What is creative nonfiction?

The genre of writing termed Creative Nonfiction refers to a style with nearly limitless boundaries.  This style has existed for centuries but has only recently been termed a “genre” in literary circles.  This type of nonfiction is expressed in the form of journaling, blogging, diaries, and autobiographies but is not limited to this style of writing.  It is a combination of the established genres: fiction, drama, and poetry into the fourth genre, creative nonfiction.

There are six pronounced elements in creative nonfiction.  An essay may have one or two to all five of these elements.

  1. Personal Presence- a writer of creative nonfiction should include their own reflection and experience.  The essay should be written as if speaking directly to the reader.
  2. Self-Discovery and Self-Exploration- a writer should include their own interests, opinions, observations, goals, analysis, rants and raves.  The readers should feel as though they are learning about the author, while the author is also learning about themselves.
  3. Flexibility of Form- the days of a strict format in both fiction and nonfiction are long past.  Writers of nonfiction are encouraged to “break the rules” of traditional story format.  There are no rules to follow giving writer’s complete freedom to write in their own voice and form.
  4. Literary Approaches to Language- the language of nonfiction is what guides the reader along in the discoveries and exploration of the writer.  It can be intimate, poetic, figurative, informative, from the past, looking to the future, etc.
  5. Veracity- this is the reliability of the author story as truthful.  In creative nonfiction, it is assumed that what is written are the actual thoughts of the author.  These thoughts, based on memories, research or experiences, generally are left unverified.

Creative nonfiction is a genre that gives a writer freedom in the first person to connect to readers on a personal level.  When a reader connects with a writer’s life, career, triumphs, failures, uncertainties, etc. it becomes a bond that only creative nonfiction can accomplish.

Begin your creative nonfiction experience at http://www.stageoflife.com.

~P.

Stage of Life, The Spartan & Girlboxer1970 Unite

SOL image

Everyone is in a stage of life.  

And they are all personal.

What stage of life are you in?  My life as a college student has grown.  I was hired as an intern at Stage of Life LLC, a company that privately hosts a website to promote writing in and about any stage of your life.  The Spartan is my college’s newspaper.  I write articles and also serve as the online editor of The Spartan.  And last but not least, I am Girlboxer1970, mastermind of writing about my life and finding people who care.

A blog was the best idea Dr. Travis K. ever suggested to me.

I’ve been combining my Spartan articles with my blog since mid 2012.  Now my work as an intern at Stage of Life.com will be combined with the written and online version of the Spartan http://www.spartanycpnewspaper.wordpress.com.  As a student I have to blog about my experiences in each of the ten main life stages of the website.  In YCP’s Creative Nonfiction class I have to keep a journal.  I write for the newspaper.  I write.  And then, I write some more.

Ever think about writing a blog?  Or an article for a campus or local newspaper?  Soon I will have a column on http://www.stageoflife.com and will be prompting story ideas, writing about personal experiences, choosing finalists for contest submitted stories, randomly choosing bloggers to feature, and advising on how to write a blog someone will be interested in reading.  That’s what it’s all about.  When people begin to read what you write.

I encourage everyone to check out the Stage of Life blogging community.  If you have a blog, it will give you exposure as you share your stories.  Don’t have a blog?  No excuses…follow me to http://www.stageoflife.com a membership FREE, AD FREE, and FREE CONTEST website that I am honored to become part of.

Like Stage of Life  and YCP The Spartan Newspaper of Facebook.

Follow onTwitter:  @StageofLife  Follow me: @girlboxer1970

Rock it out, write it now, submit….it’s legit.

~P.

Loving the Comment

Another blogger wrote this comment:

WOW! I’m so stoked to find this blog, it’s the garbage dump of the internet! Keep up the good work, nothing like a Whiskey Tango Trainwreck to pass the time!!  -Puddentame

My response:

Yes, my life is full of garbage. Lucky me. I do have a few roses within the compost area. People hate loving to look at a train wreck. I’m surviving so I just wave and appreciate the comments as you pass through. :-) ~P.

 

 

So it’s a pen…no, it’s a Smart Pen.

I admit it.  I lost the pen about a week after receiving it as a birthday gift from my boyfriend.  The pen can be replaced.  What I can’t replace is the recordings that were on that specific Smart Pen, also nicknamed Black Dog, (BD) shortly after I learned what a writer is referring with those very words.  Black dog is depression…I didn’t name my pen BD because I’m depressed.  I named it that because it helped take the depression away.  So I miss BD and I am still hoping it will return.

Oh, and my cousin, Holly Grove is tormenting me viciously at the loss of my pen.  She will pay for that.

~P.

It’s my blog and I’ll bitch if I want to

I bought this blog site to write what’s on my mind.  Of course it’s all my thoughts and opinions.  That’s what a blog is.

Some people feel I use it to bash my future ex.  Big deal!  He loves to bash people right and left.  The minute you’re not doing him any good, he doesn’t need you anymore.

I make friends in hopes of it being a life-long relationship.  John makes friends to use them.  I spent many years with this man listening to him bash his friends behind their backs.

Not just his friends but his family, employees and anyone else he wants to bash.  John can look you in the face and tell you how great you are and two minutes later have a list of what’s wrong with you, your life, you career, your work ethics, your children, your looks, where you live…etc. etc. etc.

I should have realized this when I first met him:  When a man’s momma wants nothing to do with him (and now his grandchild because of him) that’s a telltale sign.  Those family members who do talk to him, are just using him in return.  How often did people call and want to come visit us when we were together?  Never.  In fact, people would tell me the reason they didn’t come around is because of who I married.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Interestingly the sheriff was just here.  I was served papers a few days ago by a different sheriff for the credit card accounts that have been left unpaid.  This time they were looking for someone else.  I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were serving me papers for another outstanding loan, one that is part of the marital debt.

Wells Fargo keeps sending me notices that the mortgage isn’t paid.  John has money for trips, softball, girlfriends, jewelry, clothes, new truck, and Lord knows what else that I’m not aware of.  Just no money to pay the mortgage, credit card debts and loans on the four-wheelers he insisted on buying when we were still together.  He’s even added more four-wheelers to his collection as the household has exploded in size with his current girlfriend and her children.

Am I angry?  Hell yeah.  I didn’t quit my career of 11 years with the state, sell my house and car to be treated like shit.  I gave this man everything I had in me and he took it and expected more.  He is impossible to please and will throw anyone under the bus to save his ass.

Want to comment and defend John…feel free.  The only people who have ever claimed I was the problem in the marriage were those under John’s thumb.

The only people who come to John defense (other than his overpaid lawyers) are his girlfriend, secretary and softball players.  Pretty sad.

My blog, my opinion.

~P.

 

Issues to be Addressed

The issues in question

So now the whole world can see what is being called into question concerning my daughter and which parent would best be suited to have majority custody.

 
1.  I have a years lease at my townhouse.  I am paying my rent with STUDENT LOANS.  Yes, that bites big time but, I have to do, what I have to do, to have a place to live.  The house I own is a bit full with the new family.
 
2. This one is concerning the “Happy Birthday John” blog and I’m sure they are going to point out some other ones.  I will be pointing out the remarks made by John’s girlfriend, Heather.  It’s a two-way street. 
 
3.YES, I think it should be taken into consideration that Tesla wants to live with her mom!
 
4.  Father’s schedule is flexible?  PLEASE…anyone who knows John and the moving business will tell you he can never plan anything because the business tends to screw things up daily.  Also, I would like to point out that it’s not JUST father’s company, it’s 50% mother’s also.  Not that I get paid for all my years of work put into this business.
 
5.  I can communicate just fine.  He only seems to be able to yell and degrade me, make me feel threatened and anxious.
 
6.Every little girl wants to live with their momma.
 
This document is available to the public so there is no reason I can’t share it on my blog.  My court date is October 24th and is open to the public.  Anyone interested is welcome to come check out the hearing. 
 
Courtroom 8,
~P.

20,000

I began seriously blogging when I realized my husband just wasn’t going to go forward with the divorce he started in 2008.  I decided to “shut my mouth and write” to get the pent-up feelings out.  My therapist encouraged me to express how I felt through writing, so I ran with it.

Since beginning this blog through the guidance of my writing professor, I have shared many pieces of my life, ranging from short stories both fiction and non-fiction to college and my personal life dealing with divorce.  Some people have supported me, others have shot me down.  Either way, I enjoy sharing little slices of my life.

Tonight my blog hit 20,000 visits and I am thrilled to know that number of people read what I write.  It is every citizens right to have freedom of speech.  My freedom is being trampled on and put under a microscope because I write my opinion of my future ex-husband and his string of girlfriends.

Am I seriously concerned about what others think?  Uh, no.  Should writing my thoughts and opinions cause me to lose the joint custody of my daughter?  Uh, no.  My blog is my opinion and everyone gets to have an opinion.  People give their opinion on my writing, my life, my choices, my past and my future.  Even my husband’s girlfriend gives her opinion of me and I don’t bat an eye.  Why would I?  It’s just HER opinion.

I have broad shoulders and thick skin.  Bring it on!

Thank you for reading my blog.  I realize it is entertaining to others and I hope it is insightful and educational at the same time.

Laugh and cry with me,

~P.

bumper stickers

I have plans to have bumper stickers or window stickers made with my website on them.  Anyone who wants one, I will give to you or snail mail it to you.  I’d like to get pictures from people showing where they stuck their sticker.  Butch Yater offered a custom sports team (or logo) decal for the person who has the most creative place to get my website name out!

Thank you Butch and my faithful readers!

Need detailing work done?  Call Butch at 717-881-2234

I will post when I have the bumper/window stickers!

~Spreading the word with the help of my friends,

~P.

Dear Suz

She gots dem big eyez, ya?

Hey G, my sista!  How you doing with those big eyes?  All up in the camera!

What are we going to do with you?  You need to find somewhere to live.  If mom and dad actually find someone who wants to buy the house, you more than likely will need to move.  Maybe the new buyers would let you stay if you paid rent.  You never know, stranger things have happened.  Like me meeting Dale, for example.

There is always the possibility of moving back into the house with mom and dad if their house doesn’t sell and they don’t move to Shippensburg or somewhere else equally as ridiculous.

I can’t believe dad wants to move mom so far away from us.  Mom is going to be miserable alone.  I also can’t believe that dad is talking to my future ex-husband.  What the hell?  They both know I am a good mom to Tesla.  My sons will testify to that!

Ugh….I’m so sick of all the drama with 2 Johns and our dad.  Get over themselves already!

Love ya sista!

~P.

Dear John VI

Drama

Dear John,

This one will be short as I’m dashing off to see my boyfriend, Dale Hollinger.  I’m sure you already have done your research, or at least had LaDonna fill you in.  Isn’t she just a great office manager?  Hopefully she is keeping the books very accurate for everyone’s sake.  Have you given her a raise since I did last?  Back in 2009?  You know she graduated top of her class and I can’t imagine she’s going to stick at the office forever.  Why would she?!

Back to me leaving my home to visit with friends; I miss Tesla.  If she were here tonight, she would get to visit my awesome friends also.  I hope you are spending quality time with Tesla in some fashion, or another.  I want Tesla to have the closeness she has with me, with you.

Our court date is approaching quickly, August 19th, I believe.  Will things get decided so Tesla can start school?  Once we can get over this hurdle, we can take the next leap over divorce.  I have to write Heather soon.  I see her so often with you and Tess.  Does she have a job?  I know how you like your women to stay in the home.

No longer caged,

~P.