ideas for creative nonfiction essays

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50 Creative Nonfiction Prompts Guaranteed to Inspire

But not to worry. I present one whole hefty list of prompts just for creative nonfiction writers.

One small note before you dive in: don’t be afraid to mix and match the prompts. Each suggestion was meant to highlight a specific line of inspiration. There is absolutely no reason that two or three of these can’t be explored within one piece.

In fact, just use my tiny suggestions as springboards. Good luck!

1. Explore a scene or story from your memory by reimagining it from an alternate perspective. Write the event from the point of view of a passing bystander, another person close to the event, a pet, or even an inanimate object. When choosing your narrator, pay attention to how objective they would have been, what they would have paid attention to, and what sort of background knowledge they would have had about the scene.

2. Tell the nonfiction story that you don’t want your mother to read. You know the one. Don’t censor yourself.

3. Recall a moment in which you felt a strong spiritual or unidentifiable energy. Describe the scene in vivid detail, with special attention to the senses. Connect that scene to your relationship with your own religious beliefs or lack thereof. Examine how you incorporated that experience into your worldview.

4. Create a timeline of events depicting your life by using newspaper headlines. Try to focus on events that didn’t involve you directly, but connect them to the pivotal events in your life.

5. Tell the story of one of your family holiday gatherings. Identify any of your family’s common trademarks, such as your one aunt that seems to tell the same joke at every Christmas, or your two uncles that always hide from the rest of the family by doing the dishes. Explore how you are linked within this family dynamic, and how these little quirks evolved and changed over the years.

6. Tell the story of a location. Possibly one that is very close to your heart that you already know well, or a new one that inspires your curiosity. Pay particular attention to your own connection to the location, however small or large that connection may be.

7. Choose a location that you’ve come to know as an adult. Compare how you interact with this setting now to how you interacted with similar settings when you were a child. How has your perspective changed?

8. Describe a time in which you expected or wanted to feel a religious or spiritual moment, but couldn’t. What were you hoping would happen? How do you choose to interpret that?

9. Recall a key lesson that parents or family members tried to impart onto you as a child. For example: “live with a healthy mind and healthy body,” or “put others before yourself.” Revisit that lesson as an adult and connect it to how you have come to interpret it as you grew up or in your adult life. Feel free to pick a less serious lesson and have a little bit of fun with it.

10. Revisit a special birthday from when you were younger. Describe specific details, with emphasis upon the senses. Now that you have years of context, how do you feel about what your parents and family did or did not do for you? What does that event mean to you now?

11. Choose an event in your life that someone else remembers differently. Describe both memories and debate the differences. Who do you think is right? Why do you think you remember it differently?

12. Choose a strong emotion and think of two memories associated with it. What are the links between those two memories?

13. Think of a lesson you learned recently and apply it to a memory. How would your behavior have changed if you had applied the lesson back then?

14. Choose a commonplace or otherwise unremarkable memory and describe it in the most dramatic and absurd way possible. For inspiration, I’m leaving you with some quotes from Douglas Adams. “The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t.” “He leant tensely against the corridor wall and frowned like a man trying to unbend a corkscrew by telekinesis.” “It was a deep, hollow malevolent voice which sounded like molten tar glurping out of a drum with evil on its mind.”

15. Have you seen those bizarre Illuminati videos in which some automated voice tries to prove that Arch Duke Ferdinand is actually alive and has a monopoly on the world’s dairy farms? For this prompt, think of people in your life who have believed in crazy conspiracy theories, and write about the time they first shared them with you. Think of how your beliefs might seem naïve to them, and explore the tension between the competing versions of history.

You Can’t Make This Stuff Up

16. What do you want more than anything in your life? Write about the burning hot core of your desire, and how that desire has changed over your life.

17. Recall what stressed you out most as a child. Was it the creaking stairs leading to the basement? Or being lost at the store? Explore your current relationship to that stressor. Did you ever move past that fear or anxiety? How do you interact with it now?

18. What relationship in your life has caused the most pain? Write the key scene in that relationship, when everything was at stake.

19. Write about a road trip you took, and about where all your fellow travelers ended up in life versus where you ended up. Are you glad you didn’t end up where they did, or are you jealous?

20. How has your identity changed over the course of your life? Write a scene from your teenage years that epitomizes the type of person you were, and then write a scene from recent life that shows how you’ve changed.

21. What event in your life has angered you the most? Write the scene where it happened, and tell us what you would do if it happened again.

22. What single experience most shaped who you are? Describe the experience in a single, vivid scene.

23. Who was your first friend to die? Write about how you learned of their death, and how you and their other friends mourned them.

24. Choose a happy or comfortable memory and write it in a way that makes the memory creepy or eerie to the reader. Don’t change the basic facts of the event, only select different facts and present them differently.

25. Show yourself in a scene pursuing the thing you want most in the world. Try to show the reader, without telling them, about your character flaws.

26. If you could throw five items into the fire, what would they be and why? To be clear, by throwing them in this fire, there would be no trace of them left anywhere, even if it’s something on the Internet or a memory. This is a very powerful fire. What would the consequences be?

27. What physical object or family heirloom ties together your grandparents, your parents, and yourself? Describe this object in great detail, and what it has meant to generations of your family.

This is seriously the best anthology out there for creative nonfiction.

Lee Gutkind and Annie Dillard have created a fantastic repository of classics.

In Fact: The Best of Creative Nonfiction

28. Tell a story from your life in inverted chronological order. Start with the end, then backpedal to the middle, then tell the beginning, and then fill in the rest of the gaps.

29. Write about your favorite trip or journey, and how that high level of happiness was eventually threatened.

30. Look at some photographs of your childhood. Look at the pictures of your old room, the clothes you wore, and the places you had been. Try to remember a friend from that time period, and describe the first memory of a time when they pressured you or made you uncomfortable or angry.

31. Take a small, boring moment that happened today and write as much as you can about it. Go overboard describing it, and make this boring moment exciting by describing it in intense detail with ecstatic prose. Eventually connect this small, boring detail with the grand narrative of your life, your bigger purpose and intentions.

32. Describe the best meal you ever ate. Then describe a conflict you had with the people you shared it with, one that happened before, during, or after.

33. Recall an individual that you particularly hated. Describe their cruelty to you, and try to write yourself into an understanding of why they might have done it.

34. What was the best/worst letter you ever received or wrote? Write about the situation surrounding that letter, and why it was so important.

35. Recall a name you’ve given to a toy, a car, a pet, or a child, and tell us the story of how you and your family selected that name. Who fought over the name? What was the significance of that name? What happened to the animal or thing you named?

36. Write about experiencing the craziest natural event you’ve ever seen — tornado, earthquake, tsunami, hurricane. Dramatize the physical danger of the natural event as well as the tension between you and the people you were with.

37. Tell the story of the most important person that has shaped your town and its culture (you might have to do some research). How did the activity of that person influence the way you grew up or live currently?

How do you find good creative nonfiction stories?

This book masterfully teaches you how to discover the stories others will want to hear.

Creative Nonfiction: Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life

38. Scientists have wondered for years how nature and nurture plays into the development of human minds and their choices. Explore where you and your siblings are today and the choices that brought you there. Would you like to trade places with your sibling? Would you be happy living in their shoes? How have your personal choices differed over the years?

39. Write a scene of a time when someone older than you gave you advice, and write about how you followed it or ignored it and the consequences.

40. Write a single, three-paragraph scene when your sexual desire was thwarted by yourself or someone else.

41. Describe a scene when you were stereotyping someone. Did someone challenge you, or if you only felt guilty by yourself, how did you change your behavior afterwards?

42. Describe the biggest epiphany of your life, then backtrack and tell the lead-up to that scene or the aftermath. In the lead-up or aftermath, show how the epiphany was either overrated or every bit as valuable as you’d previously thought.

43. Write about a fork in the road in your life, and how you made the decision to go the direction you did.

44. Explore an addiction you had or currently have. Whether the addiction is as serious as alcohol or cigarettes, or something much more mundane like texting, video games, or internet usage, describe in vivid detail the first time you tried it. If you quit, tell the story of how you quit.

45. Recall a scene in which you chose to remain silent. Whether it was your boss’s racist rant, or just an argument not worth having, explore the scene and why you chose not to speak.

46. Revisit a moment in your life that you feel you will never be able to forget. What about that moment made it so unforgettable?

47. What makes you feel guilty? Revisit a moment that you are ashamed of or feel guilty for and explore why that is. Describe the scene and the event and communicate why you feel this way.

48. Write about a moment in which you acted selflessly or against your own benefit. What motivated you to do so? What were the circumstances? How did you feel after words?

49. Write about the most pivotal scene in a relationship with someone in your extended family — Uncle, aunt, cousin, grandmother. Describe the tension or happiness you shared, and how that came to affect your relationship from that point onward.

50. If all else fails, try a writing-sprint. Set an alarm for 5, 10, or 15 minutes and write as much as possible within that time span. Even if you begin with no inspiration, you might be surprised with what you come up with by the end.

The definitive guide to creating riveting true life stories.

Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction

For added pressure, try these writing websites:

Write Or Die

If you stop writing for more than 5 seconds, everything you’ve written disappears. It’s like writing with someone with a whip behind your chair. But with this new update you can choose to get positive reinforcements, too, like a kitten or candy, or to have your words disemvoweled rather than disappear.

A points-based system to encourage writers to write 750 words every single day. You get bonus points for not skipping days, and bonus points for writing more than 750 words.

Written? Kitten!

Every 100 words you write, you get shown a picture of a kitten. Ah, simple motivation. No word whether a dog version of the site is in the works for those who are more dog people.

For more on creative nonfiction writing, I suggest Creative Nonfiction . This website works with its print magazine counterpart to specifically cater to creative nonfiction writers and operates as an excellent starting point for more inspiration. Happy writing!

50 Creative Nonfiction Prompts to Spark Your Inspiration

Creative nonfiction is a unique blend of storytelling and reality, where the facts of life meet the art of narrative. It’s a genre that invites writers to explore their experiences, thoughts, and observations, weaving them into stories that resonate with truth and authenticity. In this realm, the line between the mundane and the extraordinary is often blurred, turning everyday experiences into captivating tales.

Prompts, in this context, serve as a starting point, a spark to ignite the imagination and draw out stories that might be hiding just beneath the surface. They encourage writers to dig deeper, reflect on their experiences, and discover the narratives that have shaped their perspectives.

Whether it’s exploring personal memories, observing societal dynamics, or simply musing on the quirks of daily life, these prompts are designed to cover a wide array of themes. They offer a launchpad for anyone looking to delve into the rich and varied world of creative nonfiction, guiding them through a journey of self-discovery and storytelling.

Personal Reflections

Recall an experience that changed your perspective on life.
Describe a tradition in your family and its personal significance.
Write about a moment of self-discovery or realization.
Share an experience of overcoming a fear or phobia.
Reflect on an encounter that left a lasting impression on you.

Life’s Milestones

Describe your feelings on the day you left home for the first time.
Write about the experience of meeting a significant other or a lifelong friend.
Share the emotions and thoughts of a pivotal birthday or anniversary.
Reflect on the experience of achieving a long-sought-after goal.
Describe a moment of failure and what it taught you.

Challenges and Resilience

Write about a time you faced a significant challenge at work or school.
Share a story of a personal setback and how you bounced back.
Reflect on a moment you had to stand up for yourself or someone else.
Describe a period of life-changing adversity and its impact on you.
Write about an unexpected challenge that you turned into an opportunity.

Travel and Exploration

Share a memorable experience from a trip that changed your view of the world.
Write about a place you visited that felt completely alien to you.
Reflect on a journey that did not go as planned, but taught you something valuable.
Describe a moment where you connected with a stranger while traveling.
Share an experience of discovering something new in a familiar place.

Societal Observations

Reflect on a current event that deeply affected you and why.
Write about a time when you noticed a significant social change.
Share your thoughts on a technological advancement and its impact on society.
Describe an encounter that challenged your long-held beliefs.
Write about a moment you witnessed community solidarity.

Creative Musings

Reflect on what creativity means to you.
Write about a book, film, or artwork that profoundly affected your life.
Share a story about how a particular song or piece of music moves you.
Describe a time when engaging in a creative activity helped you overcome a personal challenge.
Reflect on an instance where you found beauty in an unexpected place.

Relationships and Connections

Write about a relationship that taught you an important life lesson.
Share a story of a chance encounter that led to a meaningful connection.
Reflect on the evolution of a significant relationship in your life.
Describe a conversation that had a profound impact on you.
Write about the complexities of a family relationship.

Self-Discovery and Growth

Reflect on an aspect of your identity that has shaped your life.
Write about a habit you changed and the effect it had on you.
Share a moment that made you question your beliefs or values.
Describe a period of significant personal growth.
Reflect on a time when you surprised yourself.

Miscellaneous Adventures

Share a story about an unusual hobby or interest and why it fascinates you.
Write about an unexpected adventure in an ordinary day.
Describe an unusual or memorable event in your community.
Share a story of a spontaneous decision that led to an unexpected journey.
Write about a quirky or unique family story.

Moments of Joy and Happiness

Reflect on an experience that made you laugh uncontrollably.
Describe a surprise that turned out to be an incredible gift.
Share a memory of a perfect day.
Write about finding happiness in an unexpected place.
Recall a time when a small act of kindness made a significant difference in your mood or day.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it – 50 stepping stones to get those words flowing and stories growing. Each prompt is a little nudge, pushing you to explore, reflect, and maybe even uncover something new about yourself and the world around you. Creative nonfiction is all about taking the real and weaving it into narratives that resonate and connect.

These ones here are just the starting point. They’re here to break the ice, to get you thinking and, most importantly, writing. Whether you’re jotting down memories, musing over daily observations, or sharing life’s big moments, remember, every story you tell is adding your unique voice to the tapestry of human experience. So go ahead, pick a prompt, and let the adventure begin.

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108 Engaging And Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts

So you want to write a nonfiction book . Good for you! What are you going to write about ?

I know. That question stumps most everyone.

What indeed? Coming up with creative nonfiction ideas isn’t for the faint of heart.

Nonfiction is a big, broad genre of book writing, and narrowing it down to an area in which you have some expertise, background , or interest can be daunting.

And even if you kinda, sorta know what you want to write about , you’re not exactly sure how to begin or how to get your creative juices flowing.

That’s why we’ve created a varied list of nonfiction writing prompts for you — so you can narrow down your choices or pinpoint precisely the type of nonfiction you want to write.

108 Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts

Ready to get started? Read through this list of creative nonfiction ideas, and make a note of any that resonate with you.

Or just start writing about one of the nonfiction prompts and see where it takes you.

If you’ve been wondering, “What are some nonfiction topics I might write about?” then these prompts can help you narrow down ideas for your next book project.

1. You’ve developed a new creative side-hustle, and you have enough business to bring in at least a few hundred (or even thousand) a month.

2. You know how to prepare for a specific kind of disaster, and you want to make others aware not only of the imminent danger of that disaster but how best to prepare for it.

3. The Missing Ingredient: What is one thing most people forget or overlook when making or doing something?

4. This is something most people don’t know about ______.

5. You could be more (or less) ______.

6. You need more _____ in your life.

7. Discontent is not (always) a lack of gratitude. Here’s why.

8. The right music can change everything for you. Here’s how.

9. Swap this for that and see how it changes your life!

10. Be your own devil’s advocate? Why would you want to do that?

11. What on earth does logic have to do with creative writing (or creative anything)?

12. Are your morning/nighttime habits keeping you poor? Or did they for a while?

13. How do you go on after your best friend dies (or leaves you)?

14. What one thing could you add to your workspace to make you happier and more productive?

woman typing outdoor patio writing prompts

15. What one thing in your life would you love to change? And what can you do to change it — and help others do the same?

16. Your doc says, “No more alcohol for you!” So, you look for ways to relax without it.

17. You used to take everything personally — thinking everyone was comparing you to someone else.

18. Why do bad things pile up the way they do? And what can you do about it?

19. Why would anyone want to live in < city /state/country>

20. Yeah, your desk is cluttered — and you’re okay with that.

21. Your oldest kid is driving you nuts, and you have to admit your role in that.

22. Your pets have all but destroyed an entire room in your home.

23. So, you want to do something dangerous (skydiving, parasailing, bungee jumping, learning parkour, etc.).

24. You’ve always wanted to travel to ______. How can you afford it, and what do you need to know?

25. Investing is a scary business. How do you even begin?

26. You’re moving, but you can’t find a buyer for your house. Why not rent it out instead — and how do you do that?

27. You have no Christmas budget, but you want to make this Christmas one your kids will remember fondly.

28. You learned something from writing your last book that has changed the way you write them.

29. Everything started to fall into place once you finally narrowed your focus to the kind of writing you really want to do.

30. When you changed this little thing in your diet, you started dropping weight faster than ever before.

31. Something you didn’t know about your body has been working behind the scenes, turning your own efforts against you.

32. Caffeine has always been one of your besties, but now your doc says you have to cut back — or even cut it completely from your diet!

33. Your path from the 9-to-5 job to full-time self-employment hasn’t been like the ones described by the experts whose books you’ve read, but you know you’re not alone.

34. Serendipity is nice and all, but something else is responsible for your success, and you want others to know what that is — and how they can make it work for them.

35. When was the last time you actually kept a New Year’s resolution? How did you keep it, and what difference did it make?

36. How big is your daily to-do list? And what kind of daily planning works for you?

37. What changes have you made to your monthly spending that have made a huge difference for you?

38. Desperation (i.e. lack of money and/or time) made you do it. You learned how to do something yourself, you did it well, and people are saying good things.

39. One of your kids has said, “I don’t read. I have ADHD.” You have ADHD, too, though, and you read plenty. You become determined to find out if something else is going on.

40. Adding this spice to every day’s menu has made a big difference in your health — as well as your enjoyment of cooking.

41. Only when you discovered and addressed a deficiency in a certain nutrient did you begin to feel more energetic, alive, and creative than you remember ever feeling before.

42. Your doctor suggests a new therapy for your condition but warns you that it could damage one of your other organs.

43. No one told you how hard it would be to withdraw from SSRIs (or how long it could take), but through trial and error, you found a way.

44. Everyone around you is telling you to quit taking your SSRI, but you know that — somehow — it has actually helped you.

man sitting on sofa with computer writing prompts

45. Your kids have special needs, and you’re fed up with people making assumptions about their intelligence or their parenting when they act up in public.

46. You find an approach to homeschooling (or partial homeschooling) that restores your kids’ curiosity and love of learning and creating.

47. Your oldest wants to drop out of school, because so-and-so did it, and “Look how successful he is!”

48. Your marriage was deteriorating until you made this one, small change.

49. For years, all you had to do was look at a donut, and you’d gain weight. Then you changed one thing

50. You made a goal: “In the next 100 days, I will ______.”A hundred days later, you’ve exceeded your goal .

51. The first day of that “staycation” you wanted has arrived.

52. You went on a mission to where?

53. You’ve increased your own self-confidence and helped others to boost theirs, too.

54. Ditching both Netflix and your gym membership has changed your life for the better….

55. Changing your beliefs about something has caused some tension at home but has also made it possible for you to earn and accomplish more than you used to think was possible.

56. Childhood memories and the emotions attached to them have held you back for years, but not anymore.

57. Your high school education led you to college, which led you to a job you hated but felt stuck with for years.

58. What app or online tool has changed the way you do business?

59. Families can take a heavy toll on a house. What repair work have you had done to restore your home and what have you learned to do yourself?

60. Your second grader hates school and thinks reading is boring.

61. One of your kids is a writer and wants to take a page out of her main character’s book and dye her hair purple.

62. One of your kids has come out to you as gay, bisexual, or asexual.

63. One of your teenage kids has chosen a different religion and no longer wants to go to church with his family.

64. A brush with death has changed your priorities, and you’ve made some drastic changes.

65. You’ve hit your forties and found a list you made 10 years ago of the things you wanted to accomplish during your 30’s.

66. You’ve had an epiphany in the shower, and after exploring it with a journal entry, you’re thinking, “This could be a book!”

67. You’re looking at a goal and thinking, “What kind of person do I have to be to accomplish this goal in the time I’ve set for it?”

68. What does it mean to be neurotypical as opposed to neurodiverse?

69. How has marriage changed your perception of married life?

70. You learn that one of your kids is autistic, and you and your spouse have very different reactions to the news.

71. You and your spouse have opposing beliefs with regard to gender differences and sexual orientation, and it’s becoming a problem.

BEST NONFICTION WRITING PROMPTS

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The best nonfiction writing prompts

Are you an author looking for nonfiction writing prompts to spark your creative muse? You're in the right place: we created this directory to house all the story ideas about life, people, and history you might need to succeed as a nonfiction writer.

The great thing about nonfiction writing is that ideas can come from anywhere: in-house family drama with the parents, an argument over the Internet with a stranger about money, or a heart-to-heart talk with friends about your beliefs. So whether you're writing an essay or creative nonfiction, feel free to scour this page for inspiration. Who knows? Maybe one of the stories you write in response to a prompt will turn into your next book.

If you're looking to cut to the chase, here’s a top ten list of our favorite nonfiction writing prompts:

Write a story about inaction.
Write a story about activism.
Write about a date that was so terrible you’ll never forget it.
Write about a secret you’ve never told the person you love.
Write about someone (or something) you loved that you shouldn’t have.
Pick one of the five senses. Write a descriptive piece about your surroundings based on that sense.
Write about a time when you helped someone.

If you’re interested in becoming a nonfiction author, check out our free resources on the topic:

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction (free cours e) — None of the sexy nonfiction books you see on the bestseller lists started that way. We can guarantee you that all those books were written the non-sexy way: through simple hard work that requires you to show up at the computer daily to get your words onto paper. This free ten-day course aims to help you through that process and emerge with a nonfiction book at the end of the tunnel.
How to Write a Memoir (blog pos t) — Memoirs are among the most popular types of nonfiction markets in the publishing industry today. Suppose you're also interested in turning your life and experiences into a story with a beginning, middle, and end. In that case, this guide will walk you through the entire process: from outlining your memoir to writing and marketing it.

Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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31 Writing Prompts for Creative Nonfiction

By Brittany Kuhn

Are you writing a book that belongs to the creative nonfiction genre? Do you need some inspiration? Check out the 31 writing prompts for creative fiction we’ve included for you below:

General Creative Nonfiction Prompts

1. describe the first time you went on a date..

There are a couple of ways you can approach this prompt . You can describe the date itself from the moment it started to the moment it ended. Alternatively, you could describe the lead-up to the date: getting ready, traveling to the venue, seeing the date arrive. In either case, focus on the feelings you had at each stage.

2. Write about going for your very first job interview.

Similar to the date prompt above: focus on getting to the interview rather than the interview itself. Include details about preparing, traveling, waiting to go in. Don’t include the actual interview, as what’s important are your feelings leading up to it. The most you should include is a final line saying whether you got the job and why.

3. Think of the first time you experienced failure.

Rather than focus on what you failed at, focus on how it felt to fail. Did you expect it? Did you learn something from it? What did you do after that moment?

4. Have you ever worked hard for something?

For this prompt, consider a project (no matter how small) that you invested time into. Maybe you ran a marathon, cooked your first big family dinner, or sewed something for the first time. Focus on the process as well as how you felt once you finally completed it.

5. Write about a time you stood up for something or someone.

Have you ever helped someone escape an uncomfortable situation? You can describe stopping a bully at school or keeping a friend from making a mistake. Remember to focus on your actions, including why you chose to stand up for that person, and the significances of your interjection afterwards.

6. Imagine you can only keep five items.

Pretend your house is on fire and choose the five items you would save. Describe not only the items themselves, but also highlight why they have so much more significance than every other item you own. What would they bring you when the dust settles that the other items wouldn’t?

7. Define what love means to you.

You can be as academic as you want with this prompt, but remember to explain how you see love in your everyday life. Delve into why you feel that way about love, who taught you those things, and how you express that love (or plan to) to your loved ones every day.

8. Write about a time you were running late.

This is less about the reason you were late and the actual journey of getting to where you were going. Go into as much detail as you can about all the things stopping you from being on time and end with what happened when you finally got to your destination.

9. Describe getting your first (or favorite) pet.

This should end with you getting the pet, so start as far back as you need to give the situation context. What events led you to getting that pet? Why was that pet so important at that time?

10. What celebration has special meaning to you?

This event doesn’t have to be special to you ; as in, this doesn’t have to be your birthday or anniversary. This could be someone else’s birthday, your parents’ anniversary, or even a national holiday. Just describe the event itself and what makes it so special to you.

11. Write about your biggest fear as a child.

Don’t just describe the fear. Describe the events that led to that fear manifesting. Describe how you dealt with it or how it affected your childhood. You could even consider whether it has impacted your current life in any way.

12. What if you could visit your younger self?

For this one, focus on the meeting, not the process of getting there. Describe the exact moment you would visit and why that moment is so important for you to revisit. Narrate what you would say to yourself and how your younger self might respond.

13. Describe a time you felt like an outsider.

While the emotions are the most important element of this creative nonfiction piece, so are the reasons you were outcast in the first place. Include things like how old you were, who made you feel like an outcast, and why. Finish with how you recovered from the situation or what you might have learned.

14. Tell the story of a family heirloom.

Is there an item or even a name that is important to your family? Tell its origin story. Begin with where it came from and how it got to where it is now. Be sure to delve into what is so important about this object or name and why your family continues to treasure it.

15. Write a story about visiting your favorite restaurant.

You really want to focus on the sensory details in this piece, as the key should be highlighting what makes it your favorite place to eat. Be careful not to overdo it, though; you might run the risk of sounding like an advertisement or a review piece.

Travel Writing Prompts

16. write about the first time you had to take public transportation..

Did you take a plane, train, or bus? Describe the journey from start to finish. Be sure to include what it was like getting on board, what it looked and felt like, what you saw from the window, and what it was like when you finally disembarked.

17. When was the first time you travelled for vacation?

Begin your story with deciding where to go (including why you chose that destination) and finish with arriving. The focus should be on the journey, not the destination.

18. Write about a time you visited a famous landmark.

Have you ever seen Mount Rushmore, the Eiffel Tower, or some other famous place? Describe the experience: what did you feel when you first arrived, what did you do while you there, how did you feel as you left?

19. Have you ever been to a theme park?

You could write this about your first visit to a theme park or your favorite, but be sure to highlight the sensory details of the experience. What did it sound like, smell like and feel like as you walked around the park? What rides did you ride and how did you feel waiting in the line to get on? Finish with explaining whether you plan to return and why.

20. Describe moving out of your family home for the first time.

To make this a ‘travel writing’ prompt, don’t focus on the packing and whatnot. Write about the actual journey from your family home to your new home. Explore all the emotions you have about the move through watching the world go by as you travel, regardless of whether you drove yourself or not. End with the way you felt opening your new front door.

Nature Writing Prompts

21. describe what it looks like outside the window at this very moment..

Put yourself outside and imagine what you might be experiencing in that scene. Really delve into how your skin might feel in the weather, what you might hear happening around you, how it might smell if you’re near any buildings or forestry. Write so that your reader can be you in that moment.

22. Go for a walk and write about it.

Write about everything you experience from the start of your walk to its end. Use sensory details to put your reader on the walk with you. Don’t forget to include what you are thinking and feeling.

23. Watch the clouds one day and describe them.

This goes beyond just describing the clouds as you see them. Become a child again and describe them as you might imagine them. Do they have shapes? Is there a story or a scene acted out as they pass by? What memories do they bring up for you?

24. Pretend to be a leaf caught in the wind.

Start with being lifted into the air and describe how the world might look by as you flit through it with no ability to stop. Include the emotions you might have witnessing different scenes. End with describing the place you end up and what you might have learned or discovered about yourself on the journey.

25. Describe your favorite season of the year.

Don’t just explain what season it is and why you like it. Describe all the elements of that season and all the things that add to why it is your favorite. Include memories the season triggers for you and why those memories are so important to you.

Auto-/Biography Prompts

26. write a story about your biggest hero..

To make this truly creative, tell the story of why you chose them as your hero. What did they do that made them stand out to you so definitively? Why did they have such an impact on you where others did not?

27. Interview an aging relative and write their story.

Choose someone who has experienced something exciting or different and ask specific details about their experience. Write the narration from their point of view but in the third person, like you were writing a fiction story. Give as many contextual details as you can (time period, relationship, etc.) but include their feelings and emotions throughout, as well.

28. Describe your very first memory.

Write the memory in as much detail as you can. How old were you? Where were you? Why is this moment so important to your life that you remember it?

29. What did you want to be when you grew up?

Describe your most persistent childhood dream job. Start with the reason you chose that job and include how you worked toward that job and whether you actually achieved it. If you didn’t, end with what made you give up the dream. Remember that the dream job is less important than the reason you chose that job in the first place.

30. Did you have a memorable teacher?

This could be about your favorite teacher or your most hated teacher. Tell the story of the event that made them memorable to you. Don’t forget to end with how their impression has impacted the rest of your life.

31. Write your own obituary or eulogy.

What do you think people will say about you when you are no longer around to hear them? Choose someone close to you and take on their persona. Focus on what they might say about your life and contributions so far. How would they view you? How would they celebrate you and your life?

Creative Nonfiction Prompts 15 Ideas To Inspire Writers & Hook Readers

August 3, 2022

Creative nonfiction refers to true stories that are immersive and engaging.

They are well-told accounts of real-life events, written to engage the reader and take them on a journey and spare them from any boring moment.

This article has included over 15 creative nonfiction prompts to help you get your creative juices flowing and inspire you to write your non-fiction book .

What is creative nonfiction?

Where does creativity come into nonfiction? Nonfiction is real stories and actual events, so where is the room for creativity?

Creative nonfiction writers use literary techniques, like character development, immersive settings , and engaging dialogue, but in the context of a true story.

The stories include real people, real events, and real situations. The way a writer tells the story is where they get creative.

Examples of creative nonfiction writing include:

Narrative essay
Personal essay
Journal entry
Literary journalism

Creative nonfiction writers aim to share real-world information such as an experience, a historical event, or a person’s life – with readers in a way that immerses them in the story as much as fiction.

Understand the use of the word creative in this context. Creative nonfiction authors don’t ‘create’ by making up facts or exaggerating them.

The facts are as they are, but how a writer conveys them and the frame in which they place them constitutes their creativity.

15+ creative nonfiction prompts

Write in a second-person narrative . In this POV, the reader reads as though they are the character. The writer uses ‘you’ to tell the story. Consider a time in history in which to plant your reader and walk them through the experiences of that time. For example, ‘You were born in 1925. At 15 years old, you were drafted, to your dismay. Your experience with gun fighting, limited to sticks and stones on the playground, wouldn’t suffice for the days to come.
Choose a skill, talent, or something you have a lot of experience with, and write a how-to article about it. For example, if you like to blog, write a blog about blogging – its challenges, why you want it, and how to do it well.
Write book reviews. Choose your favorite book or the one you read most recently and write an honest review about your reading experience. What did you like about the story? What did you like about the author? Is there anything that could have made the reading experience more enjoyable?
Do you feel a particular pull towards a vocation in life? Do you feel pulled to a particular career or life path, not because someone encouraged you but because you feel that pull deep down inside? Write about your experience with that feeling and the journey of following it.
Do you have something you’d like to share about faith or belief with others? Write an account of your experiences on your spiritual journey. How do you feel about religion? What about spirituality? Do you have thoughts, opinions, and insights that are unique to you?
Think about your favorite piece of art. If you can’t bring one to mind, go out and find some inspiration. Next, write about that piece of art. Describe it. How do you feel about it? Does it have any significance in other areas of your life? Is it a family heirloom?
Write about time spent with the best teacher you’ve ever had. What was it about that teacher that made learning so easy? How did they help you in other areas of your life?
Consider a dull moment in your day and write it as though it was the most exciting thing ever. Such a writing style lends itself well to humor, so take the joke as far as possible.
Write about a time in your life when you had to learn the hard way. We don’t always have common sense at the ready when faced with decisions, and life is such that mistakes are our most outstanding teachers. Think about mistakes and lessons you’ve learned that would have been less impactful had you not experienced them directly.
Sometimes we meet someone that changes our lives in a matter of moments. Perhaps we meet them once or are in our lives for days or weeks. Then, as life always does, it changes. That person isn’t around anymore, but the old version of ourselves isn’t around anymore either. Write a memoir about someone who passed through your life and made a significant impact.
Write a story about your town or city. Consider the various characters, communities, and events that have taken place in the past and recent years and how the community has shifted and grown. Focus on engaging, real-life characters and their lives.
Do you believe in fate and destiny? Do we have free will, or is that a more remarkable design at play? Write about your experiences with strange coincidences, spiritual experiences, and the concept of free will. Where do you stand? How do your religious beliefs come into play? Have you had experiences that you just can’t explain? What makes you think about how the world works? For a more fact-based and immersive read, include research and references to respected works on the topic.
Write about a significant event in your life from your perspective. Then, rewrite the story from someone else’s perspective, such as a friend or one of your family members.
Write about a time when your efforts paid off, even though you wanted to give up many times. The theme is persistence and consistency and their relationship to success.
Good vs. evil. What makes a person, action, or behavior good or evil? Is it all relative? Just a matter of perspective? Or are good and evil cold, hard facts? Write about a moment when you were unsure if your actions were good or evil. How do you feel about that situation now? What did you learn about yourself and life in general?
Write a story about a crime. You may know every detail, but take the facts you know and craft a story around them. Consider a major bank heist, a serial killer, or the story of a government whistleblower. Crime stories make for outstanding nonfiction because readers experience the pleasure of plot, narrative, settings, and characters while experiencing the thrill of the story being real.

Creative nonfiction writing tips

Writers have room to play when it comes to creative nonfiction. The facts exist and can’t be changed, but how one tells the story is what sets one account apart from another on the same topic.

Still, some basic nonfiction writing guidelines are essential to consider, as free as one is to write from different perspectives, characters, and tones.

Get your facts right

First things first, get your facts right.

If you write about a character from history, such as Julius Caesar or Genghis Khan, ensure everything around that character is accurate. Exert as much of your own efforts as you can in researching the topic.

Understand the time and culture in which they lived. Failing to convey the facts accurately is sure to backfire and damage your reputation, so check the facts.

Explore different points of view

One of the most exciting aspects of creative nonfiction is not the time or place in which the events happen but the people who experience them.

It’s wise to offer your readers multiple perspectives on the same situation, such as a shift from first person to third person narrative or even a second person narrative .

Use literary techniques and elements of fiction

Great creative nonfiction incorporates elements of fiction to tell a story better. Of course, it doesn’t contain the ‘fictional’ part – that would make it fiction. It includes literary techniques and devices such as:

Point of view
Vivid descriptions of settings and characters

These techniques, tools, and devices bolster your story-telling skills. You want your reader to get lost in your story, even if they know the ending.

For example, you may want to write about a historical figure, such as Malcolm X. We know that Malcolm X was assassinated. Still, the story leading up to the assassination is what readers want.

Pose a question

In Creative Nonfiction: A Guide to Form, Content, and Style, with Readings , author Eileen Pollack suggests that creative nonfiction authors pose questions before beginning the writing process.

For example, if you want to write a memoir about a period of your life, consider why you want to write it.

Why is this memory significant? What did it teach me? How am I different today because of that experience?

Such questions help you add dimension to your nonfiction story. The nonfiction aspect is the facts, the ‘what happened.’ Your creativity comes into why it happened and how you see it.

Read, read, read

No matter the genre you want to write, one of the best ways to improve your writing and craft a story that readers will love is to read as much as possible.

Find creative nonfiction authors you enjoy and explore their style.

Consider what makes their writing so engaging and immersive. Is it their descriptive abilities? Is it their use of POV? Is it their use of humor?

Find and experiment with different styles to find your own creative writing approach.

‘Creative nonfiction writers do not make things up; they make ideas and information that already exist more interesting and often more accessible,’ writes Lee Gutkind , founder of Creative Nonfiction. That accessibility is why many readers love creative nonfiction.

History, facts, actual events… These are interesting, but learning about them can be challenging. Many people don’t like to read dense, long historical accounts or complex research, and as such, they miss out on learning about those events.

Creative nonfiction writers offer as much detail about the facts as necessary but don’t rely on them. Instead, they play with other story elements such as the people, the setting , and different points of view.

This approach makes it easier for the reader to immerse themselves in the story and learn about what happened.

‘You don’t have to spend long in archives to see how much drama there is in real life – often more drama than a novelist would dare invent.’ – Charlotte Gray, author, historian

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Mar 16, 2022

Creative Nonfiction Structures (& Prompts to Try Them Out)

This month, Creativity Matters is digging into the ways you can explore creative nonfiction writing in your work. Even if writing a hard-hitting doesn’t interest you, there is a lot more to this diverse genre than most people think.

As we saw last week, everybody is “ready” to write creative nonfiction . It’s just a question of which topic suits your interests best.

But it isn’t just about having great topic ideas. Once you know what you want to write about, you need to consider what structure will best convey that topic to your readers.

Every topic you want to write about has a structure that fits it best. Your job is to find it.

Finding the Right Structure

Last fall, I went to see the Immersive van Gogh art exhibit in Cleveland, an interactive experience with van Gogh’s paintings that has been showing at different locations throughout the country.

The show does indeed immerse you in the artist’s work. Set in a cavernous, darkened room, van Gogh’s art paints itself across the walls and floor, places you in its settings, and allows you to get up close and personal with his most well-known work.

You can walk around the room, lie on the floor, sit on a cushion next to the walls, or sit on a bench, and the more times you sit through the show, the more opportunities you have to view it from different angles.

What caught my attention about experiencing van Gogh’s body of work in this manner was just how diverse his paintings are. Most people know him for the cool, calming shades of yellow and blue in The Starry Night , but this style doesn’t characterize all his work.

Van Gogh was known for using different color palettes depending on the subject he was portraying. For example, his paintings of the working class use darker colors, while his art inspired by natural settings and flowers explodes with lighter shades.

If he had reversed the two color palettes, it would have created an uncomfortable dissonance in his work—the difficult lives of miners and farmers would not come across as well with vibrant yellows, greens, and blues.

Van Gogh was also meticulous about his choice of medium, as he did not only colorful works, but simple sketches. His drawings using graphite and charcoal are less recognizable than his paintings, but convey so much about his subjects and natural settings that the use of color would detract from.

The point is that the real-life subjects you choose to write about can take any structure and use any media that will best communicate the ideas behind them.

The most thought-provoking essays play with form and structure in a way that creates a unified experience for readers, helping them to better understand the topic.

Here are a few creative nonfiction structures you can play with as you experiment with topics that intrigue you.

Frame Story

A framed essay features an opening and conclusion that connect in some way, providing bookends for the main story. You see this a lot in novels and films—think Old Rose in Titanic telling the sub crew about how her voyage on the ship changed the course of her life, or adult Gordy in Stand by Me writing his memoirs after learning that his childhood friend has been killed.

One way I like to use this structure is to think of a present-day event that triggers a memory from the past. Begin with the present event, then segue into the memory, then return to the present day at the end. The idea is that the introduction and conclusion should reinterpret the events of the past, showing how they remain relevant to your life today.

Lyric Essay

Nonfiction is a great genre for poets to try because it is inquisitive in the same way poetry is. Just as poetry can help uncover meaning through unique images and combinations of words, evocative language can also be used to explore your topics.

While frame essays are driven by storylines, lyric essays are driven by the musicality, tone, and rhythm of language. One experiment I’ve had some success with is to take a poem you’ve written and rewrite it as prose. You may find that it translates to this new structure word for word, or that individual phrases and images remain with new scaffolding in place.

I’ve written in the past about the importance of writing in other genres , and lyric essays are a great way for poets in particular to get their feet wet with nonfiction.

(NOTE: Do you want a free poetry workbook? You can grab one here .)

Hermit Crab Essay

I had a hermit crab when I was a kid, and once, I saw it change its shell. It was fascinating to see that for these fragile creatures, a shell offers protection and shelter, and that multiple different shells can fit that purpose.

I would even decorate the shells and leave them around its aquarium to see which ones it would pursue.

Hermit crab essays use different forms to portray deeply vulnerable and sensitive stories. They can, for example, take on the structure of grocery lists, postcards, letters, social media posts, personality quizzes, instruction sheets, how-to guides, and more.

Think of a genre apart from a traditional essay that you can use to convey the topic you want to write about, specifically, how you can use the conventions of the genre to explain it to readers.

Braided Essays

This nonfiction structure takes two or three ideas that may not appear related and weaves them together in interlocking segments, using numbers or white space to indicate a break between the sections.

I find that this structure can help you see the relationship between different things that come to mind when you think about your topic. Writing about those relationships can help you interrogate your thoughts on the subject, making you consider why these diverse subjects come to mind.

I’ve also discovered that braided essays work well when art is used as inspiration. Pick a work of art that inspires you—a book, movie, song, theatrical production, visual work, etc—and freewrite about what the experience of that art makes you think of.

Then, write an essay in alternating sections that relates that work to a particular experience or moment in your life.

There are many more structures for creative nonfiction, but these are the most fun to experiment with, and after all, that’s our goal for this Creativity Matters series.

Remember, your goal in using these prompts isn’t to write a completed essay or become a nonfiction expert. Your job is to have fun and see what you can make!

In the meantime…the Ultimate Writing Project Workbook can help you get started.

This free workbook contains prompts, worksheets, templates, and more cool stuff to help you work on your writing.

Plus, you get BOTH the fiction and nonfiction editions of the book when you sign up.

Click here to get more information and request your FREE copy!

76 Nonfiction Writing Prompts to Help You Write Better, More Engaging Content

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on Published: September 9, 2022 - Last updated: July 31, 2023

Categories Writing , Inspiration

Do you sometimes struggle to come up with ideas for your articles or nonfiction works? Are you looking for ways to improve your writing and make it more engaging for your readers? If so, then you need to check out these nonfiction writing prompts! These prompts will help you come up with topics to write about and will also help you improve your writing skills. So what are you waiting for? Start using these prompts today!

33 Creative Nonfiction Prompts to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

As a writer, it can be easy to get caught up in writer’s block. You may not know what to write about or which angle to approach a topic from. If you’re feeling stuck, why not try your hand at nonfiction? Nonfiction writing can be a great way to flex your creative muscles and explore new topics.

Write about a time when you had to confront your fears. What were you afraid of? How did you overcome your fear?
Write about a journey you went on- literal or metaphorical. What did you learn from the experience?
Write about someone you admire and why they inspire you.
Write about a memory that still makes you laugh.
Write about a time when you had to stand up for yourself or someone else.
Write about an experience that taught you a valuable lesson.
Write about a goal you’ve set for yourself and why it’s important to you.
Write about someone who has made a positive impact on your life.
Write about a hobby or interest you have that others may find surprising.
Write an open letter to someone- living or dead, real or fictional- thanking them for their impact on your life.
Write about an important issue facing the world today and what needs to be done to address it.
Write about a time when you overcame adversity.
What was your best childhood memory?
Who has been the biggest influence in your life and why?
What is your favorite family tradition?
What was the most defining moment of your teenage years?
Write about a time when you had to confront a difficult truth.
What was the most difficult decision you’ve ever had to make?
What are some of the life lessons you’ve learned so far?
How have you grown and changed over the years?
What does happiness mean to you?
Tell the story of a defining moment in your life.
Write about a time when you had to confront a difficult truth about yourself.
Write about a hobby or interest you’ve always been embarrassed to admit to.
Write about a memory that still makes you laugh (or cry) every time you think about it.
Write about a place you’ve always wanted to visit but haven’t had the chance yet.
Write about someone who has had a major influence on your life, for better or worse.
Write about a time when you had to do something you were really scared of.
Write about a physical object that has sentimental value to you.
Write about a time when you took a stand on something even though it was unpopular.
Write about an experience that challenged your assumptions or worldview in some way.
Write about a person who you admire but don’t necessarily agree with.
Write about a time when you had to make a tough decision with no clear right or wrong answer.

10 Nonfiction Short Story Prompts

Your most memorable childhood experience
A time when you faced a challenge head-on
A life-changing event
An emotional moment that still stays with you
A time when you had to let go of something or someone important to you
A moment of happiness or success
When you had an “aha!” moment
A time when you had to confront a fear
An experience that taught you a valuable lesson
A memory that still makes you laugh (or cry!) today

11 Nonfiction Personal Essay Prompts

Crafting a personal essay is one of the most challenging parts of the writing process. You have to distill your experience to its essence and find a way to communicate it in a way that will resonate with your audience. No wonder many writers find personal essays some of the most difficult pieces!

Write about a transition period in your life (moving, starting a new job, going away to college, etc.) and how it affected you.
Pick an object with sentimental value and write about its history and what it means to you.
Write about an event from your childhood that you still think about today.
What are your earliest memories? Write about them in as much detail as possible.
Who is someone you admire and why?
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your life? How did you overcome them?
What do you think makes you unique?
What are some of your biggest accomplishments? Why were they important to you in the moment, and how do they continue to affect your life today?
Write about a time when you had to grapple with an ethical dilemma. How did you ultimately make your decision, and what were the consequences?

11 Journal Writing Prompts

Journaling is a great way to engage with the events of your day and process your thoughts and feelings.

Write about a time when you had to face a difficult truth.
What are some things you’re grateful for?
What does your idea of the perfect day look like?
How do you define happiness, and what are some things that make you happy?
Choose one thing that you’d like to change about yourself and write about why you want to change it and how you plan to go about doing it.
Do you have any lingering unresolved anger or resentment towards anyone? Why not try writing a letter to that person, even if you don’t plan on sending it? Getting your thoughts out can help you to let go and move on.
What would be your dream vacation spot? Write about all the details: where would you stay, what would you do, what would you eat?
Have you ever experienced something miraculous? Whether big or small, share your story.
Sometimes our biggest fears turn out to be unfounded. Write about a time when this happened to you.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? How did it feel?
Write about someone who has had a positive influence on your life. Why are they important to you?

11 Memoir Writing Prompts

A memoir is a way to tell your story and share your experience with others. Memoirs can be written about a personal experience, someone else’s experience, or even a topic you feel passionate about.

What is the earliest memory you have? What do you remember about it? How does it make you feel?
Write about a time when you were faced with a difficult decision. What were the options? What did you decide? Why?
What are some of the defining moments in your life? Why were they so significant?
Write about a person who has had a major influence on your life. Who are they, and what did they teach you?
What has been your most challenging experience? How did you face it? What did you learn from it?
Describe a time when you had to overcome adversity. What was the situation, and how did you manage it?
Is there someone in your life that you admire and look up to? Who are they, and what qualities do they possess that you admire?
Write about an event that has shaped who you are today. What happened, and how did it change you?
What are some of the defining moments of your childhood? Why were they so significant to you at the time?
Tell the story of a significant relationship in your life. What was this relationship like, and what did it teach you about yourself and others?
Everyone has regrets in life. What is something you regret, and why do you feel that way about it now?

Telling your story can be a powerful way to connect with others, process your experiences, and heal from trauma. If you’re stuck, try using one of these memoir writing prompts.

What Makes a Good Nonfiction Writing Topic

Searching for a good nonfiction writing topic can sometimes feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. There are just so many options out there! How do you choose one that will be interesting to write about and read?

Here are a few factors to keep in mind when choosing a topic for your next nonfiction piece:

Potential interest to the audience : You want to choose a topic that you think people will want to read about. Ask yourself- would you want to read an article on this subject? If the answer is no, it’s probably not worth writing about. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, but in general, it’s good to err on the side of writing something that you think people will find interesting and useful.
Something you care about: It can be easier (and more fun!) to write about something you’re passionate about. When you care about your topic, it shows in your writing, and readers can sense that. Of course, you don’t have to be an expert on the subject- part of the reason you’re writing is to learn more about it yourself! However, if you aren’t interested in the topic, it will be harder to find the motivation to write about it.
Originality: You also want to ensure that you’re choosing a topic that hasn’t been written about too much before. Finding an original angle on a well-explored subject can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Some of the best pieces take a new perspective on a familiar topic. However, if you find that there are already dozens of articles on the same subject you wanted to write about, it might be time to move on and choose something else.

What Is a Creative Nonfiction Essay?

A creative nonfiction essay uses the real-life experiences of the nonfiction writer as material for the piece. This type of essay can be written in first person point of view and is usually focused on a single event, experience, or moment in time.

What separates a creative nonfiction essay from a simple narrative essay is the addition of literary devices such as metaphors, similes, and other poetic language. This allows the writer to create a more emotive piece that engages the reader on a different level. In addition, creative nonfiction essays often use flashbacks and other devices that help create a more linear story.

While creative nonfiction essays can be based on real-life experiences, they are still stories that need to be well-crafted to engage the reader. This means that writers must be aware of good storytelling elements, such as conflict, resolution, and character development. By incorporating these elements into their essays, writers can create compelling pieces of creative nonfiction.

Creative nonfiction essays are an interesting and challenging genre for writers. By combining real-life experiences with elements of good storytelling, writers can create engaging and emotive essays that will resonate with readers.

How to Write Creative Nonfiction

Creative nonfiction is a genre of writing that uses fiction and nonfiction elements to tell a true story. Unlike traditional journalism or academic writing, creative nonfiction allows writers to use literary devices such as metaphor and simile to bring their stories to life.

The first step in writing creative nonfiction is deciding what story you want to tell. This can be a personal story from your own life or the story of someone else you have been told. Once you have decided on a story, the next step is to start researching. This will help you to understand the events that took place and the people involved.

Next, it’s time to start writing. The key to writing creative nonfiction is to be as honest as possible. This means being willing to share your thoughts and feelings about the events that took place. It’s also important to use literary devices such as metaphor and simile to bring your story to life for the reader.

Finally, don’t forget to edit and revise your work before publishing it. This will help ensure that your story is free of errors, flows smoothly from beginning to end, and help you become a professional creative nonfiction writer.

How to Write a Good Nonfiction Essay

A nonfiction essay is a piece of writing that aims to present information about a certain subject. It can be based on anything from real-life events to personal experiences. To write a good nonfiction essay, there are some key elements that you need to keep in mind:

Decide on a topic

The first step is to decide on a topic for your essay. The topic can be anything from a personal event to something you have read about or seen. If you are having trouble deciding on a topic, try brainstorming with friends or family members. Once you have settled on a topic, the next step is to start researching.

Do your research

Before you start writing, you must do your research. This means looking for sources that will help you support your claims in your essay. When looking for sources, make sure they are credible and reliable. Once you have found some good sources, the next step is writing your essay.

Write your essay

When you are writing your essay, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. First, ensure that your essay has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Second, make sure that all of your claims are supported by evidence from your research. And third, try to make your essay as interesting and engaging as possible.

Edit and revise

Once you have finished writing your essay, it is important to edit and revise it. This will help you improve the quality of your work and increase your chances of getting published. To edit and revise your work, try reading it aloud or getting someone else to read it. This will help you catch any errors or awkward phrasing you might have missed.

Submit your essay

The final step is to submit your essay to a publisher or contest. Doing this will allow you to get feedback from professionals and potentially have your work published for others to see.

How Do You Write a Nonfiction Book in 30 Days?

How is it possible to write an entire nonfiction book in such a short amount of time? Well, it certainly isn’t easy, and it isn’t for everyone. But if you have a clear vision for your book and you’re willing to put in the hard work, then it is possible.

Here are a few tips on how you can write a nonfiction book in 30 days:

1. Outline Your Book First

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people try to wing it when they write their books. A clear outline of what you want to cover in each chapter will make the actual writing process much easier and less daunting. Trust us, you will thank us later.

2. Set Aside Time Each Day to Write

Trying to cram an entire book into 30 days is unrealistic and very stressful. A better approach would be to set aside time each day to write. Set realistic goals for yourself – maybe aim to write 2-3 pages daily. If you stick to this plan, you will have a much better chance of completing your book within the 30-day timeframe.

3. Get an Editor

Once you have written your first draft, getting someone to edit your work is important. This step is crucial because it will help tighten up your writing and catch any errors you may have missed. A professional editor will also provide valuable feedback on your work which can be very helpful as you revise your manuscript.

4. Promote Your Book

Writing and publishing a book is only half the battle – the other half is promoting it! Make sure to create buzz about your book before it is released and devise creative ways to market it once it hits online stores or shelves.

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Want to perfect your process for writing creative non-fiction, or elevate your writing style? Maybe you’re making the move from fiction to non-fiction.

This comprehensive guide using interviews from The Writing Life podcast offers advice and guidance from writers and editors, often describing the obstacles they faced and how they traversed them in their own projects.

This page covers creative non-fiction inspiration, research, structure, narrative, point of view and much more.

1. Know thyself: are you a non-fiction writer?

Not everyone is suited to the type of writing they might want to do. It’s important to understand not only what interests us, but what we have an aptitude for. It can be valuable to find where these two meet.

Author and journalist Sonia Faleiro describes her own journey of self-discovery and self-actualisation: ‘After I wrote my debut novel, The Girl , I looked at it and realised, ‘wow, I’m not a novelist – what were you thinking?!’. I am so glad I realised that. Imagine attempting to put out more books and not knowing that that was not what I was meant to do.

‘I didn’t grow up with much non-fiction, so it wasn’t something I had imagined doing. Only later did I learn more about it.’

‘I didn’t want to follow the American cookie-cutter format of narrative non-fiction. It’s very gripping, but it’s quite formulaic. I wanted to take the basic tenets of narrative non-fiction and make it mine and adapt it to the kind of storytelling I was keen on.

‘When I lived in Mumbai, I started writing about communities that live on the edge of society. The trans community, the Hijra and the community of bar dancers. I’m a middle-class Indian, I’m not very interesting but I was interested in these others groups, so I write about these people in my non-fiction books.’

Listen to our J. Michael Straczynski on Becoming A Writer, Staying A Writer podcast.

2. Be brave

Creative non-fiction journal Hinterland co-editor Yin F. Lim says: ‘When we write from our memories and our life stories, there’s a temptation to gloss over things and leave out the difficult parts. But to write a memoir or a personal essay well, we need to interrogate the truth as we remember it, and write with honesty and candour to achieve an authentic voice that allows readers to connect with our writing.’

Filmmaker Josef Steiff says: ‘I see so many people edit themselves before they even get the story out. Get the story on paper/screen first. Raw, complicated, contradictory. Then in the rewriting, continue to be brave. Not reckless, but brave. I often find that when I read the piece after it’s finished, I feel vulnerable. I’ve even blushed sometimes when reading something aloud to others. For me, this is my evidence that I’ve cut as close to the truth as I can.’

Ed Parnell explains his own trepidation about tackling potentially upsetting subject matter in his autobiographical work, Ghostland .

‘It was difficult. I was writing about my parents who died when I was 17 and 18.’

‘It was difficult,’ says Ed. ‘I was writing about my parents who died when I was 17 and 18. I don’t tend to think about when they were in hospital and things. You don’t really want to go revisit those memories and feelings, but I felt I should do for this project.

‘I was like a story in an M.R. James story who’s digging into the past: you know they shouldn’t but they’re compelled to. That was tough. Because it’s upsetting, you think, ‘what’s to be gained from doing it?’ I’m pleased I did. It probably did me good to think about it. I don’t believe in that vacuous concept of ‘closure’. You can’t get closure. Sure, there was some catharsis, but it was also upsetting. I’d be writing this stuff thinking, ‘I’m not sure I should have written that’. On reflection, I think it was right to do.

‘I also thought, ‘If I don’t write about this, then no one will’. It felt like a sacred duty to try and bring my parents some kind of presence on a page – like I’m the last guardian of their memory. I wanted it to be about nicer memories, but I couldn’t avoid the more troubling elements of the story.’

Listen to Ed discuss Ghostland here.

3. Research and organise

Creative non-fiction is also referred to as narrative non-fiction. Finding, directing and building that narrative is essential. But it can be a challenge. Stories have a habit of growing arms and legs – often driven by our interest in the subject which can result in tangents, interlinking stories and goose chases.

Ed Parnell says there was ‘lots of reading’ for his book, Ghostland . But reading was only a part of his research.

‘When you’re researching a novel, there’s lots of reading. You want to know your setting, the characters and your period. If you’re writing about a public figure – especially someone who produced works of art, music, theatre, film etc. – you will need to review the cultural criticism. There were psycho-geographic elements in the book so I also did a lot of traveling around.’

‘I also had to visit places of which I had no memory that I’d been to when I was very small.

‘The good thing with research is that, because the chapters are chronological, I ended up researching it chronologically as well. I could break it down: this is the Welsh chapter, I will go to Wales and then come back and write about it. Even if the writing was a couple of months later.

‘I had a head start because I had done lots of the reading and watching movies. It wasn’t a faked interest. But reading them for pleasure is very different to reading them to try and say something interesting about them.’

Liverpool-born writer Peter Goulding says: ‘Go and interview people and let them talk. It is not a conversation, more of what they say and think should be on the tape than your own questions or opinions. I’ve just recorded an interview with a tree surgeon: he spent five minutes describing a smell. I couldn’t have written anything like it from my own mind, not without experiencing it myself. The next trick is welding those bits of interview into what you want to write. They need to fit and they need to have a strong join. Then you need to polish out the weld, so the reader can’t see the join. Craft and graft.’

Sonia Faleiro is a journalist and author of creative non-fiction. She explained her process for distilling the vast amounts of information she gathered for her 2021 book, The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing , in The Writing Life podcast . The book explores the death of two girls in rural India.

‘It was a big case in India. It was all over the news so I had lots of information; I could locate myself and figure out who I needed to speak to.

Family tree

‘The first thing I did, was to make a family tree’ says Sonia. ‘There were two girls from two families, but they lived in a joint family setting of 18 people.

‘Then I made lists of names, any name that I came across: police, court, family, investigator, neighbour.

‘Then I got in touch with as many reporters as I could, those who had reported on the story as it happened – TV, papers – those who had gone to the village within a day or so of the children being found. I reached out to them for contacts and I also asked them what they thought. ‘What is your sense of the village and the story and the people? A journalist’s intuition may not be something that they put into their reporting but is nonetheless valuable. I remember two journalists saying to me, ‘yeah, something’s up, I don’t know what… but if you find out, let me know’.

‘Then you start drawing your own charts and making your own notes. Things get lost in translation; a mistake that gets made in an early report ends up being repeated, so you correct the information you have.

‘Then I went to the village and spoke to people. I recorded every conversation – hours of it.’

Andrew Kenrick says: ‘While you might not plan to extensively pepper your writing with footnotes or references, all the same, keep a track of where you’ve found your information. This might be just to offer a credit or to supply a bibliography, but it can also prove essential if you find yourself needing to return to the same subject in the future – and you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to forget where you’ve read something further down the line! There’s all manner of reference managers out there – I use Zotero but there are loads available freely.’

Primary research

‘In the village, I also took notes. The recording only captures so much so I would write notes: background sounds and wildlife; what does it look and smell like? What are they wearing? What do bare feet look like?’

Secondary research

‘I also got information from online archives, for example, what the village used to be like.

‘Not too long ago, during the monsoons, the village would flood, so people would have to use boats to get from their homes to the fields. That gives you a sense of where people have come up from. The last generation needed to use boats because of how poorly the drainage worked. Now things have changed, they have bicycles and motorbikes and, vital to the story, is that they use modern devices like mobile phones and social messaging.

‘While focusing on the present, you need to delve into the past to figure out what led to the current events.’

‘I took assistance when I needed it. Early on, I worked with a fact checker and worked with lawyers and translators. Although I speak fluent Hindi, many people in the village speak Braj Bhasha [regional dialect] – I can understand it but not well enough to translate it perfectly.’

4. Write to know

Different writers have different approaches – some plan and write meticulously, turning in a perfect first draft; others write and revise until the story and the words come together.

Writing creative non-fiction, as opposed to fiction, may impact this – real events being fixed, even if the book’s narrative can change.

‘The secret to getting something written is to write.’

Sonia Faleiro says writing helped her discover the narrative.

‘I had between the 3,000 pages of documents and hundreds of hours of interviews. I felt like I was looking for a needle in a haystack. And I was buried under the haystack. I just needed to remind myself, ‘it’s fine, it’s ok to feel like this, just continue to work on this and one day, it won’t be like this. I will have figured it out’. That’s the secret. The secret to getting something written is to write. Even those people who think that if left to their own devices they would just research until the end of time, they wouldn’t. Finally they will get it.’

As Ed Parnell says: ‘It still comes down to sitting in a room, staring at a screen and typing.’

5. Take notes

Justin Kern says: ‘Simply: you must write a journal. Every day. Even if it’s two sentences about the bathroom, or breakfast, or a slight at work. And you must write what is real, to you, as long, silly, rote and deeply as you can. This ritualistic dedication to churning over your internal world in a journal will give you agency over the ultimate story of your own world, as well as those outside of it that you hope to tell.’

Listen to our Lucy van Smit’s A Writer’s Journal Workbook podcast. Lucy is an award-winning author, a screenwriter, and an artist.

Hinterland co-editor Yin F. Lim says: ‘Whether on paper or screen, get into the habit of recording your moments, thoughts and emotions. Journalling provides valuable raw material for writing from your life, but re-reading what you’ve recorded also helps bring you back to that moment in the past. It enables you to remember details and write with an immediacy that’s not as easy to replicate from our often unreliable memories.’

6. Get inspired

Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, inspiration can come from anywhere. However, for the latter, it is very often driven by the very pursuit of the interest. Writer and NCW tutor Ed Parnell explains the genesis of his creative non-fiction work, Ghostland: In Search Of A Haunted Country .

‘I was putting off writing a second novel. I had some ideas, one of which was to have the Victorian ghost story writer, M.R. James as a bit part.

‘I was looking into that and I visited the place where James grew up – a spooky little village called Great Livermere outside Bury St Edmunds. I took lots of pictures and when I got home, I wrote a blog about it.

‘An editor at Harper Collins saw it two months later and emailed me, asking whether I’d ever thought about writing a non-fiction book on the subject. I went down to see him and found that we had a shared love of trashy old 60s and 70s horror films. He invited me to put a proposal together. I had to think, ‘Would I like to write about this?’ And at that point, I thought, ‘yes, I do’.

7. Search for the truth

It is said that if the police ask three people what happened at the scene of an accident, they will get three versions of events. How can we ensure that we get to the truth of our story?

Sonia Faleiro’s investigation into the death of two girls in India resulted in various ever-changing stories. Here she describes how the combination of social rules, mores and pressure made her hunt for the truth even harder.

‘A search ensued with torches, but in total silence, because the families didn’t want to create fear in the village because it would raise questions about why the girls had been out to begin with.

‘There are dozens of people running round in the fields, so by the time I arrive to capture the story, there are dozens of versions of the story to untangle.

‘A lot of people continued to change their story over the years for various reasons and I’m quite sure that if I went to the village tomorrow, I would find someone who would change their story again. It could continue forever. In a village like that, you’re not just answerable to yourself, not even your family, you are answerable to the community. So you have to be careful, not just about how they behave, but what they say about the behaviour of others because it can have deadly consequences for them.

‘Figuring out who was telling the truth and who wasn’t, became the most important thing. Persistence is the key. I kept returning back to the village and would report around people. If someone is telling you something that is clearly not true, you can keep asking them the same question over and over but it will only bring you grief. It won’t endear you to them. Alternatively, you can talk to somebody else: fathers, mothers, uncles, cousins, friends.

‘That is how I was able to build the narrative, by crosschecking information. It’s important not to take people at their word right away. Not only must they earn your trust, but you must earn theirs. It works both ways.’

‘It’s not my job to tell the story that they want me to tell. I’m not even telling the story that I want to tell. I’m telling the story that is.

8. Who’s story is it?

The point of narrative or creative non-fiction is that it’s not just a reference book. The facts hang from someone’s story, seen through their eyes. As such, knowing lots about the subject, person or time isn’t enough, you need to bring this to life through one or more people’s stories.

Author, Ed Parnell had been invited by Harper Collins to pitch an idea they’d discussed – to write a non-fiction book about ghost story writer M.R. James.

‘The more I redrafted it, the more I edged towards, seeing things from Fodor’s point of view.’

‘I had decided that I would like to write a book about him. So I thought, if I did want to write it, how would I do it?

‘I was conscious that I’m not an academic who specialises in this field. there must be lots of people who are more qualified than me to write this.

‘I knew quite a lot about it and was quite interested in the subject, but I wanted to bring something of myself to it. I thought about my own family history and the more I thought about it, the more I thought of other writers I’d like to explore, how their lives tied in to places I’d been to on holiday as a kid, and how that tied into my own family story. So the story is told through me as I explore and rediscover my childhood memories, those ghost story writers I was reading, and their relationship to the places I’d been.’

Kate Summerscale , the award-winning author of The Suspicions of Mr Whicher , describes how the point of view developed during the writing of The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story .

‘I had done three years of pure research. I’d worked out how to tell the story: the structure of the story and put it together while continuing to go back and forth with the research.

‘The shape of the book and the storytelling was hard to work out.

‘The more I redrafted it, the more I edged towards, seeing things from Fodor’s point of view. In a way, Fodor wanted to explore everything I wanted to explore. Although my perspective is different because I’m in a different point in history, he could still allow me access to everything I needed. I realised that it worked better than putting Alma’s experience at the centre or being detached from both of the main characters altogether. Although it’s not exclusively from his point of view, the grounding in seeing things as he would have seen them, helped me ground myself in that historical moment – and the reader can get their bearings from him.

‘That decision about perspective and point of view was what made it all start to work as a story.’

9. Don’t forget to read!

Hinterland editor Freya Dean says: ‘I find I can’t read non-fiction during a period of intensive memoir writing. It’s not that I’m afraid I’ll subconsciously copy from other writers, but just that my thought stream gets disrupted and I can’t keep the flow of my own work. Instead, I read fiction (just re-read Jennifer Egan’s brilliant A Visit From the Goon Squad ), YA fiction (my kids have got me into Philip Reeve), poetry (currently Lieke Marsman), and those big ‘coffee table’ art and fashion books, when I can afford them.’

10. Go off track

Josef Steiff says: ‘Tangents can be your friend. Sometimes when I’m writing, my mind will start drifting. I’ve found that it can be productive to follow these tangents to determine if they are actually associations or resonances that deepen and need to be interwoven into the main story.’

11. Build a roadmap

Ed Parnell explains: ‘With non-fiction, you have to create this big pitch document for the publisher. I had created a 50-page, chapter-by-chapter document, so I had thought about the structure and had a roadmap.

‘You have to write that stuff to know it needs to be removed.’

‘When I came to write it, some of those chapters fell by the wayside and new things came in: new books and films I wanted to include, new parts of my own travels within the book. Having a roadmap was good, even if I meandered from it.

‘My first draft was 140k words. I cut it down to 100k. You have to write that stuff to know it needs to be removed.’

12. Structure: One size doesn’t fit all

‘Writing non-fiction was a new process for me,’ explains Ed Parnell, ‘so I researched other non-fiction books. I physically analysed them: how long the chapters were. Is a 40-page chapter too long?

‘You look for patterns but there are none because everyone does it differently. You’re learning as you go. I suspect that every book a writer writes, you feel like you’re starting over again.’

13. Raid the novelist’s toolkit

Andrew Kenrick says: ‘One of the things that often defines the best creative non-fiction that we receive at Hinterland is that it applies the tools of a novel writer to real situations and settings: flashbacks, starting in media res, dialogue, rich descriptions of character and plenty of texture in the writing – colours, sounds and smells.’

14. Facts vs fiction

‘I always keep the narrative in the foreground. It’s almost the reverse of normal where the important events take place in the foreground and the trivia is at the edges. It’s inverting that.

‘So the story is an apparently silly story about a poltergeist and a woman in Croydon in the 1930s and an eccentric ghost hunter. Instead, it becomes a thing I take very seriously – it’s driving the story forward.

‘Almost off-stage, national and international events are taking place – Hitler is invading Austria.

‘But events aren’t just to give context and colour. As I write, I’m trying to work out how they connect to the story I’m telling and why I’ve picked these particular fragments to drop in. They have to earn their place, as shadows to my story, even though they are these huge and momentous world events that changed things for millions of people. I need to make them pay off as motifs in the particular story I’m telling and I hope that that in turn will give some extra resonance to the story. I work how these things fit together as I go along, I don’t know in advance.’

15. Develop an Editor’s eye

Hinterland editor Freya Dean says: ‘Try to have a ‘fallow’ period between writing projects where you read intensively and think hard about what you’re reading. The keystone of most non-fiction creative writing courses is exactly this: reading great writers to understand why their writing shines, which then helps you to develop a critical, editorial lens that you can apply to your own work. As far as non-fiction titans go, Joan Didion’s essays, and those by Gay Talese (see especially Frank Sinatra Has A Cold & Other Essays) are a great place to start. Take one short passage and really dissect it, right down to the last full stop.’

16. Share your work

Freya says: ‘Take every opportunity to have your non-fiction critically (and constructively) workshopped. Even more than a way to gain feedback, structured discussion is invaluable for the perspective it brings when you’re working with material drawn from your own life. It helps build that sense of ‘remove’, of feeling that what you have written exists as something in its own right, distinct from yourself and your inner world. This in turn helps you to better craft and evaluate the work as you are writing.’

17. Shelve it!

Freya says: ‘So many successful writers I know consider this an essential part of the writing process. Whether they’ve reached a point where they’re stuck with a manuscript, or are reasonably happy that they’ve nailed it, they print a hard copy and put it away in a drawer, and then they don’t look at it for several weeks. This is helpful for all writing, no matter your subject, but is especially key when you’re writing anything that draws heavily on your own experience. When you take the text out again and read it with fresh eyes, you’ll instantly see the flaws in the writing, whether great or (hopefully) small.’

Nonfiction Topics to Write About: 30+ Ideas to Get You Started

If you're an aspiring nonfiction author or blog writer (or both), you may feel that you don't have as much to write about as fiction authors. After all, fiction writers are only limited by their imaginations, whereas nonfiction writers can't just make stuff up. But if you think about it, that's not quite right. Some of the best nonfiction books take a look at old ideas through a new lens. And that lens is the author's imagination.

So whether you're struggling to generate new ideas or just want to break away from your current work in progress, we've got a list of great nonfiction topics to write about.

Tips for writing great nonfiction.
How best to pick from the list of nonfiction topics.
Tips for vetting your nonfiction book idea.

Use Creative Writing to Generate Emotions
Keep Your Purpose in Mind
Bring Something New to the Table
Informational Writing Prompts
Memoir Writing Prompts
Personal Essay Writing Prompts
How to Vet Your Nonfiction Book Idea

Writing Excellent Nonfiction

For some people, nonfiction writing comes easily, whereas fiction is a little trickier. For others, the opposite is true. The fact is, writing nonfiction is not all that different from writing fiction. With the tips below, you'll see what I mean.

Whether you're writing a piece of narrative nonfiction or a handbook on becoming an entrepreneur, you'll want to tell a story . After all, anyone can put down words that tell someone how to do something, but this isn't how great writing works. We're story-centered creatures. It's how we relate to the world.

So use a narrative to get your point across. If your readers feel something as they read your book, it's more likely to stick with them. And that's exactly what you want!

The writing prompts below are split into sub-sections based on the purpose they serve. While a lot of nonfiction is designed to help the reader solve a problem, this is not always the case. Some sub-genres of nonfiction are for readers who want to be entertained or informed. Luckily, it's pretty easy to tell the difference.

So whichever writing prompt you choose, keep your purpose in mind the whole time. Always ask yourself, as you write, if each sentence is serving the purpose of the piece.

While the prompts below are fairly broad, they require an ingredient that I can't provide in this article: you. It's your job to bring the prompt or prompts alive with your own experience, imagination, and outlook. There's no use in writing a book, essay, or article that a hundred other people have already written.

But if you have a unique take on the subject, or can provide a compelling way to deliver the information to the reader, then you have a nonfiction piece worth writing.

Format Beautiful Professional Books

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Nonfiction Writing Prompts

Pick a prompt below that sounds intriguing to you. Take a moment to think about how you would provide a unique perspective on the subject. Or, simply use them as writing prompts to practice your craft!

First, we'll start with the informational nonfiction writing prompts. In other words, these are designed to solve a specific problem or explain something to the reader. These are often called expository nonfiction prompts.

1. Write about your health and fitness journey. Have you overcome any obstacles, tried any fad diets, or had any close calls? What can you share about your experience that can help others?

2. Write about your career or industry. How did you get to be where you are? What can you share about your experience that can help others?

3. Write about a skill that you have. How much time did you put into developing it? What practices worked best? What would you tell someone who is just now trying to learn the skill?

4. Explore your spirituality or religious beliefs. Finding ways to maintain your beliefs or practices is hard these days, so share with the reader how you've managed to do it, and how they can do it, too.

5. Write about finances. Are you better off than your peers? Have you been successful, or have you had major ups and downs? What can you share about your experience that can help others?

6. Are you an organized person? If so, write about how you stay organized. Don't skimp on the details of any systems or tactics you've developed!

7. Do you know how to maintain a home or a vehicle? If so, write a guide on how best to stay on top of regular maintenance while still saving time and money.

8. Have you overcome anxiety or stress? If so, share with readers how you stay on top of it while still functioning in society.

9. Do you know how to knit or make homemade decorations? If so, share your skills in a book or blog post.

10. Do you know all the best spots to eat, relax, or pass the time in your city? Write a guide of all the little-known gems to help people visiting for the first time.

Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts

Unless you're a subject matter expert, you may be more interested in the writing prompts below. With the creative writing prompts in this section, you have a little more freedom when it comes to writing style. You can rely heavily on personal experience with the following prompts , as well, just make sure you're telling a true story!

11. Write about the most impactful time in your life. What lessons did you learn that other people would be interested in?

12. What does it mean to be happy? Is it possible to be happy all the time? If so, how?

13. Have you done any traveling, whether foreign or domestic? If so, you could regale readers with travel-writing stories.

14. Are you a fan of historical nonfiction? This nonfiction genre requires a lot of research, but if you have a unique angle on a moment in our history, it could be well worth the effort.

15. Write about a person who has influenced you without ever having met you. See if you can find and interview others who've been similarly influenced.

The memoir is a creative nonfiction genre in which everyone can write. Although it's hard to sell these kinds of books unless you're a well-known figure, they're great for developing the writing skill it takes to craft other types of books and stories.

16. Using a series of cultural or worldwide events, tell the story of your life. Whether it's a historic law that passed or the release of an impactful movie, see if you can weave important moments in your life into an entertaining narrative.

17. What does truth mean to you? Present times from your own life where the truth was important.

18. Write about what is important to you now. Has it always been a priority, or has the definition of importance changed over your life?

19. Write about a trip that changed your life forever. This could be a vacation, a road trip, or a simple trip to the grocery store.

20. Write about your life by describing the good times you've had with any and all the pets you've had over the years.

If you want more memoir writing prompts, we have an entire article dedicated to this type of narrative nonfiction here .

If a full nonfiction book sounds like a bit much for you, a nonfiction essay may just be the best alternative. This is a personal story told from the heart. It can be about almost anything, but most of these essays generally have to do with one specific topic or moment in the writer's life.

21. Try your hand at literary journalism by writing a series of articles about your life and achievements from the point of view of an impartial journalist.

22. Write a short story in which you are the protagonist and you're dealing with a real-life scary or difficult situation. What really happened, and what could you have done differently?

23. Everyone's afraid of something. What's the biggest fear you've worked to overcome? And how did you do it?

24. Write a personal essay about how music has impacted your life. What songs were playing at important events in your life? How has music defined who you are?

25. What makes you a unique person? What makes you the same as others? Write an essay on what it means to be an individual in a world full of individuals.

26. Think about a person you deeply admire. Write about why you admire them, exploring things like their personality traits, goals, philosophies, and other positive qualities.

27. Write about a location that holds a special meaning for you. This could be a home, a town, or even an entire state. Discuss how this place has impacted your life.

28. Pick a piece of work that has resonated with you. This could be a book, a movie, or a piece of artwork. Explore the themes it explores and why it has resonated with you.

29. The search for purpose is tricky for some. Whether you have found a purpose or are still searching for one, discuss what this means to you.

30. Explore a belief or tradition that is meaningful to you. How has it influenced your life, and why is it important to you? What positive effects have come because of this belief or tradition?

There's a lot to like about being a creative nonfiction writer. In many ways, it requires the same skills as fiction writing, but with narrower parameters to keep you on track. No matter what kind of writing you like to do, the prompts above can help you hone your skills. But what about when you think you have an idea for a potential bestseller? Before you invest the time in writing the whole book (or the book proposal), it's worth vetting the idea. Luckily, this is easy to do with Publisher Rocket.

You can think of the information you get from Publisher Rocket as the foundation for your nonfiction writing career. You get insights directly from Amazon on:

Keywords – Metadata to position your nonfiction book on Amazon.
Competition – Allowing you to see what other nonfiction books are selling well and how stiff the competition is.
Categories – Allowing you to position your book in the right categories and subcategories to increase your chances of success.
Amazon Ads – Helping you quickly configure a list of profitable keywords for running ads to your published nonfiction book.

Check out Publisher Rocket here to learn more about using data to position your book for success on Amazon.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

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The Best Creative Prompt Ideas for Nonfiction Writing

by Bennett R. Coles

The use of creative prompts for writing has been a fiction staple for a long time. With the help of a search engine you can find literally thousands of writing prompts in a matter of seconds to get your creative juices flowing.

But when it comes to nonfiction, the type of creative prompts you’ll find on the Internet won’t be very useful to you – even if they’re labeled as such. Why? Because these nonfiction writing prompts tend to be centered on you and your point of view (e.g. “Write about how you form healthy habits”), whereas successful nonfiction writing requires you to put yourself in the shoes of your target audience.

What Are Nonfiction Writing Prompt Ideas?

What you really need to stimulate your nonfiction creative juices is to figure out a way to spark writing ideas that will address a specific need or desire in your audience – the most specific the better.

But first you need to nail down who you want your target audience to be, and this process must align with the skills that you bring to the table.

Say that you’re a nutritionist and you want to help people improve their health by eating in a more balanced way. You clearly know that your skills and subject matter expertise can benefit virtually anyone. But if you choose an idea that’s too broad, like helping women develop better eating habits, you’ll find it hard to make a dent in the market.

The reason is that there are tens of millions of women in the U.S. alone and they’re hardly monolithic. Within that group you’ll discover many subgroups (hundreds?) that have differing needs, interests and levels of awareness.

So, start by breaking down your main demographic and identifying those subgroups who would benefit the most from your expertise. You need to find those niches that have a high level of urgency for what you offer.

For example, if you’re a nutritionist and you want to write a book to help women improve their health through better nutrition, you may want to limit your focus to women over fifty who suffer from type II diabetes.

Their need for a balanced diet is much more urgent than the general population’s, and by focusing on a specific age group you’ll be able to address their challenges in a unique way.

How to Come Up With Nonfiction Writing Prompt Ideas

To get you on the right creative track, I’ll show you the recipe you need to follow in order to line up a number of creative writing prompts for your nonfiction book project, and then I’ll give some examples based on six of the top ten bestselling nonfiction genres on Amazon.

First, write a list of all the areas of expertise that you bring to the table. If you’re in the home decor field, you may have developed expertise in:

De-cluttering
Organizing spaces
Decorating on a budget
Matching color palettes to personalities
Working with open spaces
Working with small areas
Creating urban gardens

Then, for each entry write a second list of the different groups of people who you feel will make up an ideal audience:

De-cluttering: Writing for people who feel the stagnant energy in their homes, people who are planning a move to a smaller space, etc.
Decorating on a budget: Writing for students who are moving out of their parents house to live on their own, recent graduates with a small starting salary, retirees, etc.
Creating urban gardens: Writing for people who live in condos, apartment dwellers who want to grow their own veggies and herbs in their balconies, etc.

Below, you’ll find some ideas to write prompts of your own in some of the most popular nonfiction categories on Amazon:

1) Biographies & Memoirs

This category is quite broad and it offers a lot of flexibility for creative thinking, given the personal nature of the genre.

Here are some creative writing prompts to get you going:

Write a story about your own experiences in a way that people in a specific segment of the population can relate to (e.g. “My experiences growing up as a mixed child in a small town”)
Write a book about how you dealt with a specific disability and how you succeeded in spite of it (.e.g. “How I went from being wheel-chair bound to becoming a successful Internet entrepreneur”)
Write a book of short stories about your experiences in life that others in similar circumstances could learn from (e.g. “How addiction replaced the void left in my town when the largest employer left and what people did to overcome it”)

2) Self-Help

This is a very large category but there are multiple trends that can be broken down into more specific niches.

Here are some creative writing prompts:

Write a book about a self-help discipline that you’ve specialized in for many years, but directed to a very specific group of people (e.g. “The complete mindfulness guide for teenage girls”)
Write a book that focuses on a self-help practice that caters to people who suffer from a specific condition (e.g. “The best meditation techniques for people who suffer from insomnia (or migraines, or…)”)
Write a self-help book to help people cope with a specific issue that you faced and overcame (e.g. “How to use conscious breathing techniques to help alleviate nicotine withdrawal symptoms”)

3) Health & Fitness

This is another broad category, so the best approach is to limit your topic by writing about a narrow application.

Here are some creative writing prompts to get started:

Write a book that focuses on an unusual health practice that has proven health benefits most people are unaware of (e.g. “The health benefits of drinking and cooking with distilled water”)
If you’re trained in a particular form of therapy, write a book that focuses on a specific demographic instead of everyone who could possibly benefit from it (e.g. “The benefits of weekly acupuncture during pregnancy”)
Write a fitness book for people in a specific demographic or who suffer from a specific medical or physical condition (e.g. “The ultimate weight-training guide for people over 60”)

4) Cookbooks, Food & Wine

This is such a broad category that your best chance of carving a sliver for yourself is by writing a book that addresses a very specific group of people. Your goal is to find a narrow niche that runs very deep.

Here are some examples to trigger writing prompts for your book:

Write a cookbook with recipes that are tailored to sufferers of a specific illness or disorder (e.g. “Safe snacks for sufferers of hypoglycemia”)
Write a wine guide for followers of a specific diet, trend or lifestyle (e.g. “The best keto-friendly wines”)
Write a cookbook for a group of people that share a specific interest (e.g. “The best recipes for avid bodybuilders”)

5) Parenting & Relationships

These are broad categories as well, so you’ll need to use the divide-and-conquer strategy to get traction.

Here are some writing prompts:

If you’re a family counselor, write a book that focuses on a specific segment of the population (e.g. “The psychological benefits of attachment parenting techniques for young parents”)
If you’re an expert in child therapy, write about issues that affect a specific set of children (e.g. “How to help a gifted child successfully navigate the public school system”)
If you’re a psychotherapist, write about a unique technique or about an issue that affects a specific group of people (e.g. “The benefits of therapeutic horseback riding on children (or adults or teenagers or …) with disabilities”)

6) Crafts, Hobbies & Home

This is already a very fragmented category, so most book writing ideas will naturally cater to a small niche.

Write about home decor ideas that fit a specific lifestyle, demographic, budget, etc. (e.g. “Organizing ideas to keep the rooms of messy teenagers tidy at all times”)
Write about ideas to make your house look like a model home on a budget (e.g. “The best Ikea hacks to create great-looking built-ins for 10 cents on the dollar”)
Write a book or guide for people who enjoy a specific lifestyle (e.g. “The definitive guide to the best vintage clothing stores in the U.S.”)

I hope this article has provided you with the inspiration you need to create some writing prompts for your upcoming nonfiction book project.

The secret to write a successful nonfiction book lies at the cross section of the following three things:

You’re writing about something you’re passionate about
You’ve developed expertise in that area
A specific group of people are actively seeking what you have to offer

Once you find this sweet spot, you can then begin the process of researching your target audience to find out what their hopes, dreams, fears and challenges are so that you create the right prompts that address their needs in the best possible way.

If you enjoyed this article and you feel like learning more about how to excel in the writing craft make sure to check out my free nonfiction success guide , drawn from years of experience editing books for bestselling authors (including a New York Times bestseller) and ghostwriting for CEOs and politicians. Simply click here to get instant access .

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or a specific need that I can help you address – I operate an author services firm that specializes in helping entrepreneurs, professionals and business owners who want to publish books as a calling card for prospects, to establish their status as an expert or to generate additional leads for their businesses.

Here are some related articles I highly recommend:

How long does it take to write a book to help grow your business, learn 10 powerful writing habits to fast track your nonfiction book, how to grow your business writing a nonfiction book.

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Get our free definitive guide to creating a nonfiction bestseller here.

A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

by Melissa Donovan | Mar 4, 2021 | Creative Writing | 12 comments

Try your hand at writing creative nonfiction.

Here at Writing Forward, we’re primarily interested in three types of creative writing: poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction.

With poetry and fiction, there are techniques and best practices that we can use to inform and shape our writing, but there aren’t many rules beyond the standards of style, grammar, and good writing . We can let our imaginations run wild; everything from nonsense to outrageous fantasy is fair game for bringing our ideas to life when we’re writing fiction and poetry.

However, when writing creative nonfiction, there are some guidelines that we need to follow. These guidelines aren’t set in stone; however, if you violate them, you might find yourself in trouble with your readers as well as the critics.

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Telling True Stories (aff link).

What sets creative nonfiction apart from fiction or poetry?

For starters, creative nonfiction is factual. A memoir is not just any story; it’s a true story. A biography is the real account of someone’s life. There is no room in creative nonfiction for fabrication or manipulation of the facts.

So what makes creative nonfiction writing different from something like textbook writing or technical writing? What makes it creative?

Nonfiction writing that isn’t considered creative usually has business or academic applications. Such writing isn’t designed for entertainment or enjoyment. Its sole purpose is to convey information, usually in a dry, straightforward manner.

Creative nonfiction, on the other hand, pays credence to the craft of writing, often through literary devices and storytelling techniques, which make the prose aesthetically pleasing and bring layers of meaning to the context. It’s pleasurable to read.

According to Wikipedia:

Creative nonfiction (also known as literary or narrative nonfiction) is a genre of writing truth which uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not primarily written in service to its craft.

Like other forms of nonfiction, creative nonfiction relies on research, facts, and credibility. While opinions may be interjected, and often the work depends on the author’s own memories (as is the case with memoirs and autobiographies), the material must be verifiable and accurately reported.

Creative Nonfiction Genres and Forms

There are many forms and genres within creative nonfiction:

Autobiography and biography
Personal essays
Literary journalism
Any topical material, such as food or travel writing, self-development, art, or history, can be creatively written with a literary angle

Let’s look more closely at a few of these nonfiction forms and genres:

Memoirs: A memoir is a long-form (book-length) written work. It is a firsthand, personal account that focuses on a specific experience or situation. One might write a memoir about serving in the military or struggling with loss. Memoirs are not life stories, but they do examine life through a particular lens. For example, a memoir about being a writer might begin in childhood, when the author first learned to write. However, the focus of the book would be on writing, so other aspects of the author’s life would be left out, for the most part.

Biographies and autobiographies: A biography is the true story of someone’s life. If an author composes their own biography, then it’s called an autobiography. These works tend to cover the entirety of a person’s life, albeit selectively.

Literary journalism: Journalism sticks with the facts while exploring the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a particular person, topic, or event. Biographies, for example, are a genre of literary journalism, which is a form of nonfiction writing. Traditional journalism is a method of information collection and organization. Literary journalism also conveys facts and information, but it honors the craft of writing by incorporating storytelling techniques and literary devices. Opinions are supposed to be absent in traditional journalism, but they are often found in literary journalism, which can be written in long or short formats.

Personal essays are a short form of creative nonfiction that can cover a wide range of styles, from writing about one’s experiences to expressing one’s personal opinions. They can address any topic imaginable. Personal essays can be found in many places, from magazines and literary journals to blogs and newspapers. They are often a short form of memoir writing.

Speeches can cover a range of genres, from political to motivational to educational. A tributary speech honors someone whereas a roast ridicules them (in good humor). Unlike most other forms of writing, speeches are written to be performed rather than read.

Journaling: A common, accessible, and often personal form of creative nonfiction writing is journaling. A journal can also contain fiction and poetry, but most journals would be considered nonfiction. Some common types of written journals are diaries, gratitude journals, and career journals (or logs), but this is just a small sampling of journaling options.

Writing Creative Nonfiction (aff link).

Any topic or subject matter is fair game in the realm of creative nonfiction. Some nonfiction genres and topics that offer opportunities for creative nonfiction writing include food and travel writing, self-development, art and history, and health and fitness. It’s not so much the topic or subject matter that renders a written work as creative; it’s how it’s written — with due diligence to the craft of writing through application of language and literary devices.

Guidelines for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Here are six simple guidelines to follow when writing creative nonfiction:

Get your facts straight. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing your own story or someone else’s. If readers, publishers, and the media find out you’ve taken liberties with the truth of what happened, you and your work will be scrutinized. Negative publicity might boost sales, but it will tarnish your reputation; you’ll lose credibility. If you can’t refrain from fabrication, then think about writing fiction instead of creative nonfiction.
Issue a disclaimer. A lot of nonfiction is written from memory, and we all know that human memory is deeply flawed. It’s almost impossible to recall a conversation word for word. You might forget minor details, like the color of a dress or the make and model of a car. If you aren’t sure about the details but are determined to include them, be upfront and include a disclaimer that clarifies the creative liberties you’ve taken.
Consider the repercussions. If you’re writing about other people (even if they are secondary figures), you might want to check with them before you publish your nonfiction. Some people are extremely private and don’t want any details of their lives published. Others might request that you leave certain things out, which they want to keep private. Otherwise, make sure you’ve weighed the repercussions of revealing other people’s lives to the world. Relationships have been both strengthened and destroyed as a result of authors publishing the details of other people’s lives.
Be objective. You don’t need to be overly objective if you’re telling your own, personal story. However, nobody wants to read a highly biased biography. Book reviews for biographies are packed with harsh criticism for authors who didn’t fact-check or provide references and for those who leave out important information or pick and choose which details to include to make the subject look good or bad.
Pay attention to language. You’re not writing a textbook, so make full use of language, literary devices, and storytelling techniques.
Know your audience. Creative nonfiction sells, but you must have an interested audience. A memoir about an ordinary person’s first year of college isn’t especially interesting. Who’s going to read it? However, a memoir about someone with a learning disability navigating the first year of college is quite compelling, and there’s an identifiable audience for it. When writing creative nonfiction, a clearly defined audience is essential.

Are you looking for inspiration? Check out these creative nonfiction writing ideas.

Ten creative nonfiction writing prompts and projects.

The prompts below are excerpted from my book, 1200 Creative Writing Prompts , which contains fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction writing prompts. Use these prompts to spark a creative nonfiction writing session.

1200 Creative Writing Prompts (aff link).

What is your favorite season? What do you like about it? Write a descriptive essay about it.
What do you think the world of technology will look like in ten years? Twenty? What kind of computers, phones, and other devices will we use? Will technology improve travel? Health care? What do you expect will happen and what would you like to happen?
Have you ever fixed something that was broken? Ever solved a computer problem on your own? Write an article about how to fix something or solve some problem.
Have you ever had a run-in with the police? What happened?
Have you ever traveled alone? Tell your story. Where did you go? Why? What happened?
Let’s say you write a weekly advice column. Choose the topic you’d offer advice on, and then write one week’s column.
Think of a major worldwide problem: for example, hunger, climate change, or political corruption. Write an article outlining a solution (or steps toward a solution).
Choose a cause that you feel is worthy and write an article persuading others to join that cause.
Someone you barely know asks you to recommend a book. What do you recommend and why?
Hard skills are abilities you have acquired, such as using software, analyzing numbers, and cooking. Choose a hard skill you’ve mastered and write an article about how this skill is beneficial using your own life experiences as examples.

Do You Write Creative Nonfiction?

Have you ever written creative nonfiction? How often do you read it? Can you think of any nonfiction forms and genres that aren’t included here? Do you have any guidelines to add to this list? Are there any situations in which it would be acceptable to ignore these guidelines? Got any tips to add? Do you feel that nonfiction should focus on content and not on craft? Leave a comment to share your thoughts, and keep writing.

Ready Set Write a Guide to Creative Writing

12 Comments

Shouldn’t ALL non-fiction be creative to some extent? I am a former business journalist, and won awards for the imaginative approach I took to writing about even the driest of business topics: pensions, venture capital, tax, employment law and other potentially dusty subjects. The drier and more complicated the topic, the more creative the approach must be, otherwise no-one with anything else to do will bother to wade through it. [to be honest, taking the fictional approach to these ghastly tortuous topics was the only way I could face writing about them.] I used all the techniques that fiction writers have to play with, and used some poetic techniques, too, to make the prose more readable. What won the first award was a little serial about two businesses run and owned by a large family at war with itself. Every episode centred on one or two common and crucial business issues, wrapped up in a comedy-drama, and it won a lot of fans (happily for me) because it was so much easier to read and understand than the dry technical writing they were used to. Life’s too short for dusty writing!

I believe most journalism is creative and would therefore fall under creative nonfiction. However, there is a lot of legal, technical, medical, science, and textbook writing in which there is no room for creativity (or creativity has not made its way into these genres yet). With some forms, it makes sense. I don’t think it would be appropriate for legal briefings to use story or literary devices just to add a little flair. On the other hand, it would be a good thing if textbooks were a little more readable.

I think Abbs is right – even in academic papers, an example or story helps the reader visualize the problem or explanation more easily. I scan business books to see if there are stories or examples, if not, then I don’t pick up the book. That’s where the creativity comes in – how to create examples, what to conflate, what to emphasis as we create our fictional people to illustrate important, real points.

Thanks for the post. Very helpful. I’d never thought about writing creative nonfiction before.

You’re welcome 🙂

Hi Melissa!

Love your website. You always give a fun and frank assessment of all things pertaining to writing. It is a pleasure to read. I have even bought several of the reference and writing books you recommended. Keep up the great work.

Top 10 Reasons Why Creative Nonfiction Is A Questionable Category

10. When you look up “Creative Nonfiction” in the dictionary it reads: See Fiction

9. The first creative nonfiction example was a Schwinn Bicycle Assembly Guide that had printed in its instructions: Can easily be assembled by one person with a Phillips head screw driver, Allen keys, adjustable wrench and cable cutters in less than an hour.

8. Creative Nonfiction; Based on actual events; Suggested by a true event; Based on a true story. It’s a slippery slope.

7. The Creative Nonfiction Quarterly is only read by eleven people. Five have the same last name.

6. Creative Nonfiction settings may only include: hospitals, concentration camps, prisons and cemeteries. Exceptions may be made for asylums, rehab centers and Capitol Hill.

5. The writers who create Sterile Nonfiction or Unimaginative Nonfiction now want their category recognized.

4. Creative; Poetic License; Embellishment; Puffery. See where this is leading?

3. Creative Nonfiction is to Nonfiction as Reality TV is to Documentaries.

2. My attorney has advised that I exercise my 5th Amendment Rights or that I be allowed to give written testimony in a creative nonfiction way.

1. People believe it is a film with Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson and Queen Latifa.

Hi Steve. I’m not sure if your comment is meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek, but I found it humorous.

My publisher is releasing my Creative Nonfiction book based on my grandmother’s life this May 2019 in Waikiki. I’ll give you an update soon about sales. I was fortunate enough to get some of the original and current Hawaii 5-0 members to show up for the book signing.

Hi, when writing creative nonfiction- is it appropriate to write from someone else’s point of view when you don’t know them? I was thinking of writing about Greta Thungbrurg for creative nonfiction competition – but I can directly ask her questions so I’m unsure as to whether it’s accurate enough to be classified as creative non-fiction. Thank you!

Hi Madeleine. I’m not aware of creative nonfiction being written in first person from someone else’s point of view. The fact of the matter is that it wouldn’t be creative nonfiction because a person cannot truly show events from another person’s perspective. So I wouldn’t consider something like that nonfiction. It would usually be a biography written in third person, and that is common. You can certainly use quotes and other indicators to represent someone else’s views and experiences. I could probably be more specific if I knew what kind of work it is (memoir, biography, self-development, etc.).

Dear Melissa: I am trying to market a book in the metaphysical genre about an experience I had, receiving the voice of a Civil War spirit who tells his story (not channeling). Part is my reaction and discussion with a close friend so it is not just memoir. I referred to it as ‘literary non-fiction’ but an agent put this down by saying it is NOT literary non-fiction. Looking at your post, could I say that my book is ‘creative non-fiction’? (agents can sometimes be so nit-picky)

Hi Liz. You opened your comment by classifying the book as metaphysical but later referred to it as literary nonfiction. The premise definitely sounds like a better fit in the metaphysical category. Creative nonfiction is not a genre; it’s a broader category or description. Basically, all literature is either fiction or nonfiction (poetry would be separate from these). Describing nonfiction as creative only indicates that it’s not something like a user guide. I think you were heading in the right direction with the metaphysical classification.

The goal of marketing and labeling books with genres is to find a readership that will be interested in the work. This is an agent’s area of expertise, so assuming you’re speaking with a competent agent, I’d suggest taking their advice in this matter. It indicates that the audience perusing the literary nonfiction aisles is simply not a match for this book.

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Examples of Creative Nonfiction: What It Is & How to Write It

When most people think of creative writing, they picture fiction books – but there are plenty of examples of creative nonfiction. In fact, creative nonfiction is one of the most interesting genres to read and write. So what is creative nonfiction exactly?

More and more people are discovering the joy of getting immersed in content based on true life that has all the quality and craft of a well-written novel. If you are interested in writing creative nonfiction, it’s important to understand different examples of creative nonfiction as a genre.

If you’ve ever gotten lost in memoirs so descriptive that you felt you’d walked in the shoes of those people, those are perfect examples of creative nonfiction – and you understand exactly why this genre is so popular.

But is creative nonfiction a viable form of writing to pursue? What is creative nonfiction best used to convey? And what are some popular creative nonfiction examples?

Today we will discuss all about this genre, including plenty of examples of creative nonfiction books – so you’ll know exactly how to write it.

This Guide to Creative Nonfiction Covers:

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

What is Creative Nonfiction?

Creative nonfiction is defined as true events written about with the techniques and style traditionally found in creative writing . We can understand what creative nonfiction is by contrasting it with plain-old nonfiction.

Think about news or a history textbook, for example. These nonfiction pieces tend to be written in very matter-of-fact, declarative language. While informative, this type of nonfiction often lacks the flair and pleasure that keep people hooked on fictional novels.

Imagine there are two retellings of a true crime story – one in a newspaper and the other in the script for a podcast. Which is more likely to grip you? The dry, factual language, or the evocative, emotionally impactful creative writing?

Podcasts are often great examples of creative nonfiction – but of course, creative nonfiction can be used in books too. In fact, there are many types of creative nonfiction writing. Let’s take a look!

Types of creative nonfiction

Creative nonfiction comes in many different forms and flavors. Just as there are myriad types of creative writing, there are almost as many types of creative nonfiction.

Some of the most popular types include:

Literary nonfiction

Literary nonfiction refers to any form of factual writing that employs the literary elements that are more commonly found in fiction. If you’re writing about a true event (but using elements such as metaphor and theme) you might well be writing literary nonfiction.

Writing a life story doesn’t have to be a dry, chronological depiction of your years on Earth. You can use memoirs to creatively tell about events or ongoing themes in your life.

If you’re unsure of what kind of creative nonfiction to write, why not consider a creative memoir? After all, no one else can tell your life story like you.

Nature writing

The beauty of the natural world is an ongoing source of creative inspiration for many people, from photographers to documentary makers. But it’s also a great focus for a creative nonfiction writer. Evoking the majesty and wonder of our environment is an endless source of material for creative nonfiction.

Travel writing

If you’ve ever read a great travel article or book, you’ll almost feel as if you’ve been on the journey yourself. There’s something special about travel writing that conveys not only the literal journey, but the personal journey that takes place.

Writers with a passion for exploring the world should consider travel writing as their form of creative nonfiction.

For types of writing that leave a lasting impact on the world, look no further than speeches. From a preacher’s sermon, to ‘I have a dream’, speeches move hearts and minds like almost nothing else. The difference between an effective speech and one that falls on deaf ears is little more than the creative skill with which it is written.

Biographies

Noteworthy figures from history and contemporary times alike are great sources for creative nonfiction. Think about the difference between reading about someone’s life on Wikipedia and reading about it in a critically-acclaimed biography.

Which is the better way of honoring that person’s legacy and achievements? Which is more fun to read? If there’s someone whose life story is one you’d love to tell, creative nonfiction might be the best way to do it.

So now that you have an idea of what creative nonfiction is, and some different ways you can write it, let’s take a look at some popular examples of creative nonfiction books and speeches.

Examples of Creative Nonfiction

Here are our favorite examples of creative nonfiction:

1. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

No list of examples of creative nonfiction would be complete without In Cold Blood . This landmark work of literary nonfiction by Truman Capote helped to establish the literary nonfiction genre in its modern form, and paved the way for the contemporary true crime boom.

2. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast is undeniably one of the best creative memoirs ever written. It beautifully reflects on Hemingway’s time in Paris – and whisks you away into the cobblestone streets.

3. World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

If you’re looking for examples of creative nonfiction nature writing, no one does it quite like Aimee Nezhukumatathil. World of Wonders is a beautiful series of essays that poetically depicts the varied natural landscapes she enjoyed over the years.

4. A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson is one of the most beloved travel writers of our time. And A Walk in the Woods is perhaps Bryson in his peak form. This much-loved travel book uses creativity to explore the Appalachian Trail and convey Bryson’s opinions on America in his humorous trademark style.

5. The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

While most of our examples of creative nonfiction are books, we would be remiss not to include at least one speech. The Gettysburg Address is one of the most impactful speeches in American history, and an inspiring example for creative nonfiction writers.

6. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Few have a way with words like Maya Angelou. Her triumphant book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , shows the power of literature to transcend one’s circumstances at any time. It is one of the best examples of creative nonfiction that truly sucks you in.

7. Hiroshima by John Hershey

Hiroshima is a powerful retelling of the events during (and following) the infamous atomic bomb. This journalistic masterpiece is told through the memories of survivors – and will stay with you long after you’ve finished the final page.

8. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

If you haven’t read the book, you’ve probably seen the film. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is one of the most popular travel memoirs in history. This romp of creative nonfiction teaches us how to truly unmake and rebuild ourselves through the lens of travel.

9. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Never has language learning brought tears of laughter like Me Talk Pretty One Day . David Sedaris comically divulges his (often failed) attempts to learn French with a decidedly sadistic teacher, and all the other mishaps he encounters in his fated move from New York to Paris.

10. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Many of us had complicated childhoods, but few of us experienced the hardships of Jeannette Walls. In The Glass Castle , she gives us a transparent look at the betrayals and torments of her youth and how she overcame them with grace – weaving her trauma until it reads like a whimsical fairytale.

Now that you’ve seen plenty of creative nonfiction examples, it’s time to learn how to write your own creative nonfiction masterpiece.

Tips for Writing Creative Nonfiction

Writing creative nonfiction has a lot in common with other types of writing. (You won’t be reinventing the wheel here.) The better you are at writing in general, the easier you’ll find your creative nonfiction project. But there are some nuances to be aware of.

Writing a successful creative nonfiction piece requires you to:

Choose a form

Before you commit to a creative nonfiction project, get clear on exactly what it is you want to write. That way, you can get familiar with the conventions of the style of writing and draw inspiration from some of its classics.

Try and find a balance between a type of creative nonfiction you find personally appealing and one you have the skill set to be effective at.

Gather the facts

Like all forms of nonfiction, your creative project will require a great deal of research and preparation. If you’re writing about an event, try and gather as many sources of information as possible – so you can imbue your writing with a rich level of detail.

If it’s a piece about your life, jot down personal recollections and gather photos from your past.

Plan your writing

Unlike a fictional novel, which tends to follow a fairly well-established structure, works of creative nonfiction have a less clear shape. To avoid the risk of meandering or getting weighed down by less significant sections, structure your project ahead of writing it.

You can either apply the classic fiction structures to a nonfictional event or take inspiration from the pacing of other examples of creative nonfiction you admire.

You may also want to come up with a working title to inspire your writing. Using a free book title generator is a quick and easy way to do this and move on to the actual writing of your book.

Draft in your intended style

Unless you have a track record of writing creative nonfiction, the first time doing so can feel a little uncomfortable. You might second-guess your writing more than you usually would due to the novelty of applying creative techniques to real events. Because of this, it’s essential to get your first draft down as quickly as possible.

Rewrite and refine

After you finish your first draft, only then should you read back through it and critique your work. Perhaps you haven’t used enough source material. Or maybe you’ve overdone a certain creative technique. Whatever you happen to notice, take as long as you need to refine and rework it until your writing feels just right.

Ready to Wow the World With Your Story?

You know have the knowledge and inspiring examples of creative nonfiction you need to write a successful work in this genre. Whether you choose to write a riveting travel book, a tear-jerking memoir, or a biography that makes readers laugh out loud, creative nonfiction will give you the power to convey true events like never before.

Who knows? Maybe your book will be on the next list of top creative nonfiction examples!

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Most Read in 2021

Year-End Lists!

We don’t publish a lot of lists. But this year, having launched this new website with nearly complete access to 30 years of magazine archives, we thought it seemed like a good time to look back at the stories that resonated with our readers.

In that spirit, we’ve compiled the most-read pieces published on our website in 2021, as well as the most-read work from our archives.

And for good measure, we’ve pulled together a few pieces worth an honorable mention; our favorite Sunday Short Reads ; CNF content that was republished elsewhere; and the best advice, inspiration, and think pieces from some of our favorite publications.

Finally, if you enjoy what follows, please know there’s plenty more! We have a soft paywall on our site, which allows for three free reads a month. To get unlimited access for as little as $4/month, simply subscribe today.

Top 10 Published in 2021

Almost Behind Us A dental emergency interrupts a meaningful anniversary // JENNIFER BOWERING DELISLE
El Valle, 1991 An early lesson in strength and fragility // AURELIA KESSLER
Stay at Home All those hours alone with a new baby can be rough // JARED HANKS
The Desert Was His Home There are many things we don’t know about Mr. Otomatsu Wada, and a few things we do // ERIC L. MULLER
Just a Big Cat The dramatic boredom of jury duty // ERICA GOSS
What Will We Do for Fun Now? Her parents survived World War II and the Blitz just fine … didn’t they? // JANE RATCLIFFE
Harriet Two brothers and a turtle // TYLER McANDREW
Rango Getting existential at a funeral for a lizard // JARRETT G. ZIEMER
Mouse Lessons from a hamster emergency // BEVERLY PETRAVICIUS
Roxy & the Worm Box Trying to recapture a childhood love of dirt // ANJOLI ROY

Top 5 from the Archive

Picturing the Personal Essay A visual guide // TIM BASCOM
The 5 Rs of Creative Nonfiction The essayist at work // LEE GUTKIND
The Line Between Fact & Fiction Do not add, and do not deceive // ROY PETER CLARK
The Braided Essay as Social Justice Action The braided essay may be the most effective form for our times // NICOLE WALKER
On Fame, Success, and Writing Like a Mother#^@%*& An interview with Cheryl Strayed // ELISSA BASSIST

Honorable Mention ( ICYMI Essays)

Latinx Heritage Month Who do you complain to when it’s HR you have a problem with? // MELISSA LUJAN MESKU
Women’s Work Sometimes, freedom means choosing your obligations // EILEEN GARVIN
Bloodlines and Bitter Syrup Avoiding prison in Huntsville, Texas, is nearly impossible // WILL BRIDGES
Stealth A nontraditional couple struggles with keeping part of their life together private while undertaking the public act of filing for marriage // HEATHER OSTERMAN-DAVIS
Something Like Vertigo An environmental writer sees parallels between her father’s declining equilibrium and a world turned upside down // ELIZABETH RUSH

Our favorite Sunday Short Reads from our partners

from BREVITY

What Joy Looks Like SSR #128 // DORIAN FOX
How to Do Nothing SSR #156 // ABIGAIL THOMAS

from DIAGRAM

At 86, My Grandmother Regrets Two Things SSR #134 // DIANA XIN
The Seedy Corner SSR #140 // KIMBERLY GARZA

from RIVER TEETH

Waste Not SSR #131 // DESIREE COOPER
This Is Orange SSR #141 // JILL KOLONGOWSKI

from SWEET LITERARY

The Pilgrim’s Prescription SSR #122 // CAROLYN ALESSIO
Leaves in the Hall SSR #160 // ANNE GUDGER

Our favorite stories from around the internet.

Advice & Inspiration

In Praise of the Meander Rebecca Solnit on letting nonfiction narrative find its own way (via Lit Hub )
What’s Missing Here? A Fragmentary, Lyric Essay About Fragmentary, Lyric Essays Julie Marie Wade on the mode that never quite feels finished (via Lit Hub )
Getting Honest about Om A brief essay on audience (via Brevity )
Using the Personal to Write the Global Intimate details, personal exploration and respect for facts (via Nieman Storyboard )
Fix Your Scene Shapes And quickly improve your manuscript (via Jane Friedman’s blog)

The State of Nonfiction

What the NYT ‘Guest Essay’ Means for the Future of Creative Nonfiction Description (via Brevity )
How the Role of Personal Expression and Experience Is Changing Journalism On the future of the newsroom (via Poynter )
50 Shades of Nuance in a Polarized World An essayist ponders when to write black-and-white polemics that attract clicks, and when to be more considered (via Nieman Storyboard )
These Literary Memoirs Take a Different Tack Description (via NY Times )
The Politics of Gatekeeping On reconsidering the ethics of blind submissions (via Poets & Writers )

25 Great Nonfiction Essays You Can Read Online for Free

A list of twenty-five of the greatest free nonfiction essays from contemporary and classic authors that you can read online.

Alison Doherty

Alison Doherty is a writing teacher and part time assistant professor living in Brooklyn, New York. She has an MFA from The New School in writing for children and teenagers. She loves writing about books on the Internet, listening to audiobooks on the subway, and reading anything with a twisty plot or a happily ever after.

View All posts by Alison Doherty

I love reading books of nonfiction essays and memoirs , but sometimes have a hard time committing to a whole book. This is especially true if I don’t know the author. But reading nonfiction essays online is a quick way to learn which authors you like. Also, reading nonfiction essays can help you learn more about different topics and experiences.

Besides essays on Book Riot, I love looking for essays on The New Yorker , The Atlantic , The Rumpus , and Electric Literature . But there are great nonfiction essays available for free all over the Internet. From contemporary to classic writers and personal essays to researched ones—here are 25 of my favorite nonfiction essays you can read today.

“Beware of Feminist Lite” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The author of We Should All Be Feminists writes a short essay explaining the danger of believing men and woman are equal only under certain conditions.

“It’s Silly to Be Frightened of Being Dead” by Diana Athill

A 96-year-old woman discusses her shifting attitude towards death from her childhood in the 1920s when death was a taboo subject, to World War 2 until the present day.

“Letter from a Region in my Mind” by James Baldwin

There are many moving and important essays by James Baldwin . This one uses the lens of religion to explore the Black American experience and sexuality. Baldwin describes his move from being a teenage preacher to not believing in god. Then he recounts his meeting with the prominent Nation of Islam member Elijah Muhammad.

“Relations” by Eula Biss

Biss uses the story of a white woman giving birth to a Black baby that was mistakenly implanted during a fertility treatment to explore racial identities and segregation in society as a whole and in her own interracial family.

“Friday Night Lights” by Buzz Bissinger

A comprehensive deep dive into the world of high school football in a small West Texas town.

“The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Coates examines the lingering and continuing affects of slavery on American society and makes a compelling case for the descendants of slaves being offered reparations from the government.

“Why I Write” by Joan Didion

This is one of the most iconic nonfiction essays about writing. Didion describes the reasons she became a writer, her process, and her journey to doing what she loves professionally.

“Go Gentle Into That Good Night” by Roger Ebert

With knowledge of his own death, the famous film critic ponders questions of mortality while also giving readers a pep talk for how to embrace life fully.

“My Mother’s Tongue” by Zavi Kang Engles

In this personal essay, Engles celebrates the close relationship she had with her mother and laments losing her Korean fluency.

“My Life as an Heiress” by Nora Ephron

As she’s writing an important script, Ephron imagines her life as a newly wealthy woman when she finds out an uncle left her an inheritance. But she doesn’t know exactly what that inheritance is.

“My FatheR Spent 30 Years in Prison. Now He’s Out.” by Ashley C. Ford

Ford describes the experience of getting to know her father after he’s been in prison for almost all of her life. Bridging the distance in their knowledge of technology becomes a significant—and at times humorous—step in rebuilding their relationship.

“Bad Feminist” by Roxane Gay

There’s a reason Gay named her bestselling essay collection after this story. It’s a witty, sharp, and relatable look at what it means to call yourself a feminist.

“The Empathy Exams” by Leslie Jamison

Jamison discusses her job as a medical actor helping to train medical students to improve their empathy and uses this frame to tell the story of one winter in college when she had an abortion and heart surgery.

“What I Learned from a Fitting Room Disaster About Clothes and Life” by Scaachi Koul

One woman describes her history with difficult fitting room experiences culminating in one catastrophe that will change the way she hopes to identify herself through clothes.

“Breasts: the Odd Couple” by Una LaMarche

LaMarche examines her changing feelings about her own differently sized breasts.

“How I Broke, and Botched, the Brandon Teena Story” by Donna Minkowitz

A journalist looks back at her own biased reporting on a news story about the sexual assault and murder of a trans man in 1993. Minkowitz examines how ideas of gender and sexuality have changed since she reported the story, along with how her own lesbian identity influenced her opinions about the crime.

“Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell

In this famous essay, Orwell bemoans how politics have corrupted the English language by making it more vague, confusing, and boring.

“Letting Go” by David Sedaris

The famously funny personal essay author , writes about a distinctly unfunny topic of tobacco addiction and his own journey as a smoker. It is (predictably) hilarious.

“Joy” by Zadie Smith

Smith explores the difference between pleasure and joy by closely examining moments of both, including eating a delicious egg sandwich, taking drugs at a concert, and falling in love.

“Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan

Tan tells the story of how her mother’s way of speaking English as an immigrant from China changed the way people viewed her intelligence.

“Consider the Lobster” by David Foster Wallace

The prolific nonfiction essay and fiction writer travels to the Maine Lobster Festival to write a piece for Gourmet Magazine. With his signature footnotes, Wallace turns this experience into a deep exploration on what constitutes consciousness.

“I Am Not Pocahontas” by Elissa Washuta

Washuta looks at her own contemporary Native American identity through the lens of stereotypical depictions from 1990s films.

“Once More to the Lake” by E.B. White

E.B. White didn’t just write books like Charlotte’s Web and The Elements of Style . He also was a brilliant essayist. This nature essay explores the theme of fatherhood against the backdrop of a lake within the forests of Maine.

“Pell-Mell” by Tom Wolfe

The inventor of “new journalism” writes about the creation of an American idea by telling the story of Thomas Jefferson snubbing a European Ambassador.

“The Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf

In this nonfiction essay, Wolf describes a moth dying on her window pane. She uses the story as a way to ruminate on the lager theme of the meaning of life and death.

The Best Historical Fiction of the 21st Century (So Far)

COMMENTS

199+ Creative Nonfiction Writing Prompts to Spark Your Creativity
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50 Creative Nonfiction Prompts Guaranteed to Inspire
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A Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction - 2024
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Most Read in 2021
Top 10 Published in 2021. Almost Behind Us. A dental emergency interrupts a meaningful anniversary // JENNIFER BOWERING DELISLE. El Valle, 1991. An early lesson in strength and fragility // AURELIA KESSLER. Stay at Home. All those hours alone with a new baby can be rough // JARED HANKS. The Desert Was His Home.
25 Great Nonfiction Essays You Can Read Online for Free
Looking for some great nonfiction essays to read online for free? Check out this list of 25 essays by contemporary and classic writers on various topics and styles. From Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie to Virginia Woolf, you'll find something to inspire and inform you.