Thursday, January 15, 2015

7 WAYS TO CREATIVE NONFICTION STORIES




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As much as I enjoy working on picture books, if I were forced to define the ONE genre I wanted to work more in, it would have to be creative nonfiction. I've always been fascinated with learning new things, especially historical events, but I'm not talking about the shoot 'em up variety. I want to know HOW people lived, WHERE animals go when the seasons change, and WHY there are so many strange customs being enjoyed around the globe. Here are some ways you can generate ideas for your creative nonfiction stories:

THE PAST

If you are fascinated with history like I am, there is always be the chance to uncover a little known fact that can blossom into a story. Visiting sites like the History Channel on the Internet or rifling through old history books might give you an idea or two or a dozen you haven't considered before. One little blurb my sister caught on the History Channel gave me the idea for my manuscript, THE CHOCOLATE TRAIN WRECK. Another article in a history book is challenging me to write a story on one aspect of the Titanic that hasn't been done before. The possibilities are endless.

THE PRESENT

There is news being reported every day all around the world. Granted, most of it might be depressing but occasionally there is a human interest story or an unusual topic covered which might catch your eye and send your muse running to the computer to capture that story. Scour through the newspapers either the old fashion way or online. Some dedicate a section of their paper to the unique and if nothing else, you will broaden your intellectual horizons along the way.

RETIREMENT HOMES & VET HOSPITALS

Retirement homes are a great way of uncovering a topic for your next book. There are a lot of people out there with interesting lives in their past so take the time to chat with them. Contact your local nursing home and let them know you are a writer interested on doing research on residents with unusual backgrounds. Visit Vet hospitals and talk to the military there. Not only will you share a little sunshine with someone by letting them know they aren't forgotten, you never know what historical treasures you might uncover.

PBS STATIONS

I LOVE my local PBS station. Whether I'm watching Antique Roadshow or Nature or Downtown Abbey...the potential to stumble across something I might want to put in one of my books later is huge! I don't watch a lot of TV compared to most people but if there is anything on PBS that even hints at a topic I'm interested in (and THAT is saying a lot), you can be sure I will be watching it.

LIBRARIES & BOOKSTORES

Yes, I'm one of those crazy people who will visit a library just to touch the books. I like checking out what they have in the new additions section as well as what's happening in the children's corner, but I never leave without glancing through the nonfiction aisle. I have come across many books over the years which have interested me as an adult that made me think, "I wonder if there is a children's version of this story?" And if you want to know of an online indie bookstore that has a great selection of old, new, and out of print books, check out Powell's Books at www.powells.com. I stumbled across this Oregon based indie store around Christmas time last year and now I'm seriously hooked!

CEMETERIES

One of the most unusual things I've ever done in my life was to sit quietly in a little graveyard just to slow my hectic life down for a moment. I didn't figure anyone would bother me there and I began to not only read the headstones but also wonder about the lives of the people resting there. I have a small cemetery not far from my home where many Civil War veterans have been laid to rest as well as others. Who knows what stories I might find there?

FRIENDS

Include your family and friends in your search for creative nonfiction ideas. Whenever my sister comes across something unusual or interesting to her, she will tell me about it. I have a stack of articles or little slips of paper where she has read something and thought it would make a good children's book. Will I use everything she gives me? Probably not, but two pairs of eyes and ears on the look out for ideas is better than one and a dozen pairs of eyes and ears are even better!

I will probably never have enough time to write about ALL the nonfiction topics which interest me, but if writers look hard enough, there can be an unlimited supply of creative nonfiction ideas lurking around every corner. You just have to be diligent enough to search for the clues. To help you get started, here are some articles to either generate ideas or give you some tips on writing creative nonfiction...

Brevity: The Craft Essays... https://www.creativenonfiction.org/brevity/craft/craft_simpson9_08.html
Poets & Writers...http://www.pw.org/writing-prompts-exercises
Writing Forward...http://www.writingforward.com/writing-ideas/ideas-for-writing-creative-nonfiction
Find your Creative Muse...https://davehood59.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/writing-creative-nonfiction-finding-the-big-ideas-to-write-about/
Hubpages...http://hubpages.com/hub/101_writing_prompts

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I hope you learned something new today and be sure to check back tomorrow for the next post in my month long celebration!

You can preorder my book, THE STORY CATCHER, now through Amazon, www.amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble, www.barnesandnoble.com. It is available in both ebook and print copies. Here is the book blurb and book trailer.





Blurb:
 
Addie comes from a long line of readers, or "story catchers," as her family likes to call themselves. Every time Addie tries to catch a story on her own, though, the words play tricks on her. Addie tries everything she can think of to corral those wiggly letters, but it will take a little faith to become the next STORY CATCHER.
 
Trailer :
 
 
 

12 comments:

  1. Thanks for these helpful hints, Donna. I, too, love PBS!

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    1. Hi Jarm! Friends keep asking me when I'm going to get cable and I always tell them I would NEVER sleep because I'd be watching the nonfiction and historical channels all the time...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. I love non fiction. I've got a few manuscripts in the early stages that I am anxious to finish.

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    1. Hi Janet and welcome to my blog! There is so much out there to learn and so little time...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. As a nonfiction editor, I love to see different and unusual stories. The tried and true topics are getting boring!

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  4. Hi Tracey and welcome to my blog! I agree with you completely. The world will always need the tried and true, but I yearn for the unique, the strange, the little know tidbit that sparks my immediate interest and makes me want to learn more. I wrote a creative nonfiction story, THE CHOCOLATE TRAIN WRECK, because there is no known book out there about this historical event involving chocolate, a train, and a mystery still unsolved decades later...;~)

    Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. What a terrific post, Donna! You've got my wheels churning. Thanks for the links too.

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    1. Hi Romelle! I'm so glad this post sparked some possible ideas for you...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  6. Loved your post! I too look for ideas in a lot of these places, but hadn't thought of the cemetery yet. Thanks for the idea(s)!

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    1. Hi Tanya and welcome to my blog! Thank you for your kind words. Here's to a productive new year...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  7. Replies
    1. Hi Erik! Glad you like the post...have you ever tried writing creative nonfiction?

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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