Tell it Slant

Miller, Brenda. Tell it Slant: Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2003.

Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola penned Tell it Slant, a creative nonfiction textbook. It had never crossed my mind that one would approach writing nonfiction in a way that was so completely different from fiction that it would require its own textbook, however after reading the book I have discovered that when I am writing fiction – I am doing so in a very nonfiction way. This was an interesting revelation.

The text asks some important questions of the writer. It also makes some demands on the writer. Miller and Paola insist that each writer define what truth is to them. The authors ask students to examine what lines they cannot cross – whose trust they cannot, are not willing to sacrifice.

Tell it Slant is filled with practical exercises that are geared to help the writer move forward in the writing process. Different types of essays are explored with exercises to write each one. The authors share a great deal of their own personal essays as well as a carefully constructed anthology to support the student. Passages from these essays are used throughout the body of the text to reinforce specific points being made. I found this approach to be an effective tool. And while I recognized most of the essays referenced, beginning writers may be surprised by the quality and diversity of nonfiction writers.

The exercises at the end of each unit focused on a particular aspect of writing, a particular type of essay. These exercises could be used by the most experienced writer to expand on their writing. The authors approach memoir, the lyric essay, and reporting while reminding the student/reader that in all instances a writer must be aware that no matter how personal the subject matter one must strive to find a universal touchstone for those who will read your work later.

I was very impressed with this text and intend to incorporate it into the homeschool program I have designed for my own adolescent child.