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3 - MAIS 617: Creative Nonfiction
Delivery Mode: Grouped-study
Introduction | Course Structure | Course Objectives
Evaluation | Course Materials
Master of Arts - Integrated Studies 617: Creative Non-Fiction will examine a writing genre that has gained in author and reader popularity over the past twenty-five years, and which, according to some commentators and literary historians, has its roots in the eighteenth century.
As a genre, creative non-fiction falls under many names: literary journalism, narrative history, the literature of reality, subjective non-fiction, intimate journalism, fictive or fictional memoir, immersion journalism, participatory journalism, the New Journalism, literary non-fiction, Gonzo Journalism, prophetic journalism, and-a personal favourite from Canadian writer Myrna Kostash-full-tilt boogie journalism. For many practitioners, it is known simply as plain, old CNF.
One useful description is found in editor Lynne Van Luven's anthology from 2000, Going Some Place: Creative Non-fiction Across Canada. "You will see that the genre includes poetic personal journals, meditations, memoirs, activist personal reportage, autobiography, personal essays on being an outsider, historical and literary travelogues, tributes to a particular person, celebrations of a distinctive place, and explorations of the past. Creative non-fiction can be a vehicle of investigation, rumination, discovery, and mourning."
Many readers and writers see the genre as a bastardized combination of fiction and non-fiction. It employs the fiction writer's tools of the trade in exploring what was once considered a standard approach to writing non-fiction and memoir. Where previously a writer could examine a subject in an objective, third-person, chronological fashion, creative non-fiction allows certain taboos in writing style, viewpoint and research to enter and expand the convention of the non-fiction realm. In many ways, the style of feature journalism as it is currently published owes a debt to creative non-fiction for raising expectations of writer and reader alike.
In short, creative non-fiction is true storytelling in that it permits reader involvement, and in many cases, a close identification with the writer. Structurally, it moves beyond mere chronology to allow the writer and reader to explore a narrative that contains the story arcs, symbolism, characterization and depth one might find in fiction.
For strictly conventional readers and journalists, however, creative non-fiction can be seen as an abomination that attempts to keep a foot in the camps of fiction and non-fiction, and fails to honour either.
The course will examine the glories and the pitfalls of the genre from an historical and sociological perspective, with examples from literary works, serial magazines, newspapers, journals and anthologies.
Master of Arts-Integrated Studies 617: Creative Non-Fiction consists of six parts.
By the completion of MAIS 617: Creative Non-Fiction, students should have an introduction to the following:
Please be prepared to devote the time necessary to completing the various activities in this course:
You will be expected to demonstrate a willingness to work.
To receive credit for this course, you must participate in the online activities, successfully complete the assignments, and achieve a final mark of at least 60 per cent. The Master of Arts-Integrated Studies grading system is available online at the MAIS home page. Please note that it is students' responsibility to maintain their program status. Any student who receives a grade of "F" in one course, or a grade of "C" in more than one course, may be required to withdraw from the program.
The following table summarizes the evaluation activities and the credit weight associated with each evaluation activity. Students must achieve at least 60% on each assignment to pass the course.
| Course Activity | Weighting |
| Participation | 10 % |
| Book Review | 25 % |
| Presentation | 25 % |
| Term Paper | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
The course materials for MAIS 617: Creative Nonfiction include the items listed below. If you find that any items are missing from your course package, please contact the Course Materials Production department at Athabasca University as soon as possible. You may call Athabasca University, toll-free, from anywhere in Canada or the United States at 1-800-788-9041 and ask to speak to someone in Course Materials Production (ext. 6366). Students in the Edmonton and Calgary dialling areas are asked to call the Learning Centres to connect with the automated attendant, and then dial the four-digit extension. You may send e-mail to cmat@athabascau.ca, or write to Course Materials Production at Tim Byrne Centre, 4001 Hwy 2 South, Athabasca AB T9S 1A4.
Course Guide: The Course Guide contains the course introduction, objectives, commentary, reading assignments, online activities, assignments, and other information that you will need to complete the course successfully. The "Study Schedule" identifies the course activities and assignments that you are to complete each week. Upon receipt, take time now to review the information in this document in order to become familiar with the design of the course.
Reading File: The assigned readings, with the exception of any articles that can be found online, are included in the Reading File.
Forms: The forms that you will need to request an extension, register in a course, or request a letter of permission are included with the course materials.
Online Reading File: Any assigned readings that are available online can be accessed via the MAIS 617: Creative Nonfiction Digital Reading (DRR) File, which is linked to the course home page.
Athabasca University Library: Students are encouraged to browse the Library's Web site to review the Library collection of journal databases, electronic journals, and digital reference tools: http://library.athabascau.ca.