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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In order to help make a character more believable, how should the details be presented?

2. Which perspective is placed on the humor by a writer in a comedy?

3. What can happen when an abnormal tense is chosen by a writer?

4. What difficulty exists when writing a first person narrative?

5. What exists to provide justification for unexplained changes?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the difference between an omniscient narrator and a viewpoint narrator?

2. What are the most common tenses used in narration and how does the author describe the risks involved with using different ones?

3. What are the three levels in which a writer can penetrate the mind or experience of a viewpoint character?

4. In Chapter 18, how does the author describe the potential of a writer in finding characters?

5. What is the difference between first person narrative and third person narrative?

6. How can a random transformation be written if it seems to occur for no reason?

7. What choice must a writer make when using a first person narrative, and what should influence the decision?

8. How does the topic of transformations lead the author to an important reason that fiction exists?

9. In what ways can a character change him/herself?

10. What is the value of justification and how does a writer decide the amount to include in a story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although the sources of inspiration are unlimited, analyze the following three places that a writer can find ideas for new characters.

1) Describe all of the people, places, and events in a person's life that can provide ideas for characters.

2) Explain how writers can find new characters within themselves and how those characters can be applied to fiction.

3) Describe the process for finding new characters in the story itself as well as the past experiences of existing characters.

Essay Topic 2

Transformations are a key part to the emotional connection between a reader and a fictional story.

1) Explain how transformations can be misunderstood or feared, and why fiction is a way for people to feel less uncomfortable.

2) Describe the way a character can be transformed in fiction based on external events and characters or events that they have no control over.

3) Describe how characters can transform themselves, the reasons for this type of change, and which stories feature it the most.

4) Describe why it is possible for a character to go through a random transformation, the difficulties in writing it, and how they can be overcome.

5) Analyze the different techniques available to writers when developing a transformation in characters.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the different voices people use and how they can change depending on the situation. Then, explain how those voices are incorporated into fiction, and which steps a writer takes in deciding the voice and tense of the narrator for their story.

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