What is it?
This is telling true stories which incorporate elements commonly found in fiction: characters, plot, conflict, setting, theme, and thoughts and feelings. Whereas non-fiction uses the facts to drive the piece, here the writing and the way in which the facts are presented serve as the vehicle for the story, providing for true stories, written beautifully.
Why is it Important?
It connects you and the reader, humanizing you. It is what makes your reader want to care about you and your story, since it is as if you have personally invited them into your past, to experience your life first hand.
How do I create it?
See Elements Contained in Setting, Characterization, and Hook.
Prompts/Exercises
Use these exercises to help you begin and/or analyze your admissions essay.
- Rewrite one of the example texts below, using developed characters, plot, conflict, setting, action, humor, and descriptive language.
- Answer the following prompts then recreate their setting:
- Last weekend some friends and I went for a walk/hike, got lost, got kidnapped by a creepy dude, and thought we were going to die.
- Last weekend I hung out with (insert a public figure you would like to hang with).
Writing with the Flair of Fiction
