CREATIVE NON FICTION

Elements of a Plot
the main event of a play, novel, movie or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an
interrelated sequence.
Climax - the peak of tension, plot, and character in your story
Rising Action - normally begins with an inciting incident, or a moment that sets your story into action
Falling Action - the conflict that arose as a result of the climax can start being resolved
Exposition - establishes characters and setting. Introduction to the story
Resolution - the story comes to a reasonable ending

Literary Genre

A literary genre is a category of literature.

books and writings on a particular subject. Any collection of written work.
Subgenre
a smaller group of category
4 main literary genres and their subgenres:
Drama - a play for theater told by character dialogue (talking)
Subgenres:
Comedy - a humurous drama with a happy ending
Tragedy - a sad drama with a sad ending Ex. Romeo and Juliet

Fiction - a story that did not actually happen in real life

Subgenres:
Fantasy - a story in a fantasy world. Ex. Harry Potter
Folklore - old cultural stories Ex. Fairytales, fables, myths, legends, and tall tales
Historical - a fiction story based on real history Ex. Gone with the wind
Realistic - a story that seems real but isn’t real. A story that could possibly happen in real life.
Mystery - a story about crime. Ex. And she was gone
Romance - a love story
Science Fiction - a story in the future with advanced technology Ex. Hunger Games
Thriller or suspense - a story that makes readers nervous or exited Ex. The girl with no past

Non-fiction - writing that is real and factual, or that actually happened

Subgenres:
Biography - a story of a person’s life
Autobiography - a story the author writes about him/herself Ex. The autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Narrative - a story that happened in real life
Periodicals - magazines, newspapers, and journals that are written regularly
Reference materials - books with facts in alphabetical order Ex. Dictionary, thesaurus, and encyclopedia

Poetry - writing using language and sounds in special ways to express ideas
Subgenres:
Lyric - a poem about the speakers thoughts. Most poems are lyrics Ex. Elegy, ode, sonnet, and haiku
Narrative - a poem that tells a story; includes Epic - a long poem about a hero
Dramatic - words spoken by a character; includes soliloquy, dialogue and monologue

Testimonies/Testimonial :
 A written declaration certifying to a person’s character, conduct, or qualifications, or to the value,
excellence, etc., of a thing; a letter or written statement of recommendation.

How to write testimonials:

Promote the subject. The purpose of the testimonial is to promote the subject you are writing about to the
reader.
Specify your qualifications. Begin the first paragraph of the testimonial identifying the subject along with a
statement as to why you are qualified to do so.
Be descriptive. The body of the testimonial should cover specifics about the subjects, not just generic
statements. Instead of writing, “John did a fantastic job”, you might write something like “John did a fantastic job
in working with customers and generating sales, and he consistently exceeded our sales qouta”
Explain how the readers can benefit. When writing the closing statement, it should tell the readers how they will
benefit if they take your advice and choose to accept or purchase the subject of the testimonial.

The Trojan War / Iliad by Homer an Epic Poem

The Iliad is an epic poem in 24 books that is traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. The epic is
about the wrath of the Greek hero Achilles. The subject of this poem is the Trojan War. Produced 2,800 years
ago.
Homer is the legendary author to whom the authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey is attributed. He is regarded
as one of the greatest and most influential authors of all time.

Troy - a rich and powerful kingdom sitting across the sea from the great cities of Athens and Sparta.
known for its famous walls said to be indestructible having been built by the Gods themselves.
The Trojan Royal Family -
Ruled by King Priam and Queen Hecuba
King Priam had 50 sons and 50 daughters during his reign.
Prince Hector - the most admired son of Priam and Troy’s greatest warrior. Devoted to his homeland and
committed to his family, Andromache his wife, and Astyanax his son.
Princess Cassandra - the least fortunate of Priam’s children. Dedicated to the god Apollo and fated by him to
utter true prophecies but never to be believed.
Prince Paris - who was raised away from his family, before his birth Hecuba received a prophecy revealing that
her unborn son was destined to bring destruction to Troy but unable to kill the child herself she instructed a local
shepherd to complete the task, but same as Hecuba, the shepherd cannot harm the helpless infant and instead
would raise Paris in secret, a decision that would change the course of history.

The Suitors of Helen

said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world. Whose elopement with (or abduction
by) the Trojan prince, Paris sparked off the Trojan War.
Across the seas in the cities of Sparta, Zeus the King of the Gods had fallen inlove with Queen Leda
an Aetolian princess
who became a Spartan Queen famed for her beautiful black hair and snowy skin.
Zeus transformed into a swan, lay with Leda and soon enough she laid two eggs, out of the eggs were there
sons, Castor and Pollux and their daughters Clytemnestra and Helen.

When Helen came of age, almost every man would attempt to win her hand in marriage, with the greatest
warriors, richest war lords, and even Greece’s Prince traveling distances to reach Sparta.
Suitors:
Agamemnon - King of Mycenea who commanded the Greeks during the Trojan War.
Odysseus - King of Ithaca
Ajax the Greater - son of Telamon, King of Salamis
Knowing her decision would lead to the rejection of so many powerful men, Helen was worried that bloodshed
would follow. And so Odysseus, to try and prevent conflict, made each suitor swear and oath to protect her
chosen husband. With the threat of violence now gone, Helen chose Prince Menelaus of Mycenea.
The Judgment of Paris
On Mount Olympus, another marriage was taking place, the parents of Achilles, Thetis the Goddess of water
and Peleus King of Phtia has been invited to celebrate their marriage, hosting a great feast, they invited all the
Gods and Heroes across the land, except for one certain Goddess. Eris, Roman Discordia or The Goddess of
Discord and Strife, who brought chaos wherever she went. Hurt that she wasn’t invited to the wedding Eris
decided to join anyway, bringing a gift that would cause conflict among the Gods, the gift was a Golden Apple,
inscribed with one simple phrase “To the most beautiful”, she would then throw the apple amongst the
goddesses of olympus knowing that their vanity would lead to conflict. Soon, Hera (Queen of the Gods), Athena
(Goddess of War), and Aphrodite (Goddess of Beauty) were fighting, with each of them claiming the apple
should be awarded to them, they all turned to Zeus (King of the Gods) but he had no desire to upset any of the
Goddess and decided to give the responsibility to a mortal, the man he chose would be a humble shepherd,
known for his fair judgment, the man was Paris. The Goddesses then went to Paris, with of them offering him a
gift in return for his vote. Hera offered him to become a King, Athena offered him to become a skilled warrior,
and Aphrodite offered him to give the most beautiful woman in the world.