Creative Writing Test (Non-fiction) MCQs

Creative Writing Test (Non-fiction) MCQs

These Creative Writing Test (Non-fiction) multiple-choice questions and their answers will help you strengthen your grip on the subject of Creative Writing Test (Non-fiction). You can prepare for an upcoming exam or job interview with these 70+ Creative Writing Test (Non-fiction) MCQs.
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1: When staging a play, what does the abbreviation "SPFX" stand for?

A.   Special Entrance

B.   Special Effects

C.   Second Prompter

D.   Special Affects

E.   Extra Speaker

2: What is the greatest potential hazard of putting your creative writing online?

A.   Someone will plagiarize your words and potentially publish them as his or her own.

B.   People will cease to respect your creative work.

C.   You will not be able to get your work published in print format in the future.

D.   You will lose sales.

3:

Is the following statement true or false?

If you want to write character blurbs for graphic novels, you must be an illustrator as well as a writer.

A.  

True 

B.  

False 

4: What is expressive writing (as opposed to expository or persuasive writing)?

A.   Writing whose main aim is to succinctly describe an object in the world

B.   Argumentative writing with a rhetorical aim

C.   Writing whose main aim is to explore personal experiences and which is focused on the writer instead of on a subject or even on technical

D.   Writing that expresses a political or social opinion

E.   b and d

5: Making journal entries at a specific time of day can help a writer discipline him or herself to maintain a diary or journal with some regularity.

A.   True

B.   False

6: In theatre terminology, what does "stage left" mean?

A.   The last point at which an actor left the stage

B.   The left side of the stage from the audience's point of view

C.   The left side of the stage from the actor's point of view

D.   It varies depending on the perspective of the actor

7: Regarding the inclusion of creative expression in non-fiction writing, which of the following statements is most true?

A.   Non-fiction writing should always be factually verifiable, but that does not preclude creative style or expression as long as the creative expression serves an overall purpose of conveying facts, information, and learning.

B.   Non-fiction is required to be only 75% truthful; the remainder can be given over to creative expression.

C.   Non-fiction should always aim to be as creative and imaginative as fiction, occasionally at the cost of verifiable truth.

D.   None of the above

8: Which of the following is a good technique for presenting your creative writing online?

A.   Restricting your work to either a blog or a website - having both is always confusing

B.   Placing sample opening chapters on a highly visual website that is interlinked with blogs and discussion boards to draw attention to your work

C.   Putting the entire work online

D.   Placing your work online anonymously

9: What is the primary purpose for writing a journal?

A.   The writer's own private use

B.   To promote as a form of writing to a local community

C.   To publish in print or online

D.   To share with family and friends

10: The phrase "The tree's dark fingers reached out for him demonstrates' the use of which literary devices:

A.   Simile

B.   Metaphor

C.   Alliteration

D.   Personification

11: Personification

A.   That an author book tour take place

B.   That the author's face be on the front and back cover

C.   That the book contain a website address for the publisher

D.   That it be clear from reading what is verifiable fact and what is potentially the author's unreliable memory (i.e., that the line between reality and fantasy be clear)

E.   a and b

12: Among writing professionals, which of the following are well-known programs for creating and editing screenplays?

A.   Movie Magic Screenwriter and Final Draft

B.   First Draft and Second Draft

C.   DreamWeaver and Last Draft

D.   No Draft and Screenwriting Crew 101

E.   None of the above

13: Which of the following considerations is most important when keeping a personal journal?

A.   That you write regularly, regardless of how you choose to express your thoughts and feelings

B.   That the grammar and punctuation be accurate

C.   That the sections be all the same length

D.   That you eventually submit it to a literary agent

14: Which of the following best defines "journal writing"?

A.   A written account of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly and usually for private use

B.   Writing articles to submit to newspapers

C.   Writing a journal-like diary or memoir specifically for publication

D.   All of the above

15:

Is the following statement true or false?

Editors will take a professional blog seriously as an example of someone's writing skills, as long as the blog is regularly updated, clear, and relevant.

A.  

True 

B.  

False

16: Which of the following best describes creative non-fiction?

A.   Non-fiction with some fictional elements, such as invented dialogue

B.   Non-fiction told like a short story or written like a novel

C.   Non-fiction stories written in the form of poems or plays

D.   All of the above

E.   None of the above

17: When translated to the screen, a screenplay of 150 pages will generally run for how long?

A.   2.5 hours

B.   1.5 hours

C.   2 hours

D.   3 hours

E.   1.75 hours

18: The title page of a screenplay should contain which of the following?

A.   A photograph of the author

B.   The title of the work and the author's name and contact information

C.   A dedication, the author's name, and the prologue

D.   The author's home address and the beginning of the first scene

19: When writing an authentic journal for private use or publication, which of the following is a good idea?

A.   Trying to prompt your audience or reader into liking the narrative voice

B.   Imitating a known writer as much as possible

C.   Developing a specific and genuine narrative voice, whether the work will be published or not

D.   Varying the narrative voice from section to section depending on whether you feel the work can be published or not

20: The Internet is a good source of famous works of literature and non-fiction, which are often available free in fully downloadable or full-text online formats.

A.   True

B.   False

21: What is "iambic pentameter"?

A.   The five beats at the end of a five-line stanza

B.   A traditional form of rising meter consisting of lines of five iambic feet (i.e., ten syllables total)

C.   All Shakespearean-style poetry

D.   Christopher Marlowe's

E.   a and d

22: In screenplay terminology, the abbreviations "INT." and "EXT." mean ____________ and ___________ respectively.

A.   inner, outer

B.   interior monologue, exterior speaker

C.   interior scene setting, exterior scene setting

D.   intermission, extra scene

E.   All of the above

23: Which of the following is usually required when submitting non-fiction to a literary agent or publishing editor?

A.   The entire work without a synopsis

B.   An outline, chapter synopsis, and the opening chapters

C.   A telephone call followed by the entire work

D.   A formal meeting in which you present the entire work

24: In playwriting or screenwriting, what does the term "slug line" refer to?

A.   It tells that the story has changed in location or time

B.   A black line that divides scenes

C.   The last line of the play

D.   The play's subtitle

25: What is a "rhetorical question"?

A.   A question that doesn't require an answer

B.   A question that contains a riddle

C.   A question that demands to be answered as quickly as possible

D.   A question that contains an argument

E.   A question with two different answers

26: In all types of writing, the term "the hook" refers to _____________.

A.   a potentially dangerous prop used on stage the antagonist

B.   the main character in a play or screenplay

C.   a line or passage that captures the audience's attention (originally a term borrowed from songwriting)

27: In academic non-fiction, the ____________________ at the end of the book helps readers continue their study of the subject by directing them to similar works.

A.   glossary

B.   index

C.   afterword

D.   bibliography and works cited pages

28: In terms of editorial work at a publishing house, which of the following statements about fiction versus non-fiction is true?

A.   The two genres are usually handled by the same editor.

B.   Other than the fact that one genre is

C.   Non-fiction requires fewer stages of correction.

D.   Non-fiction requires a fact-checker and may also need to have illustrations or photographs sourced.

29: What does it mean to "green-light" a project?

A.   To temporarily delay a production

B.   To give the go-ahead to start a production

C.   That the production has made over $1 million

D.   That the production is a safety-related play about traffic lights

30: Creating an impressive website on which to post creative work is more important than the quality of the creative work itself.

A.   True

B.   False

31: Which of the following lists contains the names of people who are commonly regarded as great American playwrights?

A.   Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller

B.   William Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle, Charlie Parker

C.   Arthur Miller, James Copeland, Henry James

D.   Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, Flannery O'Connor

32: A fiction writer cannot successfully write non-fiction as well.

A.   True

B.   False

33: In a play script, what does the abbreviation "V.O." stand for?

A.   Vehicle On (the use of heavy props on stage)

B.   Voice Off (an off-stage voice that falls silent when that character is on stage)

C.   Vehicle Off (the removal of a heavy prop from the stage)

D.   Voice On (the turning on of off-stage sound equipment)

E.   Voice Over (an off-stage voice that narrates the on-stage action)

34: What is "falling meter"?

A.   Metrical feet in a line that move from stressed to unstressed syllables

B.   Metrical feet in a line that move from unstressed to stressed syllables

C.   Same as alliteration

D.   Free verse

E.   All of the above

35: Creative writing or blogging - especially when the format is interactive and allows comments or provides discussion rooms for readers to express their own views - is said to be a part of which of the following web generations?

A.   Web pages

B.   WWW for Dummies

C.   The Internet 1.1

D.   Web 2.0

E.   All of the above

36: Which of the following is NOT a type of personal journal writing?

A.   Dream book or log

B.   Diary or memoir

C.   Electronic journal

D.   Spiritual or personal growth journal

E.   Short story collection

F.   Autobiography or life writing

37: Why is it important to get the facts correct in non-fiction writing?

A.   It is less important than one might think; many non-fiction books are published with factual errors.

B.   It is important because the credibility of the author and publisher are reflected in the reliability of factual claims made in the book.

C.   It is less important than one might think; the work may contain a mixture of verifiable facts and approximate facts or guesswork by the author.

D.   It is important because sales will be higher if there is more fictional content, even in a non-fiction book.

38: A/an ___________ is a short, traditional Japanese poem that contains three lines of five, seven, and five syllables respectively.

A.   sonnet

B.   ode

C.   ottava rima

D.   haiku

E.   None of the above

39: Which of the following is the main font and size used in the U.S. by both print publishers and the Hollywood film industry?

A.   Times New Roman 13

B.   Courier New 12

C.   Garamond 12

D.   Arial 12-14

E.   All of the above

40: In terms of theatre staff, who is the "Artistic Director"?

A.   A painter and decorator who designs the sets for a play

B.   The playwright, once he or she enters the theatre for rehearsal

C.   A theater company's chief artistic officer, usually the last person who decides on a script before green-lighting production

D.   The lead actor, who often has some creative control

41: Which of the following lists contains titles that are regarded as successful examples of sophisticated Hollywood screenplays?

A.   Jaws IV, Plan 9 from Outer Space, Cheers

B.   Chinatown, American Beauty, Schindler's List

C.   Mike's World, The Bad Barber Shop, Back in 5 Minutes

D.   Roseanne, Cheers, Seinfeld, Deep Impact

42: What is an "analogy"?

A.   The opposite of what is stated, often with ironic effect

B.   Composite word for a postscript, glossary, index or bibliography

C.   A comparison of two similar ideas or objects to make a point about the first one; a kind of comparative example

D.   The repetition of beginning consonant and vowel sounds in a line of poetry

43: What is "free verse"?

A.   Epic verse

B.   Poetry that is given away free with longer works

C.   poetry with no prescribed pattern or structure

D.   Rhyming couplets

E.   None of the above

44: Which of the following is NOT a movie genre?

A.   Horror

B.   Cartoon

C.   Legal Thriller

D.   Romantic Comedy

45: How long does it generally take, from manuscript submission to final publication, for a non-fiction book to pass through the full editorial process and off-set (not digital) printing process?

A.   from 3 to 6 weeks

B.   from 3 weeks to 3 months

C.   from 3 months to 1 year

D.   from 2 years to 10 years

46: Which of the following is the closest definition of the expression "high concept" as it is applied in the field of screenplay writing?

A.   A simple premise that describes a proposed film in just a few sentences, often by juxtaposing two known ideas

B.   A production with a large budget

C.   A very artistic, conceptual approach to filmmaking

D.   A complex idea that is turned into a relatively short film

47: What is "bias"?

A.   The similarity between ideas

B.   The negative feeling between two ideas in a work of journalistic non-fiction

C.   The specific tone of a work, or specific voice of the writer

D.   When an author prejudices the reader in favor of one side of a subject by not covering the topic fairly

A.   80-125 pages

B.   60-80 pages

C.   100-180 pages

D.   Any length, as it can always be abridged or expanded

49: In terms of online creative writing courses, which of the following statements is most reliable?

A.   All online creative writing courses are scams that should be avoided in favor of a course that takes place in a classroom.

B.   An online course can be a good supplement and aid to the creative work you are already producing on your own or as part of a classroom workshop.

C.   Some online courses are better than others; the good ones involve learning materials, forums, chat rooms, and interactive time with an actual teacher.

D.   b and c

50: In the world of professional playwriting, which of the following usually occurs before a play is mounted in a full production?

A.   It is staged on an empty stage.

B.   It is published in paperback.

C.   It goes through a development stage that includes professional

D.   A read-through of the play is broadcast on the radio.

E.   c and d

F.   None of the above