Upwork Creative Writing Test Fiction U.S. Version
Question: 01
In a genre mystery novel, which of the following happens or has already happened to one of the characters?
a. The character has committed or may commit suicide.
b. The character has won or may win the lottery.
c. The character must be or must have been police detective.
d. The character must be or must have been murdered.
e. c and d
Question: 02
What is a biographical novel?
a. A half fictional, half factual novel, the fiction and fact alternating between chapters
b. The factual re-telling or re-imagining of a fictional character
c. Telling someone else's real story as non-fictional, from a third-person perspective
d. One that deals with biology and its affect on the characters
e. The fictional re-telling or re-imagining of a real person
Question: 03
If a novel is poorly plotted, what is most likely wrong with it?
a. The overall story is too long.
b. The story is too simple.
c. The characters are not believable and are hard to like.
d. The events, story, and characters do not integrate well or are over-written, exaggerated, or unbelievable, and/or there are factual errors.
e. It is plodding and dull.
f. a, b, and d
Question: 04
In fiction writing, a "caricature" is ______________ ?
a. a character from the past
b. a character who is larger than life
c. a character whose behavior or mannerisms are exaggerated for comic relief, as in a visual cartoon
d. a drawing of the main character
Question: 05
The in-house departments at a publishing company are commonly called Production, Marketing, Sales, Design, Finance/Accounting, and ________?
a. Self-promotion
b. Author/Writer
c. Editorial
d. Micro-management
e. Distribution
Question: 06
The inner self-questioning or drive that leads a character to do or accomplish something is called the character's _____________?
a. spin
b. insight
c. maddening impulse
d. motivation
Question: 07
Which of the following is commonly regarded as the most essential ingredient of a dramatic plot?
a. Conflict
b. Harmony
c. Moral characters doing bad things
d. Immoral characters doing good things
Question: 08
A flashback is _____________________ ?
a. a brighter, more positive moment for a character or for the tone of the story as a whole
b. a flashy sequence during which the style of writing becomes disjointed, similar to modernist writing
c. a section in which the narrative goes back in time, often within the mind of a character, to events preceding the current action
d. a section of narrative immediately following a flash-forward
Question: 09
When submitting fiction - especially a novel - to a literary agent, which of the following is usually sent after the initial inquiry?
a. The first half of the book
b. The whole book
c. The first hundred pages and the last page
d. The first three chapters
e. The first ten chapters
f. A synopsis of one hundred pages
Question: 10
A print run is _______________?
a. the printing of a book that occurs at one particular time and for a determined number of copies
b. the printed copies of a book that are quickly distributed to the bookstores
c. the reprinting of titles that have sold out at the retail stores
d. the author's term for a particular kind of editing that assures good quality printing
Question: 11
In fiction writing, the term "persona" refers to ________________?
a. a person in the story who has morphed into multiple people
b. the moment at which a character takes the action very personally
c. the entire cast of characters
d. the voice adopted by the author to tell the story, which may or may not be like the real author's voice
Question: 12
A good novel or novella often has __________ points of view.
a. one or more
b. five
c. ten
d. half a dozen from different genders
Question: 13
What is the difference between a closed plot and an open plot?
a. An open plot involves marriage at the end, while a closed plot involves murder.
b. An open plot is one in which conflict is resolved at the end, while a closed plot is one in which conflict is not resolved.
c. A closed plot is one in which conflict is resolved at the end, while an open plot is one in which conflict is not resolved.
d. There is no difference between an open and closed plot.
Question: 14
A book that sells in great numbers and makes the top-selling lists of major newspapers is often called a ____________ ?
a. major success
b. big-time book
c. bestseller
d. bank-breaker
e. publisher's lunch
f. dime-store novel
Question: 15
In fiction writing, "foreshadowing" is a term for __________________?
a. the shadows that lurk in the back of a character's mind
b. the clues in the narrative that give an indication of or preempt the future plot or story
c. the tying up of all loose ends at the end of the story
d. the rebels in a gothic horror story
e. None of the above
Question: 16
The overuse of _________________ should be avoided in fiction writing because it can lead to weak, unrealistic, and ineffective prose.
a. nouns and verbs
b. chapters and paragraphs
c. adjectives and adverbs
d. beginnings and endings
e. All of the above
Question: 17
Using the names of real people when creating characters is not a good idea legally because you run the risk of ______________ ?
a. being unoriginal
b. facing libel charges, being accused of defamation of character, and being sued
c. losing self-esteem and not being able to finish the book
d. losing friends and alienating people
Question: 18
What is a copyright?
a. The rights an author licenses to an editor to alter the original manuscript
b. The photocopies of an author's manuscript
c. The authority an author gives to a book agent to sell his or her work
d. The legal right granted to an author or publisher to exclusive publication, copy, sale, or distribution of a creative work
e. The legal self-promotion an author engages in to sell his or her work
Question: 19
The term "irony" refers to ________________?
a. the moment a character becomes angry or extremely irate
b. the discrepancy or incongruity between what is meant and what is actually said, which often results in a wry contrast
c. the moment a speaker means every word he or she says and wants to be taken literally
d. a theme centered on irons, fire irons, or tire irons
e. b and c
f. None of the above
Question: 20
In fiction writing, the term "allusion" refers to _______________?
a. the dark tone of a narrative
b. the alternating movement between comedy and tragedy in a narrative
c. an instance in which a speaker's words are meant to mean the opposite of their literal meaning, or when the speaker's words are undermined by the narrator
d. an indirect historical or cultural reference made by the writer or one of his characters in a narrative
Question: 21
In general, the plot of a novel or short story is best described by which of the following?
a. The arc of the story from the end to the beginning
b. The mystery at the heart of the tale, especially one involving a secret plan
c. The plotting of the characters
d. The significant points of story development that tell the story
e. c and d
Question: 22
Which of the following is the best definition of a novella?
a. Half novel, half short story
b. A large collection of short stories
c. A short novel
d. A long story
e. a and d
f. All of the above
Question: 23
Which of the following describes language that refers to meanings other than the literal meaning?
a. Symbolic or figurative
b. Stream of consciousness
c. Symbiotic or parasitic
d. Open-ended
e. None of the above
Question: 24
What is copyediting?
a. Editing a text by making notes on a separate sheet of paper and ensuring that there are three spare copies of the manuscript
b. Copying the entire text in case it gets lost
c. Marking up a manuscript with symbols that communicate to a typesetter, editor, or author how to change the manuscript
d. Copying and editing the manuscript, and then repeating the process twice
e. None of the above
Question: 25
According to the old adage about making every significant detail count, if a gun is placed on the wall in the first part of a story, _______________________ ?
a. it should fall off sooner rather than later
b. it should be ignored
c. it should be fired by the end of the story
d. it should remain there
Question: 26
A "typo" in a draft, proof, or published book is ___________?
a. a spelling error
b. an intentional error
c. a mark that draws the reader's attention such as underlining, italics, or bold
d. a typing error
Question: 27
What is a mythological story, or myth?
a. The story of a real historical event or person
b. A story that is set in a faraway, fairy-tale land
c. A story set in the future from which we can better understand the present
d. A traditional story that a particular culture believes to be true and that carries deeper meaning, often offering a symbolic interpretation of mankind, nature, and the wider world in a universal context
Question: 28
What is the difference between a "plot" and a "story"?
a. A story is a series of events told in chronological order. A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance.
b. A plot is a series of events told in chronological order. A story is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance.
c. Both a and b
d. A story is linear; a plot is non-linear.
e. There is no difference; plot and story are the same thing.
Question: 29
In terms of "show versus tell," which of the following is preferable when structuring a story?
a. Having more tell than show
b. Having more show than tell
c. Having about the same amount of show as tell
d. Having twice as much tell as show
Question: 30
The "climax" of a story is ____________________?
a. the very ending
b. the very middle
c. the highest point in the story or conflict just before potential resolution
d. a sequel to a work
e. All of the above
Question: 31
Which of the following genres of writing is the least likely to have a sub-plot?
a. A fairy tale
b. A novella
c. A short story
d. A novel in verse
e. Flash fiction
Question: 32
In fiction writing, a "foil" is ______________?
a. the fundamental and usually universal concept expressed through the story
b. the protagonist
c. the hurried dialogue between two characters that expresses frustration or unhappiness
d. the antagonist
e. a character who calls attention, by contrast, to the good qualities or traits of the protagonist or other characters
Question: 33
Publishing companies are often called publishing _______________?
a. super-conglomerates
b. corporations
c. houses
d. cottages
e. None of the above
Question: 34
In copyediting, red ink and blue ink generally signify which kinds of changes?
a. Both are used to show deletions, neither to show additions.
b. Both are used for any type of change.
c. Both are used to show additions, neither to show deletions.
d. Blue ink is used to show additions, and red ink is used to show deletions.
e. a and b
Question: 35
___________ is a method by which an author enters into a contract with a publishing company, at the author's expense, to have his or her manuscript printed in book form.
a. E-publishing through the author's own website
b. Professional journaling
c. Self-publishing
d. A query letter
e. Third-party printing
Question: 36
In terms of novels, what is a "proposal"?
a. A summary of an existing novel
b. A short description of an author's past and future work
c. A letter or e-mail sent to the editor of a magazine requesting payment
d. A hypothetical description of a future work or work-in-progress that might interest an editor
Question: 37
In his book Aspects of the Novel, E. M. Forster famously described characters as "flat" or "round." Which of the following best describes flat characters as opposed to round characters?
a. Round characters are one-dimensional, often with a single character trait, while flat characters are more believable because they have a fuller personality with multiple character traits.
b. Flat characters are physically flat, while round characters are physically round.
c. Flat characters are major characters, while round characters are minor characters.
d. Flat characters are one-dimensional, often with a single character trait, while round characters are more believable because they have a fuller personality with multiple character traits.
Question: 38
The term "writer's block" refers to ______________?
a. the moments when a writer gets "stuck" and finds it difficult to continue writing a particular work or story
b. the division between chapters in a book where white space is present on half a page
c. a metallic block writers use for inspiration and to generate new ideas
d. an author's finished book
Question: 39
The "denouement" of a story is its _____________?
a. middle part
b. exposition
c. conflict
d. premise
e. resolution
Question: 40
In a fictional work, the section that appears before the first chapter — and that is not the introduction, table of contents, or dedication — is most likely a/an _________?
a. afterword
b. prologue
c. marketing trick
d. byline
e. a and b
In a genre mystery novel, which of the following happens or has already happened to one of the characters?
a. The character has committed or may commit suicide.
b. The character has won or may win the lottery.
c. The character must be or must have been police detective.
d. The character must be or must have been murdered.
e. c and d
Question: 02
What is a biographical novel?
a. A half fictional, half factual novel, the fiction and fact alternating between chapters
b. The factual re-telling or re-imagining of a fictional character
c. Telling someone else's real story as non-fictional, from a third-person perspective
d. One that deals with biology and its affect on the characters
e. The fictional re-telling or re-imagining of a real person
Question: 03
If a novel is poorly plotted, what is most likely wrong with it?
a. The overall story is too long.
b. The story is too simple.
c. The characters are not believable and are hard to like.
d. The events, story, and characters do not integrate well or are over-written, exaggerated, or unbelievable, and/or there are factual errors.
e. It is plodding and dull.
f. a, b, and d
Question: 04
In fiction writing, a "caricature" is ______________ ?
a. a character from the past
b. a character who is larger than life
c. a character whose behavior or mannerisms are exaggerated for comic relief, as in a visual cartoon
d. a drawing of the main character
Question: 05
The in-house departments at a publishing company are commonly called Production, Marketing, Sales, Design, Finance/Accounting, and ________?
a. Self-promotion
b. Author/Writer
c. Editorial
d. Micro-management
e. Distribution
Question: 06
The inner self-questioning or drive that leads a character to do or accomplish something is called the character's _____________?
a. spin
b. insight
c. maddening impulse
d. motivation
Question: 07
Which of the following is commonly regarded as the most essential ingredient of a dramatic plot?
a. Conflict
b. Harmony
c. Moral characters doing bad things
d. Immoral characters doing good things
Question: 08
A flashback is _____________________ ?
a. a brighter, more positive moment for a character or for the tone of the story as a whole
b. a flashy sequence during which the style of writing becomes disjointed, similar to modernist writing
c. a section in which the narrative goes back in time, often within the mind of a character, to events preceding the current action
d. a section of narrative immediately following a flash-forward
Question: 09
When submitting fiction - especially a novel - to a literary agent, which of the following is usually sent after the initial inquiry?
a. The first half of the book
b. The whole book
c. The first hundred pages and the last page
d. The first three chapters
e. The first ten chapters
f. A synopsis of one hundred pages
Question: 10
A print run is _______________?
a. the printing of a book that occurs at one particular time and for a determined number of copies
b. the printed copies of a book that are quickly distributed to the bookstores
c. the reprinting of titles that have sold out at the retail stores
d. the author's term for a particular kind of editing that assures good quality printing
Question: 11
In fiction writing, the term "persona" refers to ________________?
a. a person in the story who has morphed into multiple people
b. the moment at which a character takes the action very personally
c. the entire cast of characters
d. the voice adopted by the author to tell the story, which may or may not be like the real author's voice
Question: 12
A good novel or novella often has __________ points of view.
a. one or more
b. five
c. ten
d. half a dozen from different genders
Question: 13
What is the difference between a closed plot and an open plot?
a. An open plot involves marriage at the end, while a closed plot involves murder.
b. An open plot is one in which conflict is resolved at the end, while a closed plot is one in which conflict is not resolved.
c. A closed plot is one in which conflict is resolved at the end, while an open plot is one in which conflict is not resolved.
d. There is no difference between an open and closed plot.
Question: 14
A book that sells in great numbers and makes the top-selling lists of major newspapers is often called a ____________ ?
a. major success
b. big-time book
c. bestseller
d. bank-breaker
e. publisher's lunch
f. dime-store novel
Question: 15
In fiction writing, "foreshadowing" is a term for __________________?
a. the shadows that lurk in the back of a character's mind
b. the clues in the narrative that give an indication of or preempt the future plot or story
c. the tying up of all loose ends at the end of the story
d. the rebels in a gothic horror story
e. None of the above
Question: 16
The overuse of _________________ should be avoided in fiction writing because it can lead to weak, unrealistic, and ineffective prose.
a. nouns and verbs
b. chapters and paragraphs
c. adjectives and adverbs
d. beginnings and endings
e. All of the above
Question: 17
Using the names of real people when creating characters is not a good idea legally because you run the risk of ______________ ?
a. being unoriginal
b. facing libel charges, being accused of defamation of character, and being sued
c. losing self-esteem and not being able to finish the book
d. losing friends and alienating people
Question: 18
What is a copyright?
a. The rights an author licenses to an editor to alter the original manuscript
b. The photocopies of an author's manuscript
c. The authority an author gives to a book agent to sell his or her work
d. The legal right granted to an author or publisher to exclusive publication, copy, sale, or distribution of a creative work
e. The legal self-promotion an author engages in to sell his or her work
Question: 19
The term "irony" refers to ________________?
a. the moment a character becomes angry or extremely irate
b. the discrepancy or incongruity between what is meant and what is actually said, which often results in a wry contrast
c. the moment a speaker means every word he or she says and wants to be taken literally
d. a theme centered on irons, fire irons, or tire irons
e. b and c
f. None of the above
Question: 20
In fiction writing, the term "allusion" refers to _______________?
a. the dark tone of a narrative
b. the alternating movement between comedy and tragedy in a narrative
c. an instance in which a speaker's words are meant to mean the opposite of their literal meaning, or when the speaker's words are undermined by the narrator
d. an indirect historical or cultural reference made by the writer or one of his characters in a narrative
Question: 21
In general, the plot of a novel or short story is best described by which of the following?
a. The arc of the story from the end to the beginning
b. The mystery at the heart of the tale, especially one involving a secret plan
c. The plotting of the characters
d. The significant points of story development that tell the story
e. c and d
Question: 22
Which of the following is the best definition of a novella?
a. Half novel, half short story
b. A large collection of short stories
c. A short novel
d. A long story
e. a and d
f. All of the above
Question: 23
Which of the following describes language that refers to meanings other than the literal meaning?
a. Symbolic or figurative
b. Stream of consciousness
c. Symbiotic or parasitic
d. Open-ended
e. None of the above
Question: 24
What is copyediting?
a. Editing a text by making notes on a separate sheet of paper and ensuring that there are three spare copies of the manuscript
b. Copying the entire text in case it gets lost
c. Marking up a manuscript with symbols that communicate to a typesetter, editor, or author how to change the manuscript
d. Copying and editing the manuscript, and then repeating the process twice
e. None of the above
Question: 25
According to the old adage about making every significant detail count, if a gun is placed on the wall in the first part of a story, _______________________ ?
a. it should fall off sooner rather than later
b. it should be ignored
c. it should be fired by the end of the story
d. it should remain there
Question: 26
A "typo" in a draft, proof, or published book is ___________?
a. a spelling error
b. an intentional error
c. a mark that draws the reader's attention such as underlining, italics, or bold
d. a typing error
Question: 27
What is a mythological story, or myth?
a. The story of a real historical event or person
b. A story that is set in a faraway, fairy-tale land
c. A story set in the future from which we can better understand the present
d. A traditional story that a particular culture believes to be true and that carries deeper meaning, often offering a symbolic interpretation of mankind, nature, and the wider world in a universal context
Question: 28
What is the difference between a "plot" and a "story"?
a. A story is a series of events told in chronological order. A plot is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance.
b. A plot is a series of events told in chronological order. A story is a series of events deliberately arranged so as to reveal their dramatic, thematic, and emotional significance.
c. Both a and b
d. A story is linear; a plot is non-linear.
e. There is no difference; plot and story are the same thing.
Question: 29
In terms of "show versus tell," which of the following is preferable when structuring a story?
a. Having more tell than show
b. Having more show than tell
c. Having about the same amount of show as tell
d. Having twice as much tell as show
Question: 30
The "climax" of a story is ____________________?
a. the very ending
b. the very middle
c. the highest point in the story or conflict just before potential resolution
d. a sequel to a work
e. All of the above
Question: 31
Which of the following genres of writing is the least likely to have a sub-plot?
a. A fairy tale
b. A novella
c. A short story
d. A novel in verse
e. Flash fiction
Question: 32
In fiction writing, a "foil" is ______________?
a. the fundamental and usually universal concept expressed through the story
b. the protagonist
c. the hurried dialogue between two characters that expresses frustration or unhappiness
d. the antagonist
e. a character who calls attention, by contrast, to the good qualities or traits of the protagonist or other characters
Question: 33
Publishing companies are often called publishing _______________?
a. super-conglomerates
b. corporations
c. houses
d. cottages
e. None of the above
Question: 34
In copyediting, red ink and blue ink generally signify which kinds of changes?
a. Both are used to show deletions, neither to show additions.
b. Both are used for any type of change.
c. Both are used to show additions, neither to show deletions.
d. Blue ink is used to show additions, and red ink is used to show deletions.
e. a and b
Question: 35
___________ is a method by which an author enters into a contract with a publishing company, at the author's expense, to have his or her manuscript printed in book form.
a. E-publishing through the author's own website
b. Professional journaling
c. Self-publishing
d. A query letter
e. Third-party printing
Question: 36
In terms of novels, what is a "proposal"?
a. A summary of an existing novel
b. A short description of an author's past and future work
c. A letter or e-mail sent to the editor of a magazine requesting payment
d. A hypothetical description of a future work or work-in-progress that might interest an editor
Question: 37
In his book Aspects of the Novel, E. M. Forster famously described characters as "flat" or "round." Which of the following best describes flat characters as opposed to round characters?
a. Round characters are one-dimensional, often with a single character trait, while flat characters are more believable because they have a fuller personality with multiple character traits.
b. Flat characters are physically flat, while round characters are physically round.
c. Flat characters are major characters, while round characters are minor characters.
d. Flat characters are one-dimensional, often with a single character trait, while round characters are more believable because they have a fuller personality with multiple character traits.
Question: 38
The term "writer's block" refers to ______________?
a. the moments when a writer gets "stuck" and finds it difficult to continue writing a particular work or story
b. the division between chapters in a book where white space is present on half a page
c. a metallic block writers use for inspiration and to generate new ideas
d. an author's finished book
Question: 39
The "denouement" of a story is its _____________?
a. middle part
b. exposition
c. conflict
d. premise
e. resolution
Question: 40
In a fictional work, the section that appears before the first chapter — and that is not the introduction, table of contents, or dedication — is most likely a/an _________?
a. afterword
b. prologue
c. marketing trick
d. byline
e. a and b
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