What does it mean to write about the real world?

The creative nonfiction writer faces a daunting task. They must sculpt their experiences into captivating narratives, ensuring that their writing is both accessible and devoid of self-indulgence. They have the memories and the material, but telling their story effectively requires more than simply laying these out on the page.

In Writing the Real, a selection of the best creative nonfiction writers explore the craft in all its forms. From memoir and personal essays to place-based writing and autofiction, writers such as Nikesh Shukla, Kirsty Logan, Kit de Waal and Tom Lee examine how we shape our own experiences on the page, and how the ambiguity of 'reality' can become a source of creative energy. Each writer follows their own path into the real, but taken together these essays show the myriad ways in which lived experience can become a compelling story.

Writing the Real is essential reading for anyone interested in creative nonfiction - whether as a writer, a reader, or someone drawn to the art of making meaning from the world as it is.

Featuring essays from: Jenn Ashworth, Marie Crook, Dan Dixon, Kit de Waal, Kristie De Garis, Adam Farrer, Tracy King, Tom Lee, Kirsty Logan, Noreen Masud, Gareth E Rees, Adam Scovell and Nikesh Shukla.