___________ 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.
E-publishing through the author's own website 0.0%
Professional journaling 0.0%
Self-publishing 100.0%
A query letter 0.0%
Third-party printing 0.0%
A 'stock character' is _______________.
a character with a great deal of personal charm 0.0%
a character who operates the stocks in a village square 0.0%
a character made out of wood 0.0%
a general, rather than specific, character who is easily recognizable, such as 'the college frat boy' or 'the absent-minded professor' 100.0%
A 'typo' in a draft, proof or published book is ___________ .
a spelling mistake 0.0%
an intentional error 0.0%
a mark that draws the reader's attention such as underlining, italics or bold 0.0%
a typing error 100.0%
A book that sells in great numbers and makes the top-selling lists of major newspapers is often called a ____________ .
major success 0.0%
big-time book 0.0%
bestseller 100.0%
bank-breaker 0.0%
publisher's lunch 0.0%
dime-store novel 0.0%
A flashback is _____________________ .
a brighter, more positive moment for a character or for the tone of the story as a whole 0.0%
a flashy sequence during which the style of writing becomes disjointed, similar to modernist writing 0.0%
a section in which the narrative goes back in time, often within the mind of a character, to events preceding the current action 100.0%
a section of narrative immediately following a flash-forward 0.0%
A full-length work in which characters appear in cartoon form, but that is usually written for an adult audience, is called _______________.
pulp fiction 0.0%
an autobiography 0.0%
a graphic novel 100.0%
a comic strip 0.0%
c and d 0.0%
A good novel or novella often has __________ points of view.
one or more 100.0%
five 0.0%
ten 0.0%
half a dozen from different genders 0.0%
A line break in a story is often associated with what kind of change in the action or narrative?
A change in tense 0.0%
A change in tension 0.0%
A change in time or space 100.0%
A breaking and entering 0.0%
A break for comedy / tragedy 0.0%
A plot synopsis is ____________________ .
a summary of the main plot in relation to the characters and the main events 100.0%
an expansion of the main plot in terms of what could be included for an even longer version 0.0%
a numbered list of plot points with no reference to characters 0.0%
an alternative version of the story for editing purposes 0.0%
A print run is _____________ .
the printing of a book that occurs at one particular time and for a determined number of copies 100.0%
the printed copies of a book that are quickly distributed to the bookstores 0.0%
the reprinting of titles that have sold out at the retail stores 0.0%
the author's term for a particular kind of editing that assures good quality printing 0.0%
A pseudonym is ______________ .
a ballpoint pen 0.0%
a specific editorial deletion method 0.0%
a pen name, or the name under which a writer is published 100.0%
a novel's release date 0.0%
the term for pulping old books 0.0%
A story is often said to have three parts: a beginning, a middle and an end. What are these parts sometimes called?
The premise, the pause and the demise 0.0%
The run-up, the walk-on and the run-off 0.0%
The leap, the steady and the fall 0.0%
The exposition, the middle section and the denouement 100.0%
A story that ends at the point at which it began is said to be ___________ .
reversed 0.0%
self-induced 0.0%
non-linear 0.0%
cyclical 100.0%
According to Ernest Hemingway's "iceberg theory" for determining the power of a narrative and the impression it makes on a reader, which of the following statements is most true?
Most of the story's effect should be below the surface and conveyed by relatively fewer words on the page. 100.0%
More words should be used on the page, with the effect on the reader being reduced. 0.0%
Stories should be cold and always have selfish characters. 0.0%
All of the above 0.0%
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, ________________________ .
it should fall off sooner rather than later 0.0%
it should be ignored 0.0%
it should be fired by the end of the story 100.0%
it should remain there 0.0%
Fiction that is published online is usually called _______________.
PC fiction 0.0%
long fiction 0.0%
flash or flashy fiction 100.0%
digital fiction 0.0%
b and d 0.0%
If a novel is poorly plotted, what is most likely wrong with it?
The overall story is too long. 0.0%
The story is too simple. 0.0%
The characters are not believable and are hard to like. 0.0%
The events, story and characters do not integrate well or are over-written, exaggerated or unbelievable, and/or there are factual errors. 100.0%
It is plodding and dull. 0.0%
a, b and d 0.0%
If editorial work is done in-house, it would most likely be carried out by which of the following people?
A freelancer 100.0%
The publisher 0.0%
The managing director 0.0%
A desk editor 0.0%
An intern 0.0%
If the narrator of a story refers to him or herself as "I", which of the following perspectives is being used?
Omniscient 0.0%
Ambivalent 0.0%
First-person 100.0%
Third-person 0.0%
Second-person 0.0%
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 _________ .
afterword 0.0%
prologue 100.0%
marketing trick 0.0%
by-line 0.0%
a and b 0.0%
In a linear narrative, how is the story told in terms of time?
One event follows another in chronological order. 0%
The narrative skips around in time. 0%
The narrative skips around in time, but always returns to its starting point. 0%
The story is told backwards. 0%
In copyediting, red ink and blue ink generally signify which kinds of changes?
Both are used to show deletions, neither to show additions. 0.0%
Both are used for any type of change. 0.0%
Both are used to show additions, neither to show deletions. 0.0%
Blue ink is used to show additions, and red ink is used to show deletions. 100.0%
a and b 0.0%
In creative writing, the term 'simile' refers to ______________.
a compound noun 0.0%
the comparison of two nouns or two verbs using a metaphor 0.0%
a character who smiles a lot 0.0%
a figure of speech in which the author refers to something as the opposite of what it actually is 0.0%
a figure of speech in which two essentially unlike things are compared, usually introduced by the words like or as 100.0%
In fiction writing, 'foreshadowing' is a term for __________________.
the shadows that lurk in the back of a character's mind 0.0%
the clues in the narrative that give an indication of or pre-empt the future plot or story 100.0%
the tying up of all loose ends at the end of the story 0.0%
the rebels in a gothic horror story 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%
In fiction writing, 'setting' refers to ___________.
the tone in which the author writes the story 0.0%
the time, place, and circumstances of the story 100.0%
how the story is typeset on the page 0.0%
the time at which the story takes place, but not the specific place 0.0%
In fiction writing, a 'caricature' is ______________.
a character from the past 0.0%
a character who is larger than life 0.0%
a character whose behaviour or mannerisms are exaggerated for comic relief, as in a visual cartoon 100.0%
a drawing of the main character 0.0%
In fiction writing, a 'foil' is ______________.
the fundamental and usually universal concept expressed through the story 0.0%
the protagonist 0.0%
the hurried dialogue between two characters that expresses frustration or unhappiness 0.0%
the antagonist 100.0%
a character who calls attention, by contrast, to the good qualities or traits of the protagonist or other characters 0.0%
In fiction writing, the term 'allusion' refers to _______________.
the dark tone of a narrative 0.0%
the alternating movement between comedy and tragedy in a narrative 0.0%
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 0.0%
an indirect historical or cultural reference made by the writer or one of his characters in a narrative 100.0%
In fiction writing, the term 'in medias res' refers to __________________.
the middle of a story 100.0%
a person who meddles in the action 0.0%
the technique of beginning a story in the middle of the action 0.0%
the technique of telling a story in reverse order of action 0.0%
In fiction writing, the term 'persona' refers to ________________.
a person in the story who has morphed into multiple people 0.0%
the moment at which a character takes the action very personally 100.0%
the entire cast of characters 0.0%
the voice adopted by the author to tell the story, which may or may not be like the real author's voice 0.0%
In fiction writing, the term 'premise' refers to ________________ .
the climax near the end of the story 0.0%
the situation at the beginning of the story 100.0%
the broad middle section of the story 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%
All of the above 0.0%
In general, the plot of a novel or short story is best described by which of the following?
The arc of the story from the end to the beginning 0.0%
The mystery at the heart of the tale, especially one involving a secret plan 0.0%
The plotting of the characters 0.0%
The significant points of story development that tell the story 100.0%
c and d 0.0%
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?
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. 0.0%
Flat characters are physically flat, while round characters are physically round. 0.0%
Flat characters are major characters, while round characters are minor characters. 0.0%
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. 100.0%
In terms of "show versus tell", which of the following is preferable when structuring a story?
Having more tell than show 0.0%
Having more show than tell 100.0%
Having about the same amount of show as tell 0.0%
Having twice as much tell as show 0.0%
In terms of how a story is told, "POV" means ________.
pick of vice 0.0%
particle of vector 0.0%
piece of venom 0.0%
part of version 0.0%
point of view 100.0%
In terms of interacting with another writer's characters, plagiarism is when ___________________ .
the characters are identical 0.0%
one writer steals characters or ideas from another writer without changing his or her style of writing in representing those ideas or characters on the page 100.0%
one writer steals another writer's belongings in real life 0.0%
one writer borrows and sufficiently changes the characters created by another writer, so that they no longer resemble their originals 0.0%
In terms of novels, what is a 'proposal'?
A summary of an existing novel 0.0%
A short description of an author's past and future work 0.0%
A letter or e-mail sent to the editor of a magazine requesting payment 0.0%
A hypothetical description of a future work or work-in-progress that might interest an editor 100.0%
In terms of time, a story without temporal disjunctions, flashbacks or dream sequences that could confuse the main action is said to be _______________ .
plain 0.0%
over-determined 0.0%
non-linear 0.0%
linear 100.0%
None of the above 0.0%
Is the following sentence true or false? When an author agrees to give a publisher worldwide audio rights, he or she gives the publisher the right to record the author's written work for listeners...
Is the following sentence true or false? When you agree to first UK serial rights, you give a publisher the first right to publish your work in serial form only in the UK; they would have to negot...
Literary agents usually have _________ clients or authors on their client list.
1-5 0.0%
1-10 0.0%
1-100 0.0%
1-200 0.0%
None of the above: the number of clients can vary a great deal. 100.0%
Publishers, editors and agents commonly prefer typed manuscripts to be submitted in which of the following formats?
Single-spaced 0.0%
One-and-a-half spaced 0.0%
Double-spaced 100.0%
Triple-spaced 0.0%
Any of The above 0.0%
Publishing companies are often called publishing ___________ .
super-conglomerates 0.0%
corporations 0.0%
houses 100.0%
cottages 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%
The 'climax' of a story is ____________________ .
the very ending 0.0%
the very middle 0.0%
the highest point in the story or conflict just before potential resolution 100.0%
a sequel to a work 0.0%
All of the above 0.0%
The 'denouement' of a story is its _____________.
middle part 0.0%
exposition 0.0%
conflict 0.0%
premise 0.0%
resolution 100.0%
The back story of a piece of fiction is ____________.
the story told backwards 0.0%
the very end of the story 0.0%
the publishing blurb that appears on the back cover of the book 0.0%
the story of the antagonist's motivation 0.0%
the series of events or character insights that occurred before the story began, often detailed by the author once the action has begun 100.0%
b, c and d 0.0%
The fiction writing technique of showing a character expressing thoughts or feelings to him or herself is called __________________ .
introspective behaviour 0.0%
self-analysis 0.0%
an interior monologue 100.0%
indirect free speech 0.0%
The in-house departments at a publishing company are commonly called Production, Marketing, Sales, Design, Finance/Accounting and _________ .
Self-promotion 0.0%
Author/Writer 0.0%
Editorial 0.0%
Micro-management 0.0%
Distribution 100.0%
The inner self-questioning or drive that leads a character to do or accomplish something is called the character's _____________.
spin 0.0%
insight 0.0%
maddening impulse 0.0%
motivation 100.0%
The main relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist of a story can best be described as one of __________ .
jealousy 0%
necessity 0%
brotherhood 0%
conflict 0%
mutual support 0%
The overuse of _________________ should be avoided in fiction writing because it can lead to weak, unrealistic, and ineffective prose.
nouns and verbs 0.0%
chapters and paragraphs 0.0%
adjectives and adverbs 100.0%
beginnings and endings 0.0%
All of the above 0.0%
The term 'irony' refers to ________________.
the moment a character becomes angry or extremely irate 0.0%
the discrepancy or incongruity between what is meant and what is actually said, which often results in a wry contrast 100.0%
the moment a speaker means every word he or she says and wants to be taken literally 0.0%
a theme centred on irons, fire irons, or tire irons 0.0%
b and c 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%
The term 'stream of consciousness' refers to ______________.
the mind of the author 0%
the author's desire to keep writing and ward off writer's block 0%
a stream that has a mind of its own 0%
a style of writing in which the author records in a continuous manner - and often with reduced punctuation and less attention to grammatical forms - the procession of random thoughts that passes through his or her mind 0%
The term 'writer's block' refers to ______________ .
the moments when a writer gets 'stuck' and finds it difficult to continue writing a particular work or story 100.0%
the division between chapters in a book where white space is present on half a page 0.0%
a metallic block writers use for inspiration and to generate new ideas 0.0%
an author's finished book 0.0%
The term "onomatopoeia" refers to the formation of words that imitate the sounds associated with the objects or actions they refer to. Given that, which of the following character names is onomatop...
Mr. Tall, the banker 0.0%
Mr. Swish, the broom maker 100.0%
Mr. Hungry, the baker 0.0%
Mr. Legs, the sprinter 0.0%
Using the names of real people when creating characters is not a good idea legally because you run the risk of ______________ .
being unoriginal 0.0%
facing libel charges, being accused of defamation of character and being sued 100.0%
losing self-esteem and not being able to finish the book 0.0%
losing friends and alienating people 0.0%
What are page proofs?
The individual pages of a book in the publishing process that are still in draft format and that the author, editor, and typesetter mark up for possible changes 0.0%
The proofreading marks that appear on the pages of an almost-finished book or publication 0.0%
The watermarks on the copyright, introduction, and contents pages 0.0%
The final, proofread, camera-ready pages that are being sent to press 100.0%
What do inverted commas mean when used in fiction dialogue?
Skip to the next page. 0.0%
They denote words like 'said' or 'replied'. 0.0%
The dialogue does not specifically identify who is talking. 0.0%
The dialogue specifically signifies someone is talking. 100.0%
What is 'vanity publishing'?
A publishing method in which an author self-publishes his or her own book, perhaps because it was not picked up by an established publishing house 0.0%
Online publishing 0.0%
A service in which an author pays someone to bind his or her book 100.0%
All of the above 0.0%
What is a biographical novel?
A half fictional, half factual novel, the fiction and fact alternating between chapters 0.0%
The factual re-telling or re-imagining of a fictional character 0.0%
Telling someone else's real story as non-fictional, from a third-person perspective 100.0%
One that deals with biology and its affect on the characters 0.0%
The fictional re-telling or re-imagining of a real person 0.0%
What is a copyright?
The rights an author licenses to an editor to alter the original manuscript 0.0%
The photocopies of an author's manuscript 0.0%
The authority an author gives to a book agent to sell his or her work 0.0%
The legal right granted to an author or publisher to exclusive publication, copy, sale, or distribution of a creative work 100.0%
The legal self-promotion an author engages in to sell his or her work 0.0%
What is a mythological story, or myth?
The story of a real historical event or person 0.0%
A story that is set in a faraway, fairy-tale land 100.0%
A story set in the future from which we can better understand the present 0.0%
A story that carries deeper meaning, often offering a symbolic interpretation of mankind, nature, and the wider world in a universal context 0.0%
What is copy-editing?
Editing a text by making notes on a separate sheet of paper and ensuring that there are three spare copies of the manuscript 0.0%
Copying the entire text in case it gets lost 0.0%
Marking up a manuscript with symbols that communicate to a typesetter, editor or author how to change the manuscript 100.0%
Copying and editing the manuscript, and then repeating the process twice 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%
What is creative non-fiction?
Same as non-fiction 0.0%
Fiction with some fact 0.0%
Non-fiction writing that uses creative techniques often associated with fiction writing 100.0%
Half fact, half fiction, in certain agreed ratios 0.0%
a and c 0.0%
What is the difference between a 'plot' and a 'story'?
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. 100.0%
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. 0.0%
Both a and b 0.0%
A story is linear; a plot is non-linear. 0.0%
There is no difference; plot and story are the same thing. 0.0%
What is the difference between a closed plot and an open plot?
An open plot involves marriage at the end, while a closed plot involves murder. 0.0%
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. 0.0%
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. 100.0%
There is no difference between an open and closed plot. 0.0%
What is the difference between a publisher's 'front list' and its 'back list'?
The front list is put in the window, and the back list stays in the office. 0.0%
The front list contains the titles that have gone on sale in the current year, while the back list are the titles that are older than frontlist title. 100.0%
The front list is marketed, while the back list is not. 0.0%
The front list is contains the names of genre writers, while the back list contains the names of literary writers. 0.0%
What is typesetting?
The first print-run of a book 0.0%
The laying out of a book in terms of how the book will actually look when printed 100.0%
The editorial method in which proofs are passed between publisher and author 0.0%
The name for the code that publishers and literary agents use when deciding whether to offer an author a contract or not 0.0%
When submitting fiction - especially a novel - to a literary agent, which of the following is usually sent after the initial inquiry?
The first half of the book 0%
The whole book 0%
The first hundred pages and the last page 0%
The first three chapters 0%
The first ten chapters 0%
Which of the following best defines a collection of interconnected short stories?
A collection of short novels that feature characters who appear in other novels 0.0%
A collection of stories in which the same character appears in all of the stories 100.0%
A series of short stories that share similar themes or characters within the same overall work 0.0%
A collection of stories in which each story shares the same subject matter 0.0%
Which of the following best describes a 'roman a clef' (novel with a key)?
A novel written in French 0.0%
A novel with a key attached to the front cover 0.0%
A novel with a map or family tree in the front that relates to the action 0.0%
A novel in which actual events and/or people are depicted as fictional events and/or characters 100.0%
Which of the following describes language that refers to meanings other than the literal meaning?
Symbolic or figurative 100.0%
Stream of consciousness 0.0%
Symbiotic or parasitic 0.0%
Open-ended 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%
Which of the following genres of writing is the least likely to have a sub-plot?
A fairy tale 0.0%
A novella 0.0%
A short story 0.0%
A novel in verse 100.0%
Flash fiction 0.0%
Which of the following is commonly regarded as the most essential ingredient of a dramatic plot?
Conflict 100.0%
Harmony 0.0%
Moral characters doing bad things 0.0%
Immoral characters doing good things 0.0%
Which of the following is not a commonly acknowledged genre in novel writing?
Mystery 0.0%
Thriller 0.0%
Horror 0.0%
Crime 100.0%
Love 0.0%
Which of the following is the best definition of a novella?
Half novel, half short story 0.0%
A large collection of short stories 0.0%
A short novel 100.0%
All of the above 0.0%
Which of the following statements best illustrates the primary purpose of writing dialogue?
Dialogue shares information by narrating the story. 0.0%
Dialogue is less important than other aspects of story-telling such as setting, theme, and characterization. 0.0%
Dialogue propels the plot forward through a character's actions rather than through his words. 100.0%
Dialogue reflects the speaking voice of the character. 0.0%
Why are short stories sometimes more challenging than novels for writers to write?
Readers expect more from short stories. 0.0%
The characters and plot must be introduced and developed quickly rather than over a period of time. 100.0%
Short stories have more characters. 0.0%
All of the above 0.0%
None of the above 0.0%