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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. From where did Anne's Special Olympics article start to emerge?
(a) A Polaroid of three of the athletes.
(b) The girl on crutches.
(c) The cool man.
(d) Her lunch.

2. What is a recurring problem that Anne sees in her students?
(a) They really want to be published, and kind of want to write.
(b) They are bad spellers.
(c) They do not have good agents.
(d) They are too busy writing to listen to her class.

3. What advice did E. L. Doctorow have about writing?
(a) "Writing a novel is like making dinner. If you do prep work, the cooking comes easy."
(b) "Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."
(c) "Writing a novel is like taking a horse to water, but then he does not drink."
(d) "Writing makes me paranoid. I don't recommend it."

4. What does Anne say can reveal a character better than pages of description?
(a) Really off the wall dialect.
(b) Pages of dialog with descriptive wording.
(c) One line of dialog that rings true.
(d) The antagonist.

5. What is on Anne's desk that reminds her of short assignments?
(a) A one-inch picture frame.
(b) A ruler.
(c) A pair of shorts.
(d) A short stubby pencil.

6. What movie line does Anne suggest as a good one to tape to the wall of your office?
(a) "Jeremiah was a bullfrog."
(b) "From sun up to sun down I am the best writer in town."
(c) "Hey - lighten up, Francis."
(d) "Climb every mountain."

7. Anne tells her students they can use paranoia as wonderful material, and then recites a poem. Who is the author of the poem?
(a) C. S. Lewis.
(b) Buster Brown.
(c) She is.
(d) Phillip Lopate.

8. What do we want out of important characters, such as a narrator?
(a) A good plot line.
(b) For them to entertain us every step of the way.
(c) For them to manipulate us.
(d) For them to be reliable.

9. When will you know your characters, according to Anne?
(a) When you first sit down and start to write about them.
(b) After teatime.
(c) When your editor tells you who they are.
(d) Weeks or months after you started working with them.

10. What is Anne's third suggestion about putting together good dialogue?
(a) Dialogue emerges entirely from the plot. Listen to the plot.
(b) Put two people, who would never want to be together, in a close situation. They will have lots to say.
(c) Put two people who have lots in common together for teatime.
(d) Insert clever dialogue whenever possible.

11. The school lunches writing assignment combines which two pieces of writing advice from Anne?
(a) Get started and consult a hypnotist.
(b) Eat chocolate and take plenty of naps.
(c) Read poetry and drink wine.
(d) Short assignments and bad first drafts.

12. What advice did Anne's father give her brother when he was overwhelmed at writing a report on birds?
(a) "Woody Woodpecker is a great bird to write about."
(b) "Only write about California birds this time."
(c) "Take pictures of the birds in Bolinas."
(d) "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird."

13. What is the basic formula for drama?
(a) Setup, switch, sendoff.
(b) Buildup, payoff, setup.
(c) Setup, buildup, payoff.
(d) There is no formula, drama naturally occurs.

14. What is Anne's comment on messes?
(a) They are an artist's true friend.
(b) Hire a housekeeper to clean up your messes.
(c) Messes should be kept to a minimum.
(d) Messes do not say anything about who we are.

15. What was Anne's first poem about that got any attention?
(a) Tiny bubbles.
(b) John Glenn.
(c) Her father.
(d) Sam.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Anne's second suggestion about writing dialogue?

2. What does Anne say that there is ecstasy in?

3. What does Anne say writers want to happen to a reader as they read about a character?

4. How does Anne define clutter?

5. What does Anne's friend tell her that we and our characters have to work within?

(see the answer keys)

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