journalism and creative writing differences

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Creative Writing Vs. Journalism

Are you torn between the worlds of creativity and facts? Do you find yourself yearning to express your imagination while also seeking to uncover the truth? In the battle of Creative Writing vs. Journalism, both majors offer unique opportunities to explore your passion for words.

Each path has its own curriculum, writing skills to develop, and career prospects to consider. Join us as we dive into the differences, similarities, and factors to consider when choosing between these two captivating writing majors.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• The choice between creative writing and journalism depends on passion and career goals.
• Journalism offers more stable job prospects compared to creative writing.
• Creative writing allows for more creativity and exploration, while journalism follows strict guidelines and ethical standards.
• Career options for creative writing majors include publishing, editing, and content creation, while journalism majors have opportunities in news reporting, investigative journalism, and a wide range of media organizations.

Overview of the two majors: Creative Writing and Journalism

If you’re trying to decide between creative writing and journalism, it’s important to understand the key differences between the two majors.

In terms of job prospects, both fields offer unique opportunities. Creative writing allows you to explore your imagination and pursue careers in writing novels, poetry, or screenplays. However, the competition can be fierce, and the demand for creative writers may not be as high as that for journalists.

Journalism, on the other hand, offers a more stable career path, with job opportunities in newspapers, magazines, and online media. While creativity is still essential in journalism, the focus is on reporting facts and delivering accurate information to the public.

Both majors require strong writing techniques, but creative writing emphasizes storytelling and literary devices, while journalism emphasizes objective reporting and effective communication.

Ultimately, the choice between creative writing and journalism depends on your passion and career goals.

Overview of the curriculum and requirements of the two majors

To understand the differences between the two majors, you should consider the curriculum and requirements of each program. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect from a creative writing or journalism major:

• Creative Writing: Pros: Opportunity to explore and develop your unique writing style, freedom to express yourself creatively, and potential to pursue a career in various writing fields such as fiction, poetry, or screenwriting. Cons: Limited job prospects compared to journalism, less emphasis on practical skills like research and reporting.
• Journalism: Pros: Develop strong research and communication skills, gain practical experience through internships, potential for job stability and a wide range of career options in media organizations. Cons: Adapting to the evolving digital landscape, competition for jobs due to technological advancements.

Both majors are impacted by technology. Creative writing has seen the rise of self-publishing platforms and online writing communities, while journalism has been influenced by the shift towards digital journalism and the rise of citizen journalism. Understanding the curriculum and requirements of each major will help you make an informed decision on which path to pursue.

Overview of coursework, assessments, and assignments

The coursework in both majors includes a variety of assessments and assignments that are designed to develop your skills and knowledge in the field. In creative writing, you will engage in workshops, where you will receive feedback on your writing from both peers and instructors. You may also be required to analyze and critique published works, as well as complete writing exercises to enhance your creativity and mastery of different writing styles. In journalism, you will learn about news writing, investigative reporting, and multimedia journalism. You will be tasked with conducting interviews, writing news articles, and producing multimedia content. To give you a clearer picture, here is a table outlining the coursework, assessments, and assignments in each major:

Both majors offer a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application, allowing you to develop the skills necessary for success in either creative writing or journalism.

Comparison of Writing Skills Developed

Developing your writing skills in both majors will involve different techniques and approaches. In creative writing, you will focus on honing your creativity and imagination to craft compelling narratives and explore different literary devices. On the other hand, journalism requires a more factual and objective approach to writing, with an emphasis on accuracy and clarity.

To help you better understand the differences in writing styles between creative writing and journalism, here are two sub-lists:

• Use of descriptive language to create vivid imagery
• Freedom to experiment with different narrative structures and formats
• Emphasis on concise and informative writing
• Adherence to journalistic ethics and standards, such as fact-checking and unbiased reporting

When it comes to industry demands, creative writing skills are sought after in fields such as publishing, advertising, and content creation. Journalistic writing skills, on the other hand, are essential for careers in news reporting, broadcasting, and media.

Understanding these differences can help you choose the right path and develop the necessary skills for success in your chosen field.

Comparison of Career Opportunities and Job Roles in Writing

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in writing, understanding the different job roles and opportunities available in the industry can help you make an informed decision. When it comes to job stability, there is a notable difference between creative writing and journalism.

Journalism offers more stable job prospects due to the demand for news reporting and the presence of established media organizations. On the other hand, creative writing careers, such as being a novelist or poet, can be more unpredictable and dependent on individual success.

In terms of technology, both creative writing and journalism have been significantly impacted. The rise of digital platforms and social media has changed the way news is consumed, leading to the decline of traditional journalism outlets. However, this shift has also created new opportunities for freelance journalists and content creators.

Similarly, technology has opened avenues for self-publishing and online platforms, giving creative writers more control over their work and access to a wide audience. Overall, while both fields face challenges, technology has also brought forth new possibilities for writers in both creative writing and journalism.

Comparison of Salary Potential in Writing Careers

When it comes to salary potential, there can be a significant difference between various careers in writing. If you’re considering a career in writing, it’s important to understand the potential salary range for different paths.

Here are a few key points to consider:

• Long term job stability : Some writing careers, such as journalism, offer more stability in terms of employment. With a steady demand for news and information, journalists often have more consistent job opportunities compared to other writing fields.
• Potential for freelance work : On the other hand, creative writing careers, like novel writing or scriptwriting, may offer more potential for freelance work. As a freelancer, you have the flexibility to choose your projects and potentially earn higher rates for your work.

Keep in mind that salaries in writing can vary greatly depending on factors such as experience, location, and industry. It’s important to research and understand the specific salary expectations for the career path you’re interested in pursuing.

Similarities between Creative Writing and Journalism Majors

Keep in mind that as a journalism major, you can expect to develop strong writing skills and gain valuable experience in researching and reporting news stories.

The skills you acquire during your studies will not only be relevant to the field of journalism but can also be transferable to other industries.

The demand for individuals with strong writing skills is high across various sectors, including marketing, public relations, and communications.

As a journalism major, you will learn how to effectively gather information, conduct interviews, and write compelling stories that capture the attention of readers.

These skills are highly sought after in today’s digital age, where the ability to communicate effectively and engage audiences is essential.

Difference between Creative Writing and Journalism Majors

Contrary to popular belief, the focus of journalism majors is on reporting news stories, while creative writing majors focus on expressing their artistic ideas through writing. Here are the key differences between creative writing and journalism programs:

• Creative writing programs emphasize the development of writing skills, including fiction, poetry, and non-fiction writing, while journalism programs focus on news reporting, investigative journalism, and feature writing.
• Creative writing majors have more freedom to explore their creativity and experiment with different writing styles, while journalism majors follow strict guidelines and adhere to journalistic ethics.
• Creative writing programs often offer workshops and critique sessions, allowing students to receive feedback on their work, whereas journalism programs focus more on practical experience, such as internships and reporting assignments.
• Graduates with a degree in creative writing can pursue careers in various fields, such as publishing, editing, and content creation, while journalism graduates typically work in media organizations, newspapers, or broadcasting companies.

Pros of pursuing a degree in creative writing: opportunity for self-expression, development of writing skills, and versatility in career options.

Cons of pursuing a degree in creative writing: limited job opportunities, potential for financial instability, and subjective evaluation of work.

Pros of pursuing a degree in journalism: practical experience in news reporting, opportunities for investigative journalism, and potential for career advancement.

Cons of pursuing a degree in journalism: high competition for jobs, long working hours, and ethical challenges in reporting sensitive topics.

Factors to consider when choosing between Writing Majors

One important factor to consider when choosing between different writing majors is the potential career opportunities available in each field. When it comes to pursuing a creative writing major, there are both pros and cons to consider.

On the positive side, a creative writing major allows you to explore your passion for writing and develop your own unique voice. It also allows for more freedom and creativity in your writing process.

However, the downside is that career prospects can be more limited compared to other writing majors. On the other hand, a career in journalism offers a wider range of job opportunities, including roles in news reporting, editing, and broadcasting. It also provides a more structured and fast-paced work environment.

Ultimately, the decision between a career in journalism or creative writing depends on your personal interests, goals, and desired lifestyle.

Congratulations! You have now reached the end of this informative journey comparing creative writing and journalism.

Like two branches on the same tree, these majors offer unique perspectives and skills.

Creative writing allows you to paint with words, crafting stories that transport readers to new realms.

Journalism, on the other hand, empowers you to navigate the ever-changing tides of truth, capturing the essence of the world around us.

So, whether you choose to soar through the skies of imagination or dive into the depths of reality, the choice is yours.

May your writing journey be filled with endless possibilities and captivating tales!

Career Advice

Dec 02, 2016

What’s The Difference Between Journalism And Creative Writing? | FAQs

Whether you enjoy reading the news or getting lost in a work of fiction, there’s something to love about both journalism and creative writing. There are also a number of similarities between them: Both are mediums of writing stemming from a writer and his/ her stream of consciousness, for the reception of a more or less active audience.

But what are the key differences between journalism and creative writing?

As Andre Wiesner, Head Tutor of the  UCT Feature Journalism online short course , points out in this short video, the difference between journalism and creative writing goes beyond the fiction versus non-fiction distinction.

Looking for an industry that bridges the gap between journalism and creative writing?

Consider feature writing, or “creative journalism”, and get ahead with the UCT Feature Journalism online short course .

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Transcription There are several major differences between journalism and creative writing; at the same time, there can also be major overlaps between them. One of the key differences is that creative writing is usually understood to mean the writing of fictional novels. By contrast, journalism is centred on reportage – reporting on actual people and events. As a journalist, you don’t, or shouldn’t, make things up; as a fictional novelist, inventing alternative versions of reality is essential to the art. Another difference is that creative writing is usually about your self-expression, in one way or another. By contrast, journalism is other-directed – concerned with other people’s views, perspectives and lived realities. There are also overlaps. There are such things as creative nonfiction, narrative journalism, and indeed feature journalism. In these forms of writing, basically speaking, the content you work with is factual – but the way in which you write it (the form) is literary and creative. In other words, you use the tools of “fictional” creative writing to tell accurate, true-life narratives.

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Truth And Creativity: Journalism Vs. Creative Writing

• https://thoughtcatalog.com/?p=379384

Journalism and creative writing are two opposite ends of the literary rope. Their difference is grounded on the fact that journalism relies heavily on the truth, facts, current events, and knowledge. Creative writing, on the other hand, comprises much on art, fiction, and imagination. This is why these two ends don’t meet.

I am a writer. Although I haven’t exactly labeled myself in any specific genre yet, I consider myself a writer. Apart from publishing my novellas on Wattpad and posting free-verse poetry on my blog, I am also a student of Journalism in college and was once a campus journalist for the university publication. As an aspiring novelist and a student of Journalism, I have gained keen insights on the major differences between writing journalistically and writing creatively.

Let’s focus on journalism first. News articles, feature stories in magazines, sports news, and many others found in broadsheets and tabloids belong to journalism. In this side of writing, the writer must gather credible sources to write informational truth behind current issues. The issues should contain reliable facts that tell the masses any ongoing circumstance or situations happening in the community, country, and the world. It’s typical news. It should be informative, honest, and un-biased.

Now let’s turn our heads to creative writing. Poems, novels, plays, and short stories are all under this category. Creative writing allows the writer to delve deeper into his imagination to bring out the story that he desires to write about. In creative writing, the writer uses words to paint pictures and create worlds, situations, and characters that are fictitious but related to life. Creative writers usually incorporate the art of literature into their works.

In the history of written works, journalism was first conceived during the 1400s in Italy and Germany. That was the time when people started chronicling daily events to disseminate the information in their town. It was popularized throughout Europe in the 1600s when the printing press was invented. By the dawn of the 20th century, journalism spread worldwide and became a profession.

Looking back in the ages past, creative writing already existed way before the term was coined. Our ancestors already practiced this form of literature in the early days of human civilization. Even before language was invented, creative writing already existed. The proof stems on the carvings of ancient caves – paintings and symbols that tell lores of life. Poetry existed long before the existence of Christ. Tales of myth and legend were inscribed on primeval papyrus. Folk tales, fairy tales, ballads, and epics — these are the earliest forms of creative writing that serve inspiration to modern novels, short stories, and plays.

In the context of profession, journalists and creative writers are barred from each other. Their writing styles are far from similar. Based on my experience as a campus journalist, whenever I write a news article, it has to be concrete, understandable, and straightforward. My editor would always advise me to choose words that are easy to comprehend by the readers. Moreover, ideas are rarely used freely since a journalist has to rely solely on facts (except for opinion articles). It’s like writing something that isn’t yours. If you’re a journalist, you are the medium of information. Not to mention, the space on the newspaper or magazine is sometimes limited, so you have to be cautious in using concise words. Additionally, once you’re a journalist, you need to update yourself about any gist of the trending issues or the juicy news. How else can you write informatively to your readers if you don’t know what the news is about?

In creative writing, I always find freedom in exploring my mind and expressing my thoughts. Whenever I discover new ideas, I always find the time to write them down. Eventually, they will evolve into a story. Creative writing relies mostly on self-expression. It gives you the chance to write your testimony of everything around you. It is limitless, entertaining, and sometimes informational (some novels are based on facts but they are still considered fiction since the writer has added his personal ideas into them, thus taking part in the novel’s creation). If you’re a creative writer, you can use a multitude of words as long as they all create the art that magnifies your story. Furthermore, creative writing takes you to places you’ve never known existed, acquaints you to characters more interesting than anyone you know in real life, and introduces you to devices more extraordinary than the tools used in this world. The fiction you create comes from your head. Isn’t it amazing that creativity allows this?

Angelo Lorenzo

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Creative writing vs. journalism.

When we discuss creative writing and journalism, people often think they are completely separate styles of writing. People do not think the two styles of writing have similarities, which for the most part this is true. Creative writing is used when we are writing fiction, while journalistic writing describes news stories and real events. However, professional writers should not just be good at either one or the other. A professional writer should be comfortable writing both from a journalistic standpoint and a creative writing standpoint. Why might you ask? Why should you be good at writing creatively if you are a journalist and why should you be good at writing journalistic works if you are only a fiction writer?

The Two Are Not So Different

While on the surface level the two styles of writing seem to have nothing to do with each other, this is a falsely assumed notion. When you are writing as a journalist, while you are writing fact, you also need to include creative elements to your story. Now we are not referring to making anything up, but we are referring to story and sentence structure. When you are writing a journalistic piece, it is important to hook a reader and have them maintain a constant interest throughout the story. Again, this does not mean making things up to make the story seem more interesting, but it does mean how the story flows in a manner that not only makes sense, but also captivates the reader. Both creative writers and journalists write stories . A journalist writes fact and a creative writer writes fiction, but all stories share a key element. That key element is the natural flow of the story. That also includes a hook and a plot that creates a cohesiveness that your reader can follow. This concept takes creativity, so in a way if you are writing a journalistic story, you need to understand how to creatively tell that story.

For example, let's take a look at 60 Minutes. 60 Minutes is a journalism driven show that portrays stories and in a fantastically creative way.The journalists on 60 Minutes do not simply interview someone for the entire show. What they do is they dive deep into the story, putting themselves into the field to show you exactly what is happening with an interview tied in to explain the event from a different perspective. The coordinators of the show specifically do this in a creative way to attract audiences.

Now, while we are talking about writing and not broadcasting, this example carries over just as well as any other. Take a look at autobiographies, everything in an autobiography is nonfiction, journalistic work. However, the author tells you their story in a creative way in order for you to not only follow, but enjoy what you are reading and yet still learn something.

From a creative writer’s perspective, journalistic writing might feel out of your wheelhouse. However, it is not that far off from what you are already good at. A creative writer already understands how to creatively portray a storyline. This is a concept that some journalists have a hard time with. Some creative writers make up stories purely from their imagination, but some creative writers also base their story on their real life experiences. Journalism is simply a creative way of portraying real life , timely events that have occurred. With basic training in the field, a creative writer will theoretically have all of the elements that they would need to write a story based on what they have witnessed and gathered in the field. This act is not all that different from forming a story in your head. The difference is simply writing what you see versus what you come up with. Then, you would just write the story based on what you saw. Like mentioned prior, both journalists and creative writers write stories.

All stories have a hook, a plot, and a conclusion. It is important for creative writers to also understand that not everything has to come from one’s imagination. Real life events can also have an impact on your writing. While for journalists this is all they write about, creative writers need to have this skill in their wheelhouse as well to be the best writer they can possibly be. A true professional writer should understand this phenomenon and be comfortable doing both journalistic and creative writing work.

Career Opportunities

You may only want to be an author or you may only want to be a journalist, but sometimes life throws some curveballs at you and it can be hard to do one or the other. Having the capability of writing both journalistic and creative writing works will benefit your career tremendously. How many times have you seen a journalist release a book? It happens all too often. Being a jack-of-all-trades is something not only writers should look to achieve, it is something everybody should strive to become.

Now that you understand how similar the two styles of writing are, it is not impossible to do both. Why limit yourself to be one or the other when you can do both? If you only wanted to be a creative writer, it would be great for you to write amazing fiction novels that fly off the shelves and possibly even land a movie deal of some kind. However, it is extremely hard to do, not everyone can be JK Rowling. It would also be great to be a journalist that skyrockets to the top early on and become an anchor for a big-time network, but again it is extremely hard to do. Having the ability to write creatively and journalistically opens all kinds of doors for your career.

If you decide to take on this challenge and strive to be a jack-of-all-trades, it is still important to pick a focus. Much like how when you go to college, you have to decide on a major and a minor, the same goes here.You have to decide between journalism and creative writing which would be your major and which would be your minor. That doesn't mean that they won't get a similar amount of attention, it just means that you have to decide which career path you would rather put more energy into.

For instance, your day job can be a journalist at a local station or paper trying to work your way up the pendulum. While in your off time, you are working on a creative writing piece-- whether that is a book, a screenplay, or poetry. On the flip side, if you decide you really want to  dive headfirst into the world of creative writing, your side hustle would be to do freelance work for a local paper or a magazine of your choosing. Either way it is important not to limit your possibilities . The world of writing, both on the journalistic and creative side, can be a hard place to find success.

Though, when you are working hard to perfect your craft in the two styles of writing, success will eventually come in time. And sometimes, this success is not in the field that you expected it to be. Maybe you wanted to write great fiction novels and end up finding success with your coverage of sports or politics. Maybe you wanted to find great success in your coverage of up-and-coming bands or the music industry and you somehow find your way through the fiction novels that you have been writing on the side. That does not mean to give up on one or the other. It is simply a wake up call that says, “You are good at this, your other stuff needs some work, but keep going.” The point being, be as open minded as possible and accept all challenges, and hurdle every obstacle thrown your way.

Comfort Will Come

An important word in this article is “comfortable.” Professional writers should feel comfortable writing journalistically and creatively. What you decide to do with this ability is completely up to you. All we are saying is that it is important to write in both ways no matter your career path. Also, it is important to understand that if you are good at one or the other now, that you won't be great at the other form of writing right away. Do not expect to jump from journalism to creative writing and vice versa and feel comfortable doing so immediately. That comfort will come in due time, as will the recognition for your work.

At first, your writing will be subpar and that is more than okay. As writers we need to soak in all the information that is thrown at us and adapt, learn from our past experiences and through our peers. This means you have to take a leap of faith knowing that if you act as a sponge, that you will eventually find comfort in both writing in a journalistic and creative way.

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Distinguishing Journalism from Creative Writing

Key Takeaways

• Journalism is the activity of writing on real-world events and conveying news and information, while creative writing involves using imagination to produce an original work.
• Journalists often have to work under time constraints and use simple, concise language, whereas creative writers have more freedom in their use of language and have no time constraints.
• Journalism is focused on the public domain, while creative writing is focused on the private domain, although it may draw inspiration from public settings.

Journalism and creative writing are two distinct forms of writing, with a number of differences between them. Journalism involves writing about events that occur in the world, encompassing all forms of news and information. A person who practices this art is known as a journalist. Journalism can be a challenging profession. In contrast, creative writing is an activity where the writer has the freedom to be creative and produce an original piece of writing. The main difference between journalism and creative writing is that journalism reports on real-life events, while creative writing is based on the writer’s imagination. As a result, the element of truth is not as important in creative writing as it is in journalism. This article will explore the differences between these two forms of writing.

What is Journalism?

Journalism refers to the activity of writing about events that occur in the world, including all forms of news and other information. A journalist is someone who engages in this activity. Becoming a journalist requires a great deal of commitment. A journalist must adhere to the truth of the events that occur in their area or country and be able to write about them in an engaging manner that captures the attention of the reader. However, this does not mean that journalists can use their imagination to make stories more interesting. Instead, language and words are the only tools a journalist has to reach their readers. Therefore, to keep readers engaged, journalists use simple yet powerful language.

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is an activity in which the writer has free rein to be creative and produce an original piece of writing. To become a creative writer, one must have a talent for words and an interest in understanding human life and experiences. Creative writers should seek inspiration not only from the world around them but also from their own imagination. Becoming a creative writer is an exciting profession, as it allows the individual to create and live within their own works. Creative writing encompasses many different forms, including poetry, drama, plays, and fiction. A creative writer should develop their language skills to create a new world through their work. This is not an easy task and can sometimes be quite tedious. However, becoming a creative writer can be a very rewarding profession.

What is the difference between Journalism and Creative Writing?

Definitions of Journalism and Creative Writing: Journalism: Journalism refers to the activity of writing about events that occur in the world, including all forms of news and other information. Creative Writing: Creative writing is an activity in which the writer has free rein to be creative and produce an original piece of writing. Characteristics of Journalism and Creative Writing: Time Constraint: Journalism: In journalism, the writer or journalist often has to struggle with time constraints, as they need to meet deadlines. Creative Writing: In creative writing, the writer does not face any time constraints. Domain: Journalism: The journalist is at the heart of the public domain. Creative Writing: The creative writer is in the private domain, although they may seek inspiration from public settings. Use of Language: Journalism: A journalist typically uses simple, concise language to convey the message as clearly as possible. Creative Writing: In creative writing, the writer can use language to bring their imagination to life.   Image Courtesy: 1. “CBC journalists in Montreal” by Conrad Poirier  [Public Domain] via Commons 2. “Stipula fountain pen” by Power_of_Words_by_Antonio_Litterio.jpg: Antonio Litterioderivative work: InverseHypercube [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Commons

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• Inside stories
• Meet Lady E

Journalism Vs Creative Writing: Two Sides of the Same Coin (3)

By Muhyideen Kolawole “In the media parlance, especially in the broadcast industry, it is often said that content is king….

“In the media parlance, especially in the broadcast industry, it is often said that content is king. From my experience as a broadcaster, journalist, speaker and writer, I have come to know that Context Is Queen.” – Lady E. 2005

That was the opening words of Ejiro Umukoro during the LightRay  Media Training and Mentoring Programme on Whatsapp. “Content,” she says “gives birth to the story, the story is not told without creativity and that’s the soul of journalism. In fact, without context, there’s no need to dig up facts, data, statistics, pictures, create infographics, etc.

“Journalism without humanization blended with facts, truth, happening events, indisputable knowledge becomes just information without a heartbeat. It’s the human readers see, it’s what makes them care they hear.” She emphasized in the training on Sunday. 

Running Thread

In every narration, we have what is known as a running thread: the story –- the sequence of events the writer focuses our senses on. But one might wonder why do some journalists’ stories take people’s attention while others’ don’t? The answer is simple. It is in the narration.

ART: DEALING WITH FACT AND FICTION

In journalism, a reporter tells what happened (fact), who did it happen to? (truth), where did it happen? (anecdotes, i-witness account, etc.,) how did it happen? (indisputable knowledge) why did it happen? (the event itself, news or current events, etc.)

 On the other hand, Ejiro Umukoro goes on to explain that “Creative writing is a blend of imagination, fiction, art, and dare I add some good dose of storytelling based on facts, collected data, anecdotes, knowledge, etc., that is ‘concocted’ to create a powerful story, the heartbeat of powerful writing.

“While imagination can become manifest in life and can become a journalistic pursuit when it impacts life, society, and survival in real life, it is interesting to note that this lack of imagination is exactly what differentiates creative writing from Journalism. 

“However, both use the art form of storytelling to give ‘life’ and ‘humanization’ to give POV (point of view, depth, richness, context, etc.,) to the story at hand.” She explains.

She goes on to show that “in creative writing, Real Life Crime has become a genre of Crime Fiction where art mirrors life as it happened based on facts. So that a crime reporter of today has a strong chance of becoming a great crime fiction writer with a honed writing/editing craft and a strong background in crime reportage, courtroom intrigues, court rules, privacy of victims, and exposure of offenders.”

THE CLINCHER

But what is the connection between both types of writing? Umukoro explains: “Creative Writing and Journalism have many areas of overlap. The reason for this overlap is because, just as creative writing has many genres so does journalism, the only difference being that one is more factual (Journalism) than the other (Creative Writing).

“What’s most fascinating about creative writing and journalism is that both styles employ the same form (literary and creative) to inform, educate, entertain, or report.

“That’s why in Journalism as with creative writing, we have different genres exploring forms like Creative nonfiction or Longform Journalism, Narrative Journalism, Feature Journalism, and Documentary Journalism.

“These forms (way of writing) of journalism use the tools and literary devices used to write creative fiction to write nonfiction in a literary and creative way. It is a powerful literary device or means to pull readers in, humanise a story or tell a story in a way that would otherwise not inspire people to read using accurate and true-life narratives to report an issue.”

At this point during the training, she addressed an unspoken concern. “I know you have been thinking if we can combine the two to print a factual story in a powerful compelling way. Yes, we can do that.” She explains.

In fact, Lady E adopted this style in her investigative series: Broken Girls and Broken Boys  Trapped Under COVID-19 published by the Guardian ( https://m.guardian.ng/features/broken-girls-and-broken-boys-trapped-under-covid-19-lockdown-part-ii/amp/ ) and amplified by the Pulitzer  Center in the USA doing a special backstory on her investigative series:  https://pulitzercenter.org/blog/behind-story-ejiro-umukoro-nigerias-shadow-pandemic .

It turns out that sample 2 writing is an except from Umukoro’s about to be released mental health crime novel Distortion to be launched on 13th October.

[A week before the lockdown was declared in Abuja, a 16-year-old girl was beaten with a knife and stabbed repeatedly with a pair of scissors by her aunt, Juliet Nnadi, an officer with the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps (NCDC). The 16-year-old, according to neighbours, was brutalised by her aunt and went through untold hardship.

“Many of the neighbors told us that the screams of Uloma being beaten daily usually woke them up,” Taiwo Akinwade, the Coordinator of Stop The Abuse Against Women, a non-governmental organization based in Abuja, explains to me. Akinwade said she and her team visited Lugbe, the neighborhood in Abuja where Nnadi lives to investigate the case.

“The locals cannot believe the teenager is a niece to the perpetrator because oftentimes the officer denies Uloma from going to school and makes her stand under the sun,” says Akinwade.]

Enjoy the rest of the story on the Guardian ( https://m.guardian.ng/features/broken-girls-and-broken-boys-trapped-under-covid-19-lockdown-part-ii/amp/ ) and await the next parts of this class. 

Muhyideen Kolawole is a student journalist, final year student of English Language, and an African Liberty Writing Fellow. 

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Journalism and creative writing: two opposite ends of the literary rope

Chiemeka Evans ADINDU writes on the training on Longform Journalism and Creative Writing by Investigative Journalist and Youth/Children Advocate, Ejiro Umukoro

The training was done in such a way that it pricked me to start thinking differently about the media profession; its vastness and the unique ways one can excel, despite the trend. This is summarized and/or proven in the following points below.

The training was aimed to develop a rounded awareness of the media and to give students the skills and insight that equip them to develop further in their chosen career. It also focused on newsgathering, storytelling skills, the way design and story approach also influences different media was analysed.

From the lesson, it was established that Journalism and creative writing are two opposite ends of the literary rope. Their difference is grounded on the fact that journalism relies heavily on the truth, facts, current events, and knowledge. Creative writing, on the other hand, comprises much on art, fiction, and imagination.

Journalism focuses on projecting both unknown and popular trends in society and their views on trending and/or developmental issues in society. This gives more authority and prominence to the story; while creative writing on the other hand projects the writer’s opinion and imaginations which makes the story somewhat less factual as no authority may be quoted. In all, both journalism and creative writing employs literary creativity.

Creative writing gives freedom for the writer to explore their mind and express their thoughts. Creative writing relies mostly on self-expression. It gives you the chance to write your testimony of everything around you. It is limitless, entertaining, and sometimes informational (some novels are based on facts but they are still considered fiction since the writer has added his personal ideas into them, thus taking part in the novel’s creation). If you’re a creative writer, you can use a multitude of words as long as they all create the art that magnifies your story. Furthermore, creative writing takes you to places you’ve never known existed, acquaints you to characters more interesting than anyone you know in real life, and introduces you to devices more extraordinary than the tools used in this world.

Journalism and creative writing may be on the opposite ends of the literary rope, but each of them is helpful and necessary. Journalism lets us see the truth behind what we know. Creative writing reflects the truth in an art form and makes us envision it in another perspective. And for one to excel in any of them there is a need for self-development and commitment. Both pay! In fact, “…The knowledge and expertise of one can make you one hell of a writer”, says the trainer, Ejiro Umukoro.

Apart from the overlap between journalism and creative writing, similarities and differences, the different genres of journalism were also highlighted. They are Creative nonfiction Longform journalism, Narrative journalism, feature journalism and Documentary Journalism.

Some writing samples and stories were also analysed which made the class very interactive and practical.

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Journalistic writing and style.

• Maarit Jaakkola Maarit Jaakkola Faculty of Communication Sciences, University of Gothenburg
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.884
• Published online: 30 July 2018

The core of the journalistic style is the newswriting style. Writing news leans upon the objectivity paradigm that has triggered wide academic debate about the biases in defining journalism. The majority of the scholarship regarding the journalistic style and writing gathers around newspapers and news; however, many traditions of writing transgress the traditional newswriting tradition and are supported by literary and cultural production, and the boundaries are becoming increasingly porous. The history of journalistic styles is closely connected to different genres: genres of journalism, such as news journalism and literary journalism, and textual genres, such as feature, column, and essay. Furthermore, style is a contextual term that emerges as a result of a variety of different choices, can be examined at different levels ranging from words to structures of production, and has to be studied in connection with other factors influencing the communication process such as medium, content, form, genre, discourses, and audience. It may thus be hard to separate the way of knowing from the way of presenting knowledge, “the way of using language” as style typically is defined. Indeed, journalism research is characterized by very diverse conceptualizations and operationalizations of style with regard to journalism. Relevant research is typically located in the intersection of language and journalism, literature and journalism, and the socially constructed reality and journalism, drawing on the different subareas of linguistics, literary theory and criticism, sociology, and interdisciplinary approaches. During the history of journalism studies, the scholarly inquiry has made struggles for symbolic power and alternative ways of knowing and presenting visible. The notions of the journalistic style in newspapers, magazines, and online have become more diverse.

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Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research

Writing for Fun? (Part 2): Journalism and Academic Writing

In my last post, I started an exploration of writing on campus to understand how students approach the writing process outside the classroom in their own work and in extracurriculars. In that post, I considered creative writing and the ways academic writing can present a similar opportunity for expression and creativity.

In this post, I interview Sam Shapiro ’21 who is a Features Editor and writer for the Daily Princetonian. In my interview with Sam, we discussed the differences and similarities between journalism and academic writing and how to bring the thrill one feels when chasing a story for a publication to a term paper in class.

The first thing Sam told me about was her admiration for the Prince and how effectively they work together to pull off a daily publication. In fact, this is one of the major differences Sam draws between academic writing and student journalism. An edition of the Prince is a culmination of the whole group’s research, effort and time. Academic work is most often a solo-project, which is exciting in its own way, but the challenges of collaboration–multiple moving parts, differences of opinion and skill, and varied schedules–certainly results in a unique feeling of accomplishment when the final product is produced.

Additionally, Sam feels there is more fun and flexibility in journalism as personal voice and humor make the writing more expressive than academic writing. Moreover, Sam highlights that when writing for a student publication, you get to see the impact of your work. Not only do your editors read your pieces, the student body–an assortment of classmates, teammates, hall mates and strangers you’ll never meet–get to experience your work.

…when writing for a student publication, you get to see the impact of your work. Not only do your editors read your pieces, the student body–an assortment of classmates, teammates, hall mates and strangers you’ll never meet–get to experience your work.

While audience, tone, and collaboration separate student journalism from academic writing, Sam finds an interesting parallel in the writing process. Whether she is writing for her subject classes, a journalism class, or the Prince, Sam experiences a similar thrill for problem-solving. When she writes a piece of journalism, she sits down with her interview transcripts and asks herself “What’s the story here? What have I found and what do I want to say?” Before her lies a puzzle and it’s up to her to put it together and present it. This puzzle exists in academic writing too! Once one has collected their sources they look for gaps or inconsistencies in the scholarly conversation. It is up to the researcher here to patch together their sources with their own contributions and tell a story––reveal a truth.  

As another connection between journalism and academic writing, Sam identifies the “moral obligation [in journalism] to tell the truth—an authentic truth…the truth that you’re seeing.” Rounds of fact-checking occur by writers and their copy editors, similar to the process of peer review in academia. Sam draws a connection here between academic integrity and honest journalism and a similar commitment to the production of fair and true work.

As a Features Editor and former sports writer, Sam searches for “anything in or outside the orange bubble that grabs your attention–– [something] that you don’t want to put down.” Often these articles are detailed narratives of individual stories or some small occurrence. For her, it’s about seeing something interesting on campus that she wants to learn more about. As Sam points out, this same excitement and curiosity can be carried over into your classes if you find academic topics that genuinely excite you. “Find a topic that piques your curiosity–a topic which you haven’t wrapped your head around yet, but you feel like there’s something fascinating to learn,” Sam concludes. “If you’re in the right classes, your academic writing will start to feel like what you want to do, and not as separate from your personal writing endeavors.”

“Find a topic that piques your curiosity–a topic which you haven’t wrapped your head around yet, but you feel like there’s something fascinating to learn,” Sam concludes. “If you’re in the right classes, your academic writing will start to feel like what you want to do, and not as separate from your personal writing endeavors.” – Sam Shapiro 

How do you make your academic writing fun? It’s about finding a story within your subject or field that you feel needs to be told. It’s being excited by the puzzle and eager to put it together in a new way. As we near deans date, I encourage you to take on this journalistic mindset and freedom in your writing: What are you interested in? What story do you think needs to be told?

Happy writing my friends!

— Raya Ward, Natural Sciences Correspondent

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Journalism and Journalistic Writing: Introduction

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

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Journalism is the practice of gathering, recording, verifying, and reporting on information of public importance. Though these general duties have been historically consistent, the particulars of the journalistic process have evolved as the ways information is collected, disseminated, and consumed have changed. Things like the invention of the printing press in the 15 th century, the ratification of the First Amendment in 1791, the completion of the first transatlantic telegraph cable in 1858,   the first televised presidential debates in 1960, and more have broadened the ways that journalists write (as well as the ways that their readers read). Today, journalists may perform a number of different roles. They still write traditional text-based pieces, but they may also film documentaries, record podcasts, create photo essays, help run 24-hour TV broadcasts, and keep the news at our fingertips via social media and the internet. Collectively, these various journalistic media help members of the public learn what is happening in the world so they may make informed decisions.

The most important difference between journalism and other forms of non-fiction writing is the idea of objectivity. Journalists are expected to keep an objective mindset at all times as they interview sources, research events, and write and report their stories. Their stories should not aim to persuade their readers but instead to inform. That is not to say you will never find an opinion in a newspaper—rather, journalists must be incredibly mindful of keeping subjectivity to pieces like editorials, columns, and other opinion-based content.

Similarly, journalists devote most of their efforts to working with primary sources, whereas a research paper or another non-fiction piece of writing might frequently consult an encyclopedia, a scholarly article, or another secondary or tertiary source. When a journalist is researching and writing their story, they will often interview a number of individuals—from politicians to the average citizen—to gain insight into what people have experienced, and the quotes journalists collect drive and shape their stories. 

The pages in this section aim to provide a brief overview of journalistic practices and standards, such as the ethics of collecting and reporting on information; writing conventions like the inverted pyramid and using Associated Press (AP) Style; and formatting and drafting journalistic content like press releases.

Journalism and Journalistic Writing

These resources provide an overview of journalistic writing with explanations of the most important and most often used elements of journalism and the Associated Press style. This resource, revised according to The Associated Press Stylebook 2012 , offers examples for the general format of AP style. For more information, please consult The Associated Press Stylebook 2012 , 47 th edition.

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• A Companion to Creative Writing by Graeme Harper (Editor) ISBN: 9781118325797 Publication Date: 2013-03-14
• Critical Approaches to Creative Writing by Graeme Harper ISBN: 9781317395010 Publication Date: 2018-08-30
• Great Stories Don't Write Themselves by Larry Brooks; Robert Dugoni (Foreword by) ISBN: 9781440300851
• Jump start: how to write from everyday life by Robert Wold ISBN: 9780199938001
• The Making of a Story by Alice LaPlante Call Number: NYU Shanghai Library (China) Main Collection (PE1408 .L31887 2007) ISBN: 9780393061642
• The Portable MFA in Creative Writing by New York Writers Workshop Staff (Contribution by) Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PE1408 .P665 2006 ) ISBN: 9781582974408
• Screenwriting Is Rewriting by Jack Epps Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN1996 .E66 2016) ISBN: 9781628927399
• To the Budding Creative Writer: a Handbook. by Roselyne M. Jua ISBN: 9789956717989
• Vivid and Continuous by John McNally ISBN: 9781609381578 Publication Date: 2013-03-01
• The Writing Experiment by Hazel Smith Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PQ1408 .S657 2005) ISBN: 1741140153

• The Art of Creative Research by Philip Gerard Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN146 .G47 2017 ) ISBN: 9780226179773
• A Field Guide for Immersion Writing: Memoir, Journalism, and Travel by Robin Hemley Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN3377.5.R45 H46 2012 ), Also available Online ISBN: 9780820343730
• Good Prose by Richard Todd; Tracy Kidder Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN145 .K466 2013 ) ISBN: 9781400069750
• Immersion by Ted Conover Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN3377.5.R45 C66 2016 ) ISBN: 9780226416168
• Keep it real : everything you need to know about researching and writing creative nonfiction by Lee Gutkind & Hattie Fletcher Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN3377.5.R45 K44 2008 ) ISBN: 9780393065619
• Real feature writing: story shapes and writing strategies from the real world of journalism by Abraham Aamidor ISBN: 9781410614070
• Storycraft : the complete guide to writing narrative nonfiction by Jack Hart Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN3377.5.R45 H37 2011 ) ISBN: 9780226318141
• To show and to tell : the craft of literary nonfiction by Phillip Lopate Call Number: NYU Shanghai (China) Main Collection (PN145 .L67 2013 ) ISBN: 9781451696325
• The Science of Story by Sean Prentiss (Editor); Nicole Walker (Editor) ISBN: 9781350083882
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Story Craft

May 9, 2024, from the solid foundation of articles to the creative reach of stories, a college journalism student and aspiring writer shares what she's learning about the power of both factual and descriptive reporting.

By Laine Cibulskis

Tagged with

A bust of Julius Caesar (Pixabay) and actor Russell Crowe in the 2000 film "Gladiator" (Britannica)

Then I landed in journalism school at the University of Missouri, where I learned to tell other people’s stories, without the fluff and flair of creative writing. My main role as a beginning journalist is to provide information to the public, and let them decide for themselves what that information means to them. So my focus for now is on reporting and writing articles — pieces grounded and shaped by information. Along the way, I’m learning how to use more creative storytelling techniques in those pieces, but only when necessary and relevant.

Here are some of the main lessons I’ve picked up so far, from professors, editors and my own experience.

Know the difference between articles and stories

Articles help serve one of journalism’s main roles in democracy: that of the informer. Articles transfer knowledge to readers, and point the reader to what’s happening in the news.

As a reporter for the Columbia Missourian and KBIA this semester, I started building up my article writing muscles. On my general assignment shift, I try to answer these four essential questions my professor, Liz Brixey , emphasizes in our reporting and writing class:

• Keep your focus here. Fewer words are often better. Boiling it down to a central theme or idea can help narrow your focus.
• Make a list. Do some furious Google searches. What do you want to know and how might these people be able to provide an answer?
• Do I need data to help explain this story? Research? Sources other than humans?
• Always keep visuals in mind. Is there an opportunity for a photo or video piece to help bring the reader to a place? Is there an infographic that can help explain the situation? How about audio?

These questions can help keep articles clear and informative, and help writers keep focused on answering a central question. They also make journalistic writing easier over time: I’m better at tackling tough situations like suicides and executions, researching complicated topics like COVID statistics and environmental policy, and reaching out to people to help get information to the public.

That foundation remains crucial when you start venturing into the world of stories.

Stories give readers information and an experience. A story doesn’t just transfer knowledge: It serves to transform the reader by expanding their understanding of a situation or bringing them closer into someone else’s world.

Think about the difference between a documentary film on Roman history versus a movie like “Gladiator.” The documentary provides straightforward information: dates, names, places. Movies, like stories, give us characters, plot and conflict. Even if your journalistic story doesn’t involve watching Russell Crowe fighting in the colosseum, strong reporting can still bring any reader deep into a moment.

Your biggest ally is your notes

Note taking, at this point in my life and career, soothes me. Whether I’m in class, in a meeting or in the field, writing down information is both a necessary tool and an emotional comfort. Sometimes, the best thing a reporter can be is quiet, and notetaking helps with that. My professor says that even the strongest of memories are fainter than the lightest of ink. Give yourself the space to absorb the situation and melt into your notebook.

What to notice and write down?

• The atmosphere at an event
• What people are wearing
• People’s mannerisms
• The sound of the room
• The sound of someone’s voice
• The color of the walls

You probably get the gist: Make anything that you usually observe subconsciously conscious. Describing the scene with senses can help bring your reader there.

And as a radio journalist, I always have a recorder on me, which means I’m always listening for noise that can help bring a listener to where I am. What are the protestors shouting? Are there birds singing? How about the champagne popping at the election night watch party?

Help your sources help you

I’m learning that the power of journalistic writing isn’t necessarily about crafting the most beautifully constructed sentence; it’s about solid reporting and clear writing that can educate your reader, but that also has the ability to transport them to any place in the world, and help them understand the significance of that world.

That can feel overwhelming, especially on deadline. But I’m also learning that you have to do this on your own: Small questions to sources during an interview can help contextualize their experience beyond the basic facts. Examples:

• What was the weather like that day?
• Did you notice anything different about the people you interact with?
• What did you eat for breakfast? What were you wearing?

One of my toughest assignments last semester was an audio profile of Richard, an elderly man, who found that art classes at the local arts alliance helped him build a community that supported him while his wife was in hospice care.

I was initially uncomfortable approaching sensitive emotional topics with Richard, but having two interviews really helped me narrow my story. I brainstormed with my instructor and she helped me find appropriate ways to ask questions that were at the heart of Richard’s experience.

• Tell me about your wife.
• How did you meet?
• Where is your wife in the home?
• Does she see your art when you come home?

Asking deeper questions helped me capture a story beyond a man sitting at a table painting a still life. I got a feel for the bond he and his wife shared, how her hair sparkled when they met, how she supervises Richard’s cooking skills from the living room, how she lights up when Richard shows her his art work, some of which now hangs on their walls.

I used sound to bring listeners right into the art classes, with the chatter of the community, the scratch of charcoal and Richard’s commentary while he sketches.

Less is more

With strong emotions like grief, love and outrage, less is more. Let your audience feel it for themselves. If you bring your reader into the room, you won’t have to spell out the situation to them. One saying that might be useful: “The hotter the story, the cooler the type.”

Sometimes stories might lead individuals to action, especially when there’s frustration or even outrage expressed. This is why your article basics are so essential: Making your story bulletproof means your audience has the right information they need if they decide act.

Never forget the foundations

Don’t think telling a story lets you forget the who, what, when, where, why and how. But you can report them in more expansive and creative ways than just-the-facts:

• Who are my characters beyond their name and title?
• What was the scene like? What action(s) happened?
• Where do I want to bring my reader to let them experience the story?
• When are these events happening? How will I help my audience move through time?
• What’s the causal path that led to this moment? What motivated this?
• How did this happen? What led to this situation? Are there unfamiliar or technical things I need to explain?

And never forget your nut graf, or your “so what?” What’s the relevance of this story to your audience? Why would it matter to them?

Here’s one example from earlier in the semester: Instead of telling my readers that a protest happened on campus in the afternoon, I told them that students stood out in freezing temperatures while their university was closed to protest administration . Though weather leads are usually clichés, in this case, it was a detail relevant to the story and a testament to the protestors’ dedication. I’d still consider the piece an article, but thinking like a storyteller helped add a touch of experience rather than just the cold, hard facts.

Another example of favorite storytelling is “ His name was Emmett Till ” by Wright Thompson . It includes minute details that would have passed by if you wern’t paying enough attention or taking enough notes, whether that’s during an interview or in a post-interview brain dump.

Like many stories from The Atlantic, the piece reads more like a novel than a news story. When Thompson visits Jeff Andrews on his property to visit the barn where Emmett Till was tortured, we know what Andrews is wearing, we hear the gravel crunching, we see the barn. The story uses time references to pull the reader to 1955 and back to the present. Readers might feel like they’re in Drew, Mississippi, where the barn is, or in Money, where 14-year-old Till was accused of making improper advances on a white woman named Carolyn Bryant. Till’s cousin, the Rev. Wheeler Parker, who was there, said that Till whistled at the woman. From the story:

Now the building is falling in on itself, overgrown with vines, ivy, and trees. In the owners’ desire for the store not to become a monument to a killing, it’s become something else: a monument to the desire, and ultimate failure, of white Mississippi to erase the stain of Till’s death.

The biggest takeaways

Ultimately, whether you’re reporting for an article or story, remember that people have many dimensions whose lives aren’t limited by the news situation they’re in. It’s our job as jouranlists to explain those dimensions in a way that’s relevant to the story and to the audience, whether you’re providing straightforward information or giving your reader a vicarious experience.

And although poetry isn’t my main gig anymore, I know that a keen eye and good questions can help you tell any story, whether that’s your own or a story of loss, love, and everything and anyone in-between.

Laine Cibulskis is a student at the University of Missouri studying journalism and economics. She reports for KBIA, mid-Missouri’s NPR affiliate.

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Creative Nonfiction and Literary Journalism: What’s the Difference?

Mar 21, 2017 by Kayla Dean published in Writing

When I was in high school, my AP English teacher had our class read essays from names like Annie Dillard, David Foster Wallace, and Virginia Woolf. Back then, I didn’t know who any of these people were. I fell in love with “Death of a Moth” when I had to write a one-page analysis of it back in the day, but it wasn’t until my last year of college that I really understood what these authors were doing: writing creative nonfiction.

Yes, I know. You’ve heard the term already. Everyone on the blogosphere seems to have something to say about it. All the articles you click on now almost always have a storied way of telling you basic information. Writing advice blogs mention the word here or there. And have you seen that Creative Nonfiction magazine at Barnes & Noble (i.e., one of THE DREAM magazines for our genre)?

This is the beginning of another endeavor: I’m going to explain creative nonfiction, its genres, and how you can write your own creative nonfiction essays in this new column.

Don’t try to tell me that you aren’t interesting enough. That you haven’t been to Venice yet, and you don’t think that at twenty-something years old you could possibly have enough life experience to write anything interesting. You don’t feel like enough of a person yet. I am all of the above. Your experiences are enough to figure out this whole writing-about-real-experiences thing. First stop? Let’s break down the difference between creative nonfiction and literary journalism.

What Creative Nonfiction Actually Means

Creative nonfiction was coined by Lee Gutkind in the ‘90s. Simply stated, it’s “true stories, well told.” At least, that’s the slogan for his magazine. Gutkind has written several books on the genre, like this one , which is incredibly helpful for getting started in the genre. But if you’re looking for a more precise definition, creative nonfiction is essentially a narrative that deals in factual events. Meaning that whatever you write about, whether in essays or long-form, must be based in reality.

But there’s also something unique about this genre: it’s extremely important that you tell a narrative that has a literary language about it. In other words, you want your prose to be compulsively readable because it’s real life told in a human voice that strays away from the technical or academic.

Some consider creative nonfiction to be an umbrella term for a genre that includes things like personal essays, memoir, travel writing, and literary journalism. You probably know what the first three are, but why is the last one different from creative nonfiction?

How Literary Journalism Fits In

Some people say there isn’t a difference. But here’s my take: literary journalism is often rooted in heavy research. For example, a biologist could write about the problems they see in an endangered population of turtles in the Pacific. A journalist could write about their experiences reporting in the Middle East, exposing a problem they encountered while in the field. Both of these are real examples. But they aren’t necessarily based on the storyteller’s life so much as the facts that they uncover on their journey. A writer can use figurative language to weave a narrative, but they can’t just engage in solipsism for 300 pages.

Not that creative nonfiction allows this. However, there’s a bit more freedom in the way that a writer can arrange facts. Some writers have even gotten in trouble when readers discovered they hadn’t told the story exactly as it had happened. You don’t want to stir up controversy, but there is a freedom in how you collapse or expand events. You can even re-order them to fit a narrative arc.

How to Pick the Right Non-Fiction Genres

Some writers object to writing this way. You may even find that there are two different camps of writers who completely disagree with one another’s prose. This may seem divisive. But there may be another option.

Literary nonfiction is another term I’ve seen thrown around, but not as often as the first two. It usually operates as a blanket term for both creative nonfiction and literary journalism. This one combines the essence of both into a style that works in many contexts. For a literary nonfiction piece, you’d do a bit more research than for a piece that is creative nonfiction. The latter form does allow you to simply write about your life. You may fact check dates or places, but many writers of creative nonfiction write things as they remember them. Implicit in some writing is even a type of subjectivity because the experiences are so personal that they’re more difficult to really verify.

Maybe this feels a little confusing. But if you’re looking to write about your own life, you’ll likely fall in the creative nonfiction camp. If you want some great essays to read on just about anything, check out online publications like Ecotone, Longreads, Literary Hub, or The Millions. These are great places to start if you want to read some creative nonfiction ASAP. And, if you’re a personal essay person, check out these tips from The New York Times on writing great creative nonfiction.

Those essays you read in high school English class can be a great start for your first foray into creative nonfiction, but they’re just the beginning. The realm of nonfiction may feel intimidating, especially if you’re not sure you have a shocking tale to put into a memoir just yet. That’s the great thing about creative nonfiction: you really can write about just about anything. The best part? No sensationalism required.

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Journalistic writing compared to academic writing.

Selena Martinez

Elizabeth Kolbert’s novel The Sixth Extinction presents a collection of scientific material and personal narratives that draw attention to the mass loss of plants and animals through anthropogenic cause in a journalistic style. Although this book reads more like a story, there is a valid scientific argument with credible sources listed. This essay will focus on the contrast between academic and journalistic writing by comparing various components used to construct The Sixth Extinction and Chapter 4: Playing in industrial ruins -Interrogating teleological understandings of play in spaces of material alterity and low surveillance. Idea: how journalistic writing can serve as a bigger advantage to serve to a broader audience despite it not being academic or the contrast between the two styles and how they serve both audiences.

Identifying differences between journalistic and academic writing:

Journalistic

• Definition of journalism according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “the collection and editing of news for presentation through the media”
• Second definition: “writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine”
• Journalism is meant for a broader audience to read.

Last sentences of the prologue: “In the pages that follow, I try to convey both sides: the excitement of what’s being learned as well as the horror of it. My hope is that readers of this book will come away with an appreciation of the truly extraordinary moment in which we live.”

-      While the entire prologue brushes on topics from each of the following chapters, instead of setting up an argument and persuading the audience that something is right or wrong, she encourages them to instead find appreciation for the information that is going to be presented.

Chapter One The Sixth Extinction: “The town of El Valle De Anton. In Central Panama sits in the middle of a volcanic crater formed about a million years ago. The crater is almost four miles wide, but when the weather is clear you can see the jagged hills that surround the town …” (4)

-      The chapter begins with vivid descriptions which lead towards scientific findings, but the way the sentence is set is more like a story (journalistic aspect, feel of reporting) which draws the reader in to know.  

Academic            

• Definition of academic according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: “a member of an institution of learning”
• Second definition: “ a person who is academic in background, outlook, or methods”
• The audience for an academic paper may be specific which means that might be assumed to have prior knowledge on a certain topic.
• Academic papers usually follow a strict format by presenting the issue and the solution immediately then following through with explaining how that was found.

 In the introduction of chapter 4: Playing in Industrial Ruins: “ In this chapter, we explore the specific uses of these ruins as sites for play, first assessing the material and less tangible qualities that promote the numerous playful practices that are subsequently identified. Following this, we critically examine theories about play and discuss the shared characteristics which allow identification of analogies between play and ruins. Finally, we critically analyze how and why ruins are exemplary realms through which we might adopt a critical perspective that highlights both the limitations and potentialities for play in other kinds of urban space.”

-      This paragraph from the introduction displays a very structured format that explains how this chapter will be examined which leads towards their argument unlike The Sixth Extinction.

First section, Playing in Ruins:  “Before identifying the playful activities that take place in industrial ruins, it is vital to recognize that they are sites for a host of other, ostensibly more utilitarian practices. These include the use of derelict space for sex work, living in a temporary home, growing vegetables, fly-tipping, car-parking and walking the dog; as a resource for building materials, firewood and home furnishings; not to mention the ecological potential that such sites offer as they decay over time …”

-      The first section gets straight to the point with descriptions and does not spend a lot of time focusing on details. There are no narratives present in opening this segment.

on journaling….

Submitted by Anne Dalke on November 17, 2014 - 14:35 Permalink

smartinez-- You’ve done some great work already in pulling out contrasting quotes and beginning to think through the differences between these two styles of writing; I’m going to pair up you up with winter princess (and maybe changing9 ) in class tomorrow, to think through some of this together, since you seem on much the same track (though winter rincess’s “text” is Kolbert’s public talk rather than her book). You might also think about doing something along the lines winter princess sketches out towards the end of her draft: asking how comparing these two writing styles invites you to reflect on the evolution of your own: What qualities of journalism can you use, what qualities of academic writing, are emerging as significant in your own style? What are the dangers and downsides of each, and how might you “mash” ‘em to create something uniquely your own—and compelling in an academic context?

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Journalism vs. Fiction: What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between journalism and fiction, and why should you care? Well, if you’re a writer in this day and age, you’re likely to do more than one kind of writing. Long-form journalism often pays. Fiction rarely does. Or, at least, it can take time for people to find you and buy your books. That’s why fiction writers today pen articles for online magazines. Some magazines expect you to write for free. Others pay for your guest post. The pay is good, but there’s another reason you might want to think about going back and forth between fiction and journalism. An insightful essay can boost a writer’s visibility. It can drive readers to your blog, and wouldn’t it be amazing if your essay went viral? In this post I’m going to discuss the differences between the two kinds of writing.

Image from Open Clip Art via

Journalism vs. Fiction

Let’s start with a quick compare-and-contrast of the two forms.

Journalism and Its Uses

Here’s when you might want to think journalistically:

• When presenting newsworthy information (scientific breakthroughs or archaeological discoveries)
• When writing about historical events (perfect for writers of historical fiction)
• When pitching a guest blog to a national, online newspaper
• When you have multiple sources whose perspectives enlighten and inform
• When you want to get paid for your writing
• When writing a newsy press release
• When providing copy for a local paper featuring your book

Sites that welcome the kinds of articles fiction writers would be likely to write include Slate , Salon , The Atlantic , Vox , New Republic , The American Prospect , Mother Jones , The Daily Beast , FiveThirtyEight , Grantland , Medium , Aeon Magazine , and Huffington Post . If they like your idea, make sure they’ll link to your blog.

Why Should You Explore Opportunities in Journalism?

Let me state the obvious. Writing a novel takes quite a while. If you can begin developing a following by writing articles for online magazines, that will help you develop a platform and get your name out there. At the Pima Writers’ Conference two years ago, agent Michael Carr (of Veritas Literary  in San Francisco) told me that he sits up and takes notice when a writer has published in Slate or Salon . (For more on agents and publishing, read this article .)

Many journalists write fiction. One of them is Ronald E. Yates, former Dean of the School of Journalism at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Here’s a blog post about how he used his skills as a journalist when writing historical fiction. He’s written two books in his Billy Battles’ series, and third is about to come out.

While I’ve known many journalists who’ve made the leap into fiction, I know only a couple of fiction writers who’ve gone in the other direction. In case you decide to try your hand at nonfiction, here are a couple of things you should know.

Stylesheets for Journalism

One of the main differences between journalism and fiction/creative nonfiction may seem trivial to those who’ve never gone through an editorial vetting of your words. Journalists typically use the AP Stylebook , updated yearly and available online. For a quick overview, take a look at this page from the Purdue Online Writing Lab .

In contrast, literary writing takes its cues from the Chicago Manual of Style  , otherwise known as CMOS. I like the online version because of its search capability.

If you’re into the fine points of writing, take a look at the stylesheet used by The Kansas City Star . Hemingway write police and emergency-room articles for the Star and commented that the stylesheet provided “the best rules I ever learned in the business of writing.”

Straight Journalism

In straight journalism, you must check your facts and confirm them with input from multiple, credible sources. Your sources must be willing to “go on the record,” meaning allow you to quote them. If they demur, then you’d better have other sources that can confirm. Such are the ethics of journalism: straight journalism. Your name will be mud and you will never get a job at a reputable paper if you fail to adhere to these guidelines.

Not everyone does. Rick Bragg and Jayson Blair were two New York Times’ reporters who bit the dust after they filed false stories.  These two writers alleged that they were reporting factual information. More recently, three members of a CNN investigative team were let go when the network discovered they’d only used a single source  and had not “followed procedures.”

Subjective Journalism

Hunter Thompson, on the other hand, spent much of his life reporting stories, but they were stories in which he was personally involved. To get a sense of his style and viewpoint, read this article from The Paris Review .

Similarly, two other Western writers, Edward Abbey and Wallace Stegner, moved back and forth between writing fiction and writing for magazines. Here’s Abbey’s essay “Cowburnt,” published in Harper’s .

Wallace Stegner–Stanford professor, author of Angle of Repose , a novel, and Beyond the Hundredth Meridian , a biography of John Wesley Powell, the one-armed former general who was the first to risk a watery ride through the Grand Canyon–used the power of the pen to advocate for environmental causes. Here’s one of Stegner’s essays: “ The Sense of Place .”

In my spreadsheet above, I noted that fiction is not the place to advocate for a cause. That’s why Stegner leapt from fiction to journalism. He wanted to “say his piece” about preserving Western lands.

For many years, James Baldwin lived as an ex-pat in Paris. He came home see his family and friends and write about race, culture, and politics. One of his best known books was THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X. Marlon Brando is on the right.

James Baldwin, of course, wrote amazing essays about race, culture, and the craft of writing . However, in his fiction, such as the emotionally evocative  Another Country , he allowed the characters to live their lives. Readers could draw their own conclusions.

More recently, Roxane Gay, feminist and culture critic, has swung back and forth between fiction and essays . Like Stegner, she, too, teaches Creative Writing.

Each kind of writing has pros and cons. For me, fiction is all about placing the reader in a situation and letting the reader experience how it is to stand in that character’s shoes and live the character’s life. It’s a way to try to get at a truth even I may not be able to fully explain.

And journalism? The kind of journalism I did for many years falls in the category of “how to” writing. That training comes in handy when I’m writing blog posts.

Possibly, I’m a little afraid of the effort it would take to pitch one of the magazines above. I’d need sources. I’d need to fact-check. It would take time.

I actually have an essay on my hard drive. Maybe I should give it a second look.

Where are YOU in all of this? Do you have journalistic skills that might come in handy?

Please share this!

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Serj Tankian Reveals What System of a Down’s Creative Differences Actually Are

System of a Down ‘s attempt at writing a new album between 2016 and 2018 ended up with the group shutting down sessions amid creative differences, but in a new interview with Q With Tom Power on Canada’s CBC Radio One, singer Serj Tankian offered more insight into what exactly was at the center of their inability to complete a new record.

As most know, the creative lead in the band has often been split between Tankian and guitarist Daron Malakian . And during the chat with Power, Tankian detailed how the creative dynamic has shifted since their early years with both musicians picking up more of what the other musician had initially done.

Serj Tankian Explains System of a Down’s Creative Dynamic

In speaking about his creative partner in System of a Down, Tankian called Malakian a “lifer” who is “incredibly serious about his music and he’s incredibly protective of his music and vulnerable due to his music.”

“I think that created some of the creative differences that we started finding. And it’s also our progression,” added the singer.

He explained their creative evolution, commenting, “When Daron and I started working together, I didn’t really write a lot of instrumental music — I mostly wrote lyrics; I was the lyricist; I was the singer. And he didn’t write any lyrics; he just wrote music. But as time progressed and I played more musical instruments and I started becoming a songwriter/composer and he started writing more lyrics, we started kind of covering each other’s territory. And I was okay with that.”

The Crux of System of a Down’s Creative Difference

Tankian went on to explain, “If he wrote lyrics, I was trying to encourage him to write more, because I believe in artistic growth. I believe in progression. I don’t believe in things staying the same way, for music’s sake. Otherwise the music becomes the same thing over and over again. That progression is necessary in every artist’s life or in every group’s life. So I was very encouraging of that.”

“I just wish that I got some of that back,” says the vocalist. “And so that wasn’t the case, and it was disappointing. And it became a creative difference over the band’s path, and whatnot, over time.”

System of a Down’s Serj Tankian Speaks With Q With Tom Power

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The Start and Stop

After a few years of comments by various band members about their recording future, in 2015, Tankian revealed that there actually had been talk of a new System of a Down album . Shavo Odadjian confirmed later that year that some writing had actually been done individually by band members. And by 2016, the group’s members started communicating about trying to bring their ideas together.

In November 2016, drummer John Dolmayan confirmed that the group had been working on new music, but by May of 2017 there was talk of the band being disheartened by their lack of progress. In December 2017, Tankian first revealed that the group couldn’t see eye to eye on how to move forward and in 2018, the new album idea broke down.

READ MORE: System of a Down Auditioned Vocalist After Serj Tankian Offered to Step Down

Both Malakian and Tankian used some of the material they had in mind for System to launch their respective records for Malakian’s Scars on Broadway and Tankian’s solo work.

What Daron Malakian Previously Said About System of a Down’s Creative Breakdown

In a 2018 interview with Kerrang!, Malakian commented , “There’s just a certain way that System make albums, and there’s a bunch of us that want to make an album that way. And there is, I guess, one of us, [Serj], that doesn’t want to make an album that way and wants to make an album his way, and not everyone is on board with that.”

“We’ve all sat down and we’ve had meetings, and he’s totally set in his way of thinking,” he later added.

Tankian, in a separate statement in response to Malakian’s Kerrang! interview, explained, “Ultimately I had to draw a line in the sand because I knew I could never be happy going back to how things used to be within the band. And as we couldn’t see eye to eye on all these points we decided to put aside the idea of a record altogether for the time being.”

He then added, “My only regret is that we have been collectively unable to give you another SOAD record. For that I apologize.”

System of a Down in 2024

System of a Down recently headlined the Sick New World festival in Las Vegas and have one other show on the books for 2024. That would be another one-off performance at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on Aug. 17 with co-headliners Deftones , along with The Mars Volta, Viagra Boys and VOWWS.

Tankian, meanwhile, is currently promoting his new memoir, “ Down With the System .”