tarantino and Tom Wolfe prefer to write out their stories using pen and paper.

There’s An App For That?

This is an image of a smart phone leaning against an open book, the pages of which are folded to make the shape of a heart.

Many writers love technology.

Long gone are the days when writers were required to put pen to paper (or stick to clay) to craft their masterpieces. And while many writers still advocate the less technological techniques, it’s hard to deny that modern day apps and programs provide writers with many proofreading, revising, editing, and polishing supports.

This is the discussion icon. An Apt App

Find and test an app or program that makes editing easier (for example, Grammarly)? Write your recommendation - along with a brief review - of the tech tool.

Action.

Creative Contemporaries

Another way to polish your texts is to expand your own reading - the more exposure you have, the wider your creative non-fiction worldview will be.

This is the discussion icon. Considering Contemporaries

Find a contemporary creative non-fiction writer who is still actively writing as of this year. 

Then complete the following:

  • research and summarize his or her biography: pay specific attention to the medium and genre the writer utilizes, and his or her writing practices, process, and beliefs about writing; make note of how personal experiences, beliefs, and socio-cultural contexts may have influenced his or her work(s);
  • read one of your writer’s texts and copy it into your Writer’s Notebook (using proper MLA citations); and
  • analyse and assess the text for its use of relevant creative non-fiction forms and elements.

Summarize your findings above.

This is the enrichment icon. Enrichment
This is an image of an award ribbon with a number one in the centre.

As Wayne Gretzky noted “[y]ou miss 100% of the shots you don't take.” Hmm, that would be a good prompt for a poem...

Now that you’ve had a chance to read some creative non-fiction writers’ works, why not enter some contests, yourself? There are plenty of free or small-fee contests in Canada and internationally. A simple Google search for ‘essay contests’ or ‘non-fiction contests’ will net you many results.

Research one currently active (or soon to be active) contest.

However, before entering any contest make sure that you read the rules and regulations carefully. Beyond ensuring that you meet all contest criteria (for example, costs, file types, word counts, and formatting), some contests have clauses regarding publication rights and ownership.

Consolidation

This is the dropbox icon. Polished Perspectives

For your final task of this activity, you will create a polished mini-portfolio of the creative non-fiction texts you have written throughout this unit. There must be one selection from each activity.

Along with your creative non-fiction portfolio, you need to include an annotated paragraph where you identify and explain your writing decisions for each of your chosen texts. Your reflection should comment specifically on how your texts:

  • achieve their purpose;
  • were proofread, revised, and edited to become polished; and
  • adhere to and utilize the creative non-fiction text's format/structure.

Prior to completing your task, conduct a self-assessment by ensuring that you meet the following criteria.

  • Have you considered and incorporated the appropriate and relevant creative non-fiction techniques and forms learned throughout this unit?
  • Have you proofread, edited, and revised your work?
  • Have you completed the identification and explanation of your writing decisions?

This is the metacognitive icon. Metacognitive Moment

Now that this unit is complete, reflect on your growth as a writer by writing a two or three paragraph response. Your response should comment on the following questions.

  • What are your strengths as a writer?
  • Refer to the goal for improvement you set at the end of Unit 4. Did you achieve your goal? If yes, give an example from your writing.
  • Do you believe that you see creative non-fiction writing as a potential art, craft, and/or career? How so? What skills are needed?

Include examples from your works so far, as well as specific references to each activity. As a reminder, here are the activities you’ve completed in this unit:

  • Activity 1 - Include Me: Personal Storytelling
  • Activity 2 - Convince Me: Structured Persuasion Using Rhetoric
  • Activity 3 - Tell Me: Persuasive Free Form
  • Activity 4 - You’re On!: Polishing for Publication and Reflection

Next, select one of your polished pieces from the unit and reread it. Now, in one or two paragraphs, explain what specific Creative Non-Fiction Writing skills are showcased in both your product and its creation. Make sure that you:

  • give an example of a creative choice you made, and how it improved the effectiveness of communicating your message; and
  • give an example of how your own beliefs, values, or experiences are revealed in your writing.

Alternately, you can choose to create a digital mind-map, a short video, or a digital cartoon showcasing your skills growth. 

Learning Skills Reflection

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test text.