Creative Writing Quizzes
In order to capture the essence of creation and creativity, there first must be:
inspiration
Effective dialogue prompts readers to become ___________ in the characters and the outcome of their story.
invested
______________ is a technique first used in psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud.
Free association
Stories have been passed down through generations and cultures, scribbled on cave walls, and generally spread throughout the world since the beginning of time.
True
The one essential thing that a writer must do on a daily basis is __________.
write
____________ is the method of generating ideas through harnessing the brain's energy into a "storm."
Brainstorming
When inventing physical locations, it is not necessary to rely on reality at all.
False
When you write a poem, you do not get to decide the number of feet you will use nor can you disregard the notion altogether.
False
Alliteration is derived from the Latin word meaning "letters of the alphabet."
True
An engaging story feeds on conflict.
True
An integral setting is critical to the storyline.
True
Comedy sketches are often the result of previous improvisation and seek to amuse the audience.
True
Conflict can pop up just about anywhere.
True
In literature, your voice is your personality, or your unique thoughts and ways of expressing them that makes your writing sound just like you.
True
In persuasive nonfiction writing, you can gather facts through research and inquiry.
True
Most ancient poems in the European tradition seem to be intended to chant or recite along with music, not in place of it.
True
Most dynamic characters will also be central ones.
True
One of the most exciting parts of a story, the climax, occurs when the conflict reaches its absolute highest or lowest point.
True
Setting is more than just a place.
True
Style, or the way in which something is written, is like the wrapping paper for your message.
True
The one thing a writer must absolutely, positively do is write.
True
The themes that people wrote about in the past are very similar to those written about today.
True
Vary the length of the lines in dialogue so the appearance of the dialogue does not become repetitive to the eye and ear.
True
When it comes to fictional conversations, less is more.
True
While writing creative nonfiction, you must pay attention to the facts and how they are presented.
True
Writers rely greatly on the power of observation and must pay close attention to the detail around them in order to incorporate it effectively into their prose.
True
Your goal, as a writer, will be to find the jewel in the exchange between characters and then distill it down to its very essence.
True
A hero who lacks the traditional characteristics of a protagonist is the:
anti-hero
The mood of the environment is called the____________.
atmosphere
A type of setting is __________to the storyline.
integral
In persuasive writing, the ___________ should state a clear opinion.
introduction
Some people believe poetry first began in ___________.
song
The easiest way to tell if a word is __________ or not is to put it in a sentence and then read it aloud.
stressed
Long ago, the primary writing tool of storytellers was:
their voice
Your ____________ will dictate your audience.
theme
Before you even begin to conceptualize a setting for your story, you will need to consider the notion of _________.
time
Think about where your characters will ______ before sitting down to write.
go
A minor theme is a(n) __________ that appears briefly in a work and gives way to another minor theme.
idea
Choose your __________ wisely, as they are your main tool as a writer.
words
______________ are short scenes or vignettes that are often the result of previous improvisation and seek to amuse the audience.
Comedy sketches
Creative non-fiction is the composition of non-factual prose texts.
False
Even though your story has several character types, they are all of equal value.
False
Expository text appeals to the reader's emotions.
False
Freewriting has a specific set of rules and guidelines to follow during the process.
False
Having all the characters sound the same is never an issue for amateur writers.
False
In a story without conflict, there is tons of action, a huge fight, ample passion, and various problems.
False
It is not possible for setting to become symbolic in contributing to the overall theme.
False
Lyric poetry is defined in Greek as "sweet-voiced."
False
Personal narratives and memoirs are, by definition, objective.
False
Poetry is not expansive and dismissive of the logical.
False
Sketch writing is generally considered much more complicated than larger works of fiction.
False
The most common examples of persuasive nonfiction would include pieces like character sketches of real people or scientific observations.
False
Time has very little impact on the story.
False
__________ poetry has a musical and sometimes emotional mood.
Lyric
__________________ is a genre of writing that uses literary style and techniques to create factually accurate narratives.
Narrative nonfiction
Writing with your ears essentially means what?
Reading your work aloud.
___________________ are created to describe dramatic or humorous scenes that will eventually be played out by actors.
Screenplays
________ includes all the choices a fictional writer makes from word choice to structure to timing.
Style
"Word choice goes way beyond simply choosing individual words." This statement best refers to:
Syntax
The oldest written story ever known to exist is:
The Epic of Gilgamesh
What is a protagonist?
The main character
According to the unit, which of the following is a good technique by which you can develop a plot?
Think about what your character needs.
Characters are said to be defined by their ________________.
actions
Two or more stressed syllables that have the same consonant sound or sound group are called:
alliteration
Having all the ________ sound the same is the pitfall of amateur writers.
characters
"I burned dinner but not the cake," is an example of a ______________ sentence.
complex
Writers should strive to have a certain level of tension and ________ in their writing.
conflict
The ___________ is the set of circumstances that surround the setting.
context
The final resolution of the intricacies of a plot is called the:
denouement
Direct characterization is when the author _______________
directly and explicitly tells the reader what the character is like.
The dry facts that fiction must provide the reader with in order to establish a foundation for what's to come can be referred to as _______________.
exposition
The purpose of _______________ text is to provide the truth through reliable sources and inform the reader with solid facts and details.
expository
Fiction and non-fiction stand in opposition to each other when it comes to one important thing: _________.
facts
Which of the following factors contribute to writer's block?
fear
When the pronoun "I" is used in narration, it is referred to as:
first person
A ____________ is an ingenious way to show rather than tell, but it also provides a great deal of valuable insight for the reader.
flashback
A narrative device where a scene from the past is pulled into the present is called a ______.
flashback
Understanding and using dialogue tags, varying line length, and adding context to conversations are all ways to ensure that your dialogue ________.
flows
A category of anything artistic, from music to literature, is called:
genre
In the world of ______________, there are two main players: fiction and nonfiction.
literature
The setting can be described as the:
location and time-scape of a story
A foil character is a:
major character whose personal qualities function in stark contrast to the hero.
A figure of speech that suggests something is literally something else is a:
metaphor
A great example of where subjective and objective styles exist side by side is in the ______________.
newspaper
Objective can be defined as:
not affected by personal opinions or views; impartial
Roman à clef is French for ___________________.
novel with a key
The all-seeing teller in the story is called the:
omniscient narrator
Sometimes, by juxtaposing a character, setting, theme, or idea _____________ to another for the purpose of comparison, contrast, or suspense, a writer can create mystery, joy, or relief without having to work very hard.
parallel
Sketch writing generally contains little to no _________.
plot
The relationship between location and character is very precise and will dictate your direction within the __________.
plot
Many people say that ____________ is felt rather than read.
poetry
Freewriting is typically conducted as a ______________ activity.
prewriting
The act of looking back is referred to as:
reflection
When writing, you are not __________ a real-life conversation—it will be different than normal conversations for the purpose of the story.
replicating
The _______________ of a story generally occurs during the denouement phase of your plot structuring.
resolution
Just like any good journalist, there must always be a _________ of the facts or details before permanently jotting them down.
review
Characters are inextricably linked to their physical ____________.
setting
To help you consider how you will introduce information about time without coming right out and saying it, remember the mantra: _____________.
show, don't tell
Excellent dialogue makes it a priority to _________, rather than to __________.
show, tell
The following sentence is an example of what type of sentence structure? The man stopped suddenly.
simple