[stylist] stylist Digest, Vol 85, Issue 21

[Donna Hill]

Bridgit and Kerry,
Someone said something to the effect that there is always an element of
fiction in nonfiction and always an element of nonfiction in fiction. As a
journalist, I try to be accurate and even-handed, but that only goes so far.
We all right with bias whether hidden or open. Accuracy and truth are ideals
we strive for. Like other ideals, we rarely succeed fully. This isn't an
excuse for carelessness; it's just the reality of the human condition. In my
interviews, I tell people that I will edit their comments for clarity, so
your friends who want absolute perfect recall probably would disapprove. If
I were doing adversarial reporting, however, I would be less inclined to be
the editor. I can't imagine anyone really getting away with reprinting every
"uh" and extra "and, every pause and repetition of the word just said and so
on. The point in both fiction and nonfiction is to get the point across. 

When I do a profile of someone, I try to get their point across in their own
words, but if I get answers by e-mail, I'm not going to leave in every
misspelled word or grammatical error. 
What say ye?
Donna


-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:50 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [stylist] stylist Digest, Vol 85, Issue 21

Donna and Kerry,

I agree, Donna.  Kerry's comments about poetry are astute.

This is the same thinking in creative nonfiction.  Some think in
nonfiction that every detail, every conversation, be verbatim, and if
you can't recall things exactly, then you shouldn't write it.

But in CNF, the importance is not so much the exactness of each detail,
but what was happening emotionally and mentally in a particular moment.

Not that you make stuff up, and you recollect to the best of you
ability, but the details are secondary to the message.  Just like in
poetry.

Most poetry is a reflection on some aspect of the writer.  Poetry uses
imagery and symbols to communicate a thought or idea.  Words create
moments in poetry that are translating the writers experiences and
emotions.  It is the expression and the response elicited.

This is how creative nonfiction often works.  Hence the creative part!
*smile*

Bridgit

Message: 8
Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 11:47:26 -0400
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: <cosmoscat at earthlink.net>,	"'Writer's Division Mailing List'"
	<stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] stylist Digest, Vol 85, Issue 20
Message-ID: <d7f5db$2qvm8q at out01.dlls.pa.frontiernet.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Hi Kerry,
I loved your points about truth in poetry. Well said.
Donna

_______________________________________________
Writers Division web site:
http://www.nfb-writers-division.org <http://www.nfb-writers-division.org/>

stylist mailing list
stylist at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
stylist:
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/penatwork%40epix.ne
t




=======
Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
(Email Guard: 7.0.0.21, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.17550)
http://www.pctools.com/
=======





=======
Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
(Email Guard: 7.0.0.21, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.17550)
http://www.pctools.com/
=======